Cannot format in NTFS

[jmhcs]

I am doing a clean install of a new Western Digital 40G hard drive using W2K Pro. I set up a new partition and then try to format in NTFS. At the end it gives the message something like "cannot format the partition using NTFS. Disk may be damaged" or something to that affect.

However, when formatting in FAT32, no problems. I have contacted WD with this but no reply yet. Any suggestions?

[Midknyte]

did you use fdisk to partition the drive or did you let win2k do it? you may want to just clear off the drive and reinstall win2k, allowing win2k to create and format the partitions.

[BipolarBill]

Jumpers. Remove all jumpers if it's the lone drive on the cable.

[jmhcs]

The andswer is yes and yes. The jumpers are remove and I let W2K install delete the partition formatted by Fdisk and then had W2K create and format the new partition into NTFS. At the end of the formatting process, I got the error message.

[BipolarBill]

It must be a bad drive - probably damaged in shipping.

[jmhcs]

This what I am thinking. I have another which I will try and get an RMA for the bad one. It is new and under warranty. Thanks for the advice.

[Midknyte]

Man, I HATE getting DOA stuff. that's the pits.

[jmhcs]

Luckily, I can bring it back to Best Buy as it is still under their return policy. If I returned it to Western Digital, they only pay the freight to you. You incur the cost of sending it back.

[jmhcs]

This is the response I received from WD:

"The error message you received is common with ATA/100 drives. Windows 2000 does not natively support ATA/100 until SP2 is installed. You may want to disable UDMA in the BIOS until Windows 2000 SP2 is installed and then enable after the install.

You may also format the drive in FAT 32 and when you go to install Windows 2000 it will give you the option to use NTFS."

They have also given a work around that may work. However. since the return time to Best Buy is fast approaching, I am going to exchange the drive, just in case the indicated problem is not correct. I will then probceed with the work around. Won't get to it until Monday but will let you know the results.

[BipolarBill]

I have installed Win2K with both NTFS and FAT32 and even a little FAT16 at least 100 times. I have never seen that error.

'Nuff said.

[jmhcs]

Bill-

They (WD) actually did make reference to the VIA Apollo Pro 133A PCISet Southbridge chipset which is resident on the EPOX mobo I am using as a cause of this problem. This is beyond where I normally go so I have no idea whether or not this is a problem.

At any rate, I am replacing the drive just to make sure. I will let you know how it turns out.

[jmhcs]

I have now attempted a second drive and have the identical problem. I am concinced it is not the drive but the problem as indicated by Western Digital. However, when trying to take their advice and try to disable the "UDMA", I cannot find it in the BIOS unless it is called something else. Do you have any idea how to disable the UDMA??

[Midknyte]

Why don't you just format an install on FAT32. once you get sp2 or 3 on , then use the convert command to change FAT32 to NTFS.

convert c: /fs:ntfs

If that still doesn't work, you'll need to go to the IDE options and change from UDMA2 to PIO mode 4. Look for something about PIO modes and you are in the right area.

[jmhcs]

C'mon. That is way too easy. I will try it tomorrow. Will there be any FAT32 residue so to speak? Just curious.

[Midknyte]

nope.