Unformattable Hard Drive

[cheech_wizzard]

Hi.
I'm hoping someone wiser then me in matters of IT can advise me as to the problem of an unformattable HDD.

The drive in question is a 20mb Fujitsu (MPG3204AT), which I pulled out of a skip at work (I'm naturally inclined to skipratting and recycling). Finding it was recognised in the Bios and span up ok, I virus tested it. When coming to formatting it, however, it doesn't want to know.

Tried formatting it on my backup computer, which I keep for things like this.
The drive contains Windows 98 OS (which I'd like to delete, as I don't have a licence for that)

I sem to recall that Fujitsu had a load of problems with their 20 and 40gb drive controller cards, but as I mentioned, the drive seems to work ok, it will read and write data but cannot be defragmented checked or formatted using Windows XP.

Has anyone got any suggestions?

 

[Softus]

When coming to formatting it, however, it doesn't want to know.

No offence intended, but when you say this (above), what on earth do you mean?

Tried formatting it on my backup computer, which I keep for things like this.

How did you try, and what was the system response?

I sem to recall that Fujitsu had a load of problems with their 20 and 40gb drive controller cards, but as I mentioned, the drive seems to work ok, it will read and write data but cannot be defragmented checked or formatted using Windows XP.

How do you know that you can read or write it when you can't format it?!

What partitions have been created on this disk? Why can't you delete all of them and simply start again?

 

[salem2000]

If you can get a copy of Fujitsu Disk Manager you can use this to format/diag the drive.

However, I think that Fujitsu no longer offer this download free, but you may be able to find some sites that still offer the download.

Salem.

 

[^neo^]

Dont suppose youve asked yourself why it was in the skip in the first place?!

 

[cheech_wizzard]

No offence intended, but when you say this (above), what on earth do you mean?

No offence taken. I meant that I am able to write information to the disc and read from it, but when I tried to format the disc (as Fat 32) the computer aborted the format process.
I've since tried to format this on another computer using the Win 98 OS without sucess.
I get the message "Error reading FAT". I've even tried Fdisking it and formatting without any luck.

Dont suppose youve asked yourself why it was in the skip in the first place?!

As far as I'm aware, the computer to which the disc was attached, was skipped because the PSU had failed a PATS test...along with the other 40 that were there. I don't like waste and there is a community group of retired people who are doing a computer building course to whom I was going to donate the drive

Anyway, thanks for the advice, I'll have a look for the Fujitsu software and give it a go.

 

[JohnD]

sometimes, if you have a disk that doesn't want you to format it, if you load it up with a Windows Install disk, Windows will offer to do a clean install, option to delete existing partitions and create new. (I've used this when fdisk doesn't seem to work).

 

[gcol]

You can't really mean 20mb? You mean gb surely!
As already mentioned - there's probably a reason it's in the skip. If the IT dept can't flog em on ebay then you're better leaving it where you found it.

 

[cheech_wizzard]

You can't really mean 20mb? You mean gb surely!

Yes, should have read GB. Took Salems advice and scanned it with the Fujitsu tool. It's dead as a doornail.

Thanks for the advice though

 

[Igorian]

Fujitsu...

Best place for it was the skip.

 

[empip]

Possibly related The register

Own risk here

 

[Softus]

This specialist tool will stop the drive producing any errors:

 

[shdwsclan]

Freeze it and run erd commander on it or winternals commander.
The drive should be able to read damaged data. You can also read resonations on the drive...eg...deleted files.
If the head still works, freezing will harden the platters and allow you to operate the drive for a some time until you have to re-freeze it...

 

[Softus]

...freezing will harden the platters...

Is this true? What are the platters made of - cheese?

 

[kendor]

...freezing will harden the platters...

Is this true? What are the platters made of - cheese?

No four guys and a girl.

see
http://www.hotshotdigital.com/OldRock/PlattersBio.html

 

[eggplant]

Freezing will on occasion allow the disk to be read if the disk is well kaput, usually lasts long enough to get data off.
As for the original question, consider this - hard disks are FRAGILE, they are easily damaged although the damage is not always aparant, I would never ever trust a drive that had been dropped or banged, never mind being thrown in a skip - bin it mate, you can buy and 80 gig drive for £30, you'll save that in time alone.