Formatting new 3TB HDD as secondary drive crashes Windows 7

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The computer recognizes the new hardware and I can see the drive properly in both BIOS and Disk Management and I'm making sure it's initialized as GPT and not MBR since the drive is >2TB. The problems is when I create a new simple volume to allocate the drive space the formatting fails and I get these messages on screen. Then when I go to format the disk it seems to start properly but after 10 - 15 minutes it crashes my computer and I get this screen. After that I can't get windows to boot unless I disconnect the new drive, it won't even boot into safe mode.

So far I've done this 4 times, twice with Seagate 3TB drives and twice with WD Green 3TB drives. Tech support at both companies just say that the drive is defective and to RMA it or exchange it at the store I bought it from. Usually when formatting I choose the smallest Allocation Unit Size but the last drive I tried I just left it at "Default" and I did not get this error message again and it went right into formatting the drive, but still 10 - 15 minutes in my computer crashed with this same blue screen and windows wouldn't boot until I unhooked the new drive.

The computer is a 4 or 5 year old Dell XPS 8300 running Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit SP1. As far as I can tell it doesn't support UEFI and I know it's not set to use UEFI now but I'm not trying to boot from the new disk so I don't think this should matter.

I've posted about this in several places and talked to friends and some IT guys at work about it and no one has a clue what's going on here. I know at this point that the issue is likely not being cause by the hard drive itself but I wasn't sure where else to post on the forum, if anyone knows a better place let me know and I'll go there.

If there's any other info required let me know and I'll be more than happy to supply it. Hopefully someone here knows what I can do about this and can save me any further headache.

Thanks in advance.
 
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Uh,


3TB partition definitely depends on the UEFI bios or not.


Support for Disk Drives Beyond 2.2 TeraBytes (TB) and 4K Advanced Format Sectors [218619]





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Most legacy systems built before 2011 have a traditional PC BIOS. This type of BIOS uses a Master Boot Record (MBR). The MBR Partitions can define a disk drive capacity up to 2.2TB. Windows operating systems that boot from an MBR are therefore limited to 2.2TB per MBR. A 3TB disk drive in a legacy BIOS and Window system will need a DiscWizard device driver to access the full capacity of a 3TB disk drive. Two partitions will be necessary because of the MBR limitation. The device driver mounts the capacity above 2.2TB with another MBR which looks to the system as a second virtual “physical” device.

GUID Partition Tables (GPT) can define drives larger than 2.2TB. You can use GPT today on any Windows 7 and Vista system as a non-booting data drive. Windows can only boot a GPT partition on a new type of BIOS called UEFI.

UEFI BIOS desktop systems are new since 2011. Windows 7 64-bit and Vista 64-bit operating systems support booting from UEFI and GPT without the need of a non-Microsoft device driver. This is the Windows native solution for booting a 3TB drive to a single partition.

Quick facts about Windows and 3TB drives:
◦Windows 7 and Vista support GPT 3TB single partitions
◦Windows 7 and Vista can only boot GPT on systems with UEFI BIOS
◦Windows 7 and Vista can mount a GPT non-booting data drive
◦Intel RST device drivers before v10.1 do not support 3TB disk drives
◦Windows systems with Legacy BIOS and MBR boot drives are limited to 2.2TB partitions
◦Windows XP does not support GPT
◦Windows XP sees a 3TB drive as 800GB on boot or data drives
◦DiscWizard software can install a device driver which opens the full capacity of a 3TB. You can use it to create a second partition for the capacity above 2.2TB

DiscWizard v13 with support for 3TB drives is now available.
◦For a Flash tutorial: Cloning your old drive to a 3TB using DiscWizard. Part 1, Part 2.
◦For a Flash tutorial: Using DiscWizard to access the full capacity of a 3TB after you built a Windows 7 or Vista system.
◦For a Flash tutorial: Using DiscWizard to access the full capacity of a 3TB after you built a Windows XP system.



http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/f/3514/t/19410037



I realize you're not trying to boot from the drive, but it may still affect the hardware support. Try the updated Intel rapid storage drivers like I said.
 
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Damn it all to hell! Heh. I was really hoping that might help. I think maybe you should take Johnbl up on his offer to read the dumps. He's exceptionally good at it and I've seen him solve quite a few issues simply by analyzing the information in the crash reports. You can upload the dump file to a free text file hosting server, just google it. Here's some info on the crash logs:

http://blogs.technet.com/b/askperf/archive/2008/01/08/understanding-crash-dump-files.aspx
 
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I'd be happy to take him up on it but I don't know where to get that file from. If that link explains it then I'm probably too tired to parse out the info that I need from it and will have to come back to it tomorrow during lunch.

