Using Advanced Format WD Caviar Green Hard Drive for Data Storage with Windows XP

[paulcall]

Hello Everyone,

Yet again I have run into another, what seems to be complex problem.
Now even with something as simple as setting up a hard drive for data storage, you need a masters degree in computer science.

I am currently using Windows XP Pro and I have just purchased a WD Caviar Green WD10EZRX 1TB hard drive which is one of about 72 models that they have of their Caviar Green product (Don't even get me started how much time and research had to go into finding which one has problems or will have problems, etc.).

I will be using this hard drive internally and for data storage only.
I have heard that Windows XP is not compatible with the advanced format.

Okay, I have a couple of questions on how to prepare this drive....

1.) Is the problem with Windows XP that it just cannot be installed on an advanced format hard drive, or is it just how Windows XP saves files in general to all drives? Meaning if my drive is to only be used for data storage (no OS installed on it), will it work with Windows XP?

(In doing research I believe that it will be affected, but I just want to verify) I guess I am just hoping that I don't have to spend more time learning about how to align the drive and set the jumpers to a certain setting, etc. as I have read about.
If anyone has any simple info to share about how to do this, feel free to share it.


2.) I have also read that if you are using an IDE setting in your BIOS that you should install AHCI drivers and switch it back to AHCI. If anyone has any info on this to share, let me know.


Next question is more of a WD Caviar Green specific question

3.) In my research of Caviar Green drives it appears that older versions have problems due to an 8 second power down ......which I unfortunately suffer from too in the bedroom
but anyways, much like a firmware Viagra, WD came out with WDIDLE3.exe that allows you to extend its powered on performance
The newer drives are said to have been fixed, but I have read that they still have a power down setting of 8 seconds, how is it that these aren't affected by problems?
I have read that others still use the WDIDLE3 update on newer drives like the WD10EZRX, WD20EZRX, WD30EZRX regardless, to extend the 8 seconds to 5 minutes.
I was wondering if anyone has any knowledge or experience with this?


I am hoping that someone out there can take a little time to help me and share some knowledge. If not my only other solution is to dive back into my research, get even more frustrated, throw up, and then return the hard drive.

Thank You In Advanced For Any Help

 

[BFG10K]

The drive will work on XP, you just have to run WD’s alignment tool or performance will be very slow.

 

[C1]

http://support.wdc.com/product/downloadsw.asp?sid=128

 

[bryanl]

Can anybody explain why WD, Samsung, and Hitachi haven't released firmware upgrades to automatically handle 4KB/512B sector mapping so partition alignment isn't an issue with XP, something similar to what Seagate does for its drives with 4KB physical sectors?

 

[paulcall]

Hey Guys,

Thank you for the responses.
That is what I figured that I would still have to run the alignment tool.
It seems as though using the alignment tool is a better choice over using the 7-8 jumper method.


I forgot to ask this question in my original post....
Does anyone by any chance know if there is a special way/software needed to format the advanced format hard drive?


My basic plan is to do the following....

1. Run the WDIDLE software to enhance the Intellipark feature run time on the hard drive.

2. Install the Windows version of the alignment tool software on my OS drive and then shut down my computer.

3. Hook up the WD Caviar Green hard drive to the sata port right after my OS hard drive

4. Boot up and format the WD Caviar Green hard drive with NTFS, using the formatting tool that is supplied with Windows XP. (unless there is a specific formatting tool recommened to my question above)

5. Next run the alignment tool software in Windows XP and align the WD Caviar Green hard drive.

6. Hopefully, finally get to enjoy the hard drive that cost over two times the amount then it would of if I had purchased it over four months ago when I had planned. On the positive side, at least I was able to get a newer version of the drive.


If anyone sees any problems with my process list above, or has any recommendations to share, that I may have missed, please let me know.
As always it will be greatly appreciated.

At the moment I am putting the ACHI vs IDE issue off to the side until I have completed the above task. The research that I have done on this seems that it is more for operating system hard drives and especially SSD drives. I don't think I will see much of a benefit in my data storage hard drive.

Hopefully this post will help others encountering the same problems and will give people an accurate step by step process to fixing it.

Thank You All Again