Need help formatting partition of new secondary SATA hard disk

[imported_Jubei]

I just bought a new secondary hard disk today and need help!! It is a WD 250G Sata II drive (WD2500JS). My system : Asus A8N-E, AMD 64 3200+, Corsair Value Select 512Mx2, ATI X700 series video card.

The hard disk has been physically installed into the PC case. Windows XP (Home) recognizes it a new hardware. I go into Disk Management utility and new drive is present. I enable the drive. So far so good. I then try to create a new partition roughly the size of 200G. Hard disk starts to format - but stalls at 87%. Cannot cancel formatting, and PC hangs / freezes on shut down. After hard restart via restart button on front of PC, I try formatting the partition again - this time it stalls at 10%. I try using another SATA connector on the motherboard with same results.

I have tried this a number of times with no success - it now stalls around 10% or less. What can I do??

 

[mechBgon]

1) try a quick format

2) run the Western Digital diagnostics on the drive to make sure it's healthy. http://support.wdc.com/download/index.asp

 

[imported_Jubei]

1) tried - it won't do a quick format - said something like format failed.

2) tried that too - did a quick test and the drive passed.

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: Jubei
1) tried - it won't do a quick format - said something like format failed.

2) tried that too - did a quick test and the drive passed.

Does it pass the extended test? Also, is your motherboard's BIOS up-to-date?

 

[imported_Jubei]

Problem has gotten worse. System won't even boot properly with new hard disk attached! Brought it back to the vendor but the hard disk seems OK on his system. Tried doing an extended test with WD Diagnostics but it won't system stalled. Thing is once I physically disconnect the hard disk, my system seems to be working smoothly. Damn, what can I do?

 

[imported_Jubei]

This is the error I'm getting at system event log, upon trying to create partition:

Event Type: Error
Event Source: LDM
Event Category: None
Event ID: 2
Date: 4/29/2007
Time: 6:22:54 PM
User: N/A
Description:
The parameter is incorrect. (80070057).

 

[sonoma1993]

possible bad sata cable?

 

[imported_Jubei]

Went to the vendor again and exchanged it for another one. Installed and working properly now. Still no idea what went wrong with the first drive.