Internal HDD not formatting, disconnecting during format

[noudnoud]

Hello,

I've just completed a new build and everything is working well. I've installed Windows 10 x64 Home on the SSD, and can run and use it perfectly well.

I've also got a new HDD in there (Seagate ST1000DM003 3.5 inch 1TB Barracuda Hard Drive), but I can't format it for use. When I choose to format it from disk manager or elsewhere, a "could not format" error shows up, and the drive is disconnected. I can't find the HDD in the system anymore unless I turn the computer off and on again (just restarting doesn't solve the issue).

I've installed the latest motherboard and Intel SATA drivers, and I've tried running the latest Seagate driver for the HDD, but it says that the driver isn't compatible with the current driver and program, presumably that means it's already updated?

The cables are all hooked up right, I've tried connecting the HDD to a different SATA port, and it is showing up fine in My Computer right up until I format it, so I don't think it could be a cable issue?

Is there anything else I can try, any advice you can give at all? Thanks in advance!!!!

 

[Boogieman_WD]

Hey there, noudnoud.

You could try the drive with a different computer, to see if the issue reoccurs. Either way I'd suggest that you download the HDD manufacturer's diagnostics tool run the tests on the drive too see if any errors or bad sectors pop-up. Other than that, HDD's shouldn't need any specific driver for you to be able to use them properly so there's no need for you to search for a driver for that hard drive.

Please let me know what are the results of the tests.
Boogieman_WD

 

[noudnoud]

Thanks Boogieman! I'll run a test tonight, hopefully that will give some answers!

I've tried a full format (which includes a bad sectors scan as far as I know) but after about 14 hours it was still formatting so I cancelled that.

I don't have another computer to test it with unfortunately :/

 

[CountMike]

Did you try to re-partition that drive ?

 

[Boogieman_WD]

Thanks Boogieman! I'll run a test tonight, hopefully that will give some answers!

I've tried a full format (which includes a bad sectors scan as far as I know) but after about 14 hours it was still formatting so I cancelled that.

I don't have another computer to test it with unfortunately :/

Sure thing. Generally speaking you're right, but an HDD diagnostics tool can give you information about much more than bad sectors alone, so hopefully it catches whatever it is causing the problem (if it's due to an HDD issue). I know that full format takes a lot more time than a quick format would, as it goes through each individual sector (as you've mentioned), but 14 hours is way longer than it should take to format a 1TB hard drive. If it's not a faulty cable or SATA port, it might be a faulty drive. However we'll have to wait and see, so that we're sure about it.

 

[CountMike]

Kill all the partitions, make new partition with NTFS.

 

[noudnoud]

I'll try a repartition tonight as well CountMike, thanks for the tip!

 

[noudnoud]

Alright, so I've tried a repartition, which still led to the same issue unfortunately. And using the SeaTools (Seagate's diagnostic tool) for Windows showed an error and it told me to use their SeaTools for DOS program to find out more about it

After booting into that, it first said there might be a problem with my C: drive (my SSD, which is functioning fine) so I chose to ignore that. It then started the SeaTools for DOS program which couldn't find any drives at all... Is there anything left I can do here, other than contact Seagate?

 

[CountMike]

Some other programs for partitioning:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/active_partition_manager.html
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/easeus_partition_master_home_edition.html
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/gparted_live.html
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/minitool_partition_wizard_home_edition.html
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/aomei_partition_assistant.html
Some additional source: http://www.partitionwizard.com/partitionmagic/how-to-fix-a-bad-partitioned-disk.html

 

[noudnoud]

Nope, still the same problem with other 3rd party software, gets partway through the format and then the drive disconnects and the formatting fails :/

 

[Boogieman_WD]

Well repartitioning the drive won't help in any way having in mind the issues you've been experiencing. If you are unable to use the manufacturer's diagnostics tool, maybe you can find another one which you could try on both the SSD and the HDD, from this article: http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/tp/tophddiag.htm. There are both brand related diagnostics tools here and 3rd party ones. If you're still experiencing difficulties to test your drive, go ahead and contact the manufacturer's customer support and ask for further assistance.

Please keep me posted on your progress!

 

[noudnoud]

I've decided to just return it, I bought it from amazon and can send it back right now for money back, which I'm going to do.

Guess we'll never find out what the problem really was

(I also rewired my system so the ssd's power and data connections were feeding the hard drive and it still wasn't working, so definitely a hard drive problem!)

 

[Boogieman_WD]

Well, the important thing is that you'll be able to get a new one and that everything turned out fine from your point of view.

Cheers!