Edit: I did a little more reading and checked my settings. It's currently set to kernel memory dump but the file is not there. Do I need to switch it to small memory dump and then recreate the error to generate a new file?
 
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That would probably work, but won't contain as much information as the kernel memory dump. First I'd go into windows explorer, highlight drive C and in the search box type *.dmp, or type it into the start menu search box, and see if there are any results. If you have manually changed your page file size it could be possible that it's too small to allow a full kernel dump, in which case you'd need to increase the size of the windows page file and recreate the crash.
 
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Apparently I only have two .dmp files on my computer and they're both from games. According to the settings on my computer it's supposed to name the file memory.dmp and it should be in my root directory but it's not there. Is there any reason why it wouldn't create that file even thought it's set up to?
 
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Yes, as I said, if the windows page file is smaller than 2GB plus 1MB. I'd set the windows page file minimum size, at least temporarily, to a minimum of 3GB and a maximum of 4GB, if it's not already set to something similar, and recreate the error to see if it then creates the proper dump file.
 
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I know there are some ways, I'm just pretty sure it won't be the same report and have the data needed to see what was causing the actual problem, without the drive. It's highly unlikely three different drives would cause the problem and be any fault of the drives. It's more likely to be something with the controllers and honestly you may just have to end up upgrading to newer hardware to support some of the newer drives since the bios and controller drivers for that model of workstation looks like it was completely abandoned in 2012.
 
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I'm open to the possibility of upgrading my system and I even posted somewhere else about it but didn't get any help as to what I'd need to replace and what I could keep. I don't really need to improve my PC for what I use it for, I just need more storage space so I can stop deleting stuff to make room for more stuff.

I even already have another case that I just finished repainting. I was going to move this set up into it but the stupid dell motherboard won't fit the cut outs in the back of the case.
 
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It's a Lian Li PC-60 Plus and their site lists it as ATX/M-ATX. It was given to me by a co-worker and I have yet to use it so I'm actually not too familiar with it. http://www.lian-li.com/en/dt_portfolio/pc-60-plus-ii/
 
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So, I know you're not going to want to hear this, especially since at one time that was a relatively high end case, but I honestly would forgo using it. That case model is from 2005 and has very limited cooling options using a single 120mm fan while the other fan locations, of which there are only two, are only 80mm versions. 80mm fans need to run very fast to cool modern hardware and are likely to be both loud and expensive to operate since they pretty much have to run full speed to keep up. It's an option, and could be used, but considering you can get a half decent case for less than fifty bucks that will provide probably more than double the cooling capacity of that case, I'm not sure using it is wise.

If you still want to use it, I understand, but for what I'm about to recommend, I don't advise it.

I'm assuming your current unit is using the OEM power supply, unless it's been replaced, so if possible, let's start by determining what actually can, or should, be reused, and what should not. Since the model of that unit isn't listed on that machines specs, could you look on the unit and find the label that has the model number. It may be necessary to remove the four screws that fasten it to the case and turn the unit to access the side with the label.

Prior to that however, if you could download HWinfo and run "sensors only" then post the three screenshots required to capture all the sensor data, here, by using the directions as outlined at the following article of mine, we should be able to determine a few things. It's even possible, although not extremely likely, that your current issue could be PSU related. Your current PSU might be right at the edge of it's capabilities with the hardware you currently have installed, and the installation of additional drives might just use that little bit of extra power that is just a bit more than a lower quality, and older, OEM PSU can handle. We'll see about that according to it's listed model specs and what we see on the HWinfo data.


http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2583515/basic-troubleshooting-layman.html
 
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I'm actually at my girlfriends house tonight so I don't have my desktop in front of me. I am still using the OEM PSU which I believe is 460W, if that's not exactly correct then it should be close enough. I don't think I was maxing out the PSU since I hadn't added anything else to that system and I actually disconnected my DVD drive from the PSU since I was borrowing the SATA cable from that at first.

I should be able to give you info on most, if not all of the hardware in that PC though. The main things I guess would be the CPU (i7 2600) and video card (Radeon 5770) since I know I'm going to have to replace the motherboard and I'll need to get some new RAM since I've found I have a bad stick.

If you still need me to get that sensor data I can do that before work tomorrow morning.
 
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Just whenever you are able is fine. I'm here at some point, or multiple points, most days. I always check in on my threads and I try not to leave anybody hanging any longer than necessary, whether my actual assistance results in a solution or not. Heh. I like to think that the majority of the time I've helped someone, but I do occasionally get stumped just like anybody. Anyhow, just get back with that stuff when you can, and just enjoy your evening and don't sweat it for now. Have a good night.
 
