Formating NTFS hardrive

[MultimediaMan]

AmSci: That is because WinXP and Win2K share the same NTDETECT.COM and ntldr files! Try it standalone and it won't work at all! WinXP "Upgrades" Win2K in that regard...there is a utility for Dual boot Win9X systems that allows browsing and File writing in NTFS that works on a similar principle. You have to boot from a FAT32 Partition, however.

[Technoid]

Originally posted by cking4@ford.com
Whatever you do, DON'T install 2000 on an HD partitioned with a 98 boot disk... if you do not have the
capability to boot from CD-ROM, make a set of "setup" floppies on a working system (does not have to
running 2000 to do this, as the executable runs in a "DOS" shell). Use the setup floppies to create
the boot partition, and follow through with the installation from there. Even if you are restoring a 2000
boot partition from a backup image, it has to be done this way -- complete the installation from CD-ROM,
and then restore the image to the existing boot partition afterward.

I had to learn this the hard way, and it took a couple of iteratrions before I realized what the problem
was (it ended up being between the keyboard and the chair, as the saying goes).

Here I'm referring to the instance of an NTFS boot partition on a non-dual-boot system.

Strange...
I have never encounterd that problem

[Technoid]

Now your making less than zero sense!
You can't thrash a HDD with FDISK or Format or any other partitiong SW !!!!
The "info" on a hdd that is "NO NO NO" to touch is not possible to tamper with!!
You just had major bad luck with you drives

[AmSci]

Originally posted by MultimediaMan
AmSci: That is because WinXP and Win2K share the same NTDETECT.COM and ntldr files! Try it standalone and it won't work at all! WinXP "Upgrades" Win2K in that regard...there is a utility for Dual boot Win9X systems that allows browsing and File writing in NTFS that works on a similar principle. You have to boot from a FAT32 Partition, however.

Interesting. Thanks for the tidbit.

[Goc]

I'm with Technoid here... What you're describing can't kill a HDD in any scenario... Just some very bad luck, that's all there is to it...

[R.Carter]

Well, Western Digital has software on their site that will diagnose any of their hard drives. I don't think that tool needs the BIOS as it is able to talk to WD drives directly though IDE controller on your motherboard.

So you might be able to use that tool to fix your