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WD 160gb HD Problems

C

cmallette

n00b
Joined
Dec 26, 2004
Messages
14
Hello,

I was just wondering if there is any issues with installing windows xp on a 160gb hard drive or even setting it as master?

Basically I just built a new computer (motherboard is MSI K8N Neo2 Plat.) and it refuses to detect the Western Digital 160gb hard drive. When I switched the Western Digital with an old 25gb Maxtor hard drive it detected it and booted perfectly.

Could the Western Digital hard drive be dead on arrival? Or is there a way of finding out if the hard drive is the problem?

When I booted the computer, I fealt the hard drive and I could feel something spinning... The hard drive is properly plugged in..
 
You didn’t mention if that was a PATA drive or an SATA drive. Makes a difference how you install it.

I’m using a WD 250 gig PATA for storage and that board saw it with no problem and at the right size.

Make sure you have the right drive type turned on in your bios. There are a lot, and I mean a lot of settings on that board ;)
 
The drive is connected with the IDE master cable, not SATA.

Shouldn't the BIOS detect the drive automatically? I set IDE MASTER to AUTO, then I tried going in the bios to make it detect it and it just hangs there as if the drive wasn't there.

I also tried using the same power cable and the same IDE cable with another hard drive I had and it worked perfectly, which is why I'm thinking that the 160gig hd is DOA.
 
Double-check your jumper settings on that new drive, I use “cable select”. I’d also try a new IDE cable just to be sure.
 
Yes, it definitely sounds like jumper settings. Also, I wouldn't use the whole 160 GB drive as my system partition, but that's just me I guess. I typically well never go over a 50 GB C drive.
 
I've had the same problem with all Western Digital drives including the 160gig I just installed. The drive must be initialzed using the command prompt in Windows XP. These are instructions I got directly off of the WD Support site.
I have the settings at home will post them here when I get home.
 
These are similar to the instructions I have at home and should work.

In the control panel go to
Administrative Tools
Computer Management
Disk Management

You should see your new drive listed here:
Right click on it and proceed with partioning and formatting.

Hope that helps.
 
I have the same kind of problem. I just purchased the 250GB version but when I used your instructions, it says the drive is a 128 GB unallocated. Any ideas on fixing this.

Im using this WD drive as a slave.
 
It's common knowledge by now, but make sure you have the right Service Pack levels for whatever OS your using. This way the entire drive can be recognized.
 
Sorry been out of the loop these past year since I am overseas. :( Just trying to get this working.
 
Puterguru said:
How did you get it fixed?
Click to expand...

My guess would be by installing the latest service pack for his OS. That would enable the OS to see beyond the 137 GB limit.
 
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