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When I ran HWinfo I got this warning at first
Ia4Qp9X.png
and just hit continue. Let me know if I should re-run it and disable that sensor. The results without disabling it are:
c54QSP3.png

lkRdfZi.png

y8CUT0t.png
 
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I'd say you need a power supply for one thing. It's quite possible that it's the entire issue. Your +3.3v sensor is reading only 2.8v and your +12V is only reading 11.088. That's pretty low and the range should be no less than 3.1 and 11.4, at the VERY lowest, as seen here:

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDFAQs&op=FAQ_Question&ndfaq_id=28


The addition of another drive will increase the load, and will use more power than the optical drive was using so unplugging that while the other drive was being used may have had no bearing on the system. It might not be the issue with the drives, but it IS a big issue overall. I'd probably get myself a new power supply before doing anything else. I can't stress enough the importance of the power supply nor the dangers inherent with cheap or failing units. It's not uncommon for a failing power supply to take parts of the system, or the entire rig, out with it when it goes.

I'm also seeing one of the sensors for the motherboard that's reading 190°C. Now, that's probably an error, but it may be related to other issues on the board which could be an indication of something further that's amiss and perhaps related to the behavior of the storage controllers.


Do you have an idea of what kind of budget you might be able to muster for the purpose of upgrading some core parts. I'd be happy to help you with determining exactly what the least expensive plan that would result in the best overall result would be. Let me know.


I'd also go into the BIOS and record the system voltages for +3.3V, +5V and +12V to see if they're in the ballpark of what we're seeing with HWinfo.
 
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As far as a budget goes I'm somewhat flexible but I'd just like to keep it as inexpensive as possible since I don't need any performance improvement other than being able to throw a larger hard drive in there. I just don't want there to be any sort of drop in performance anywhere.

I do have another power supply, its the same or very similar size but it may be a better brand, I'll have to dig it up and see.
 
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Ok, find that unit and post the model. I'll let you know what the skinny is on it. Considering the issues at hand, I'd think it had better be a pretty solid unit or I'd really want to see a new unit installed. OEM units are TERRIBLE in general, barely meeting the minimum necessities of the system's they power. The power supply is one of the areas that almost every computer manufacturer cuts corner on in order to widen the profit margin and most OEM units are barely fit to make it out of the warranty period, much less any length of time beyond that or to deal with the increased load of any additional hardware that didn't come with the machine.

So, I understand your desires regarding performance, but it would be really helpful to have a number to work with. Give me the MOST you could afford to throw at this and I'll make every attempt to recommend a resolution that comes in as far below that number as possible, if possible.
 
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Ideally I'd like to keep it at $200 or less but really I can afford much more, I just might have to wait a few weeks or a month depending on what we're talking about.

I don't have my other power supply handy so might as well price out a new one and if I'm lucky I might not need it.
 
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Ok, so I'm going to do this two ways for you. One way with just a new board with better controllers that can reuse the CPU you have now, and a power supply.

The other way, which I highly recommend, IF you can swing it, has more to it. The issue at hand is this. I hate to have you invest money into a motherboard for a system that is already dated somewhat. If you HAVE to buy a motherboard anyhow, it seems more logical to invest that money into a newer platform, even if it means the investment of more money for other components. Usually that's not AS big of a deal. In THIS case, is kinda is, because you have a fairly high end cpu RIGHT NOW. A newer CPU doesn't gain you THAT much, but, the chipsets used on more current boards, and the storage controllers, and much better and more refined than previous models, especially in the area of hardware support for newer hardware.

As a last ditch effort, before I recommend anything, did you try the current drive that works, connected to any of the other headers, just to see if that drive also works on those headers, and try another drive on the header your OS drive is currently attached to? Or do you no longer have any of those drives at your disposal?
 
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My OS drive I've used on SATA 0 and SATA 1 just fine, but the other drives haven't worked on either of those or SATA 2.

As far as new hardware goes, I'd rather keep it as cheap and simple as possible. At some point in the next couple years I'll be building a new computer and going all out so I don't really want to do it half way now and then again in a year or two.
 
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Ok, so this is what I'd probably suggest, and keep in mind it IS only a suggestion, not necessarily the only option and certainly not the opinion of the world at large. Heh.

Since there is a very limited selection of LGA 1155 socket motherboards still being sold, I'd suggest this might be the best option within a reasonable budget:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157293&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=



And I'd probably suggest one of the following two power supplies, depending on what you may do in the future, so as to not have to buy the power supply again:

http://pcpartpicker.com/parts/compare/antec-power-supply-neoeco620c%2Cantec-power-supply-vp450/
 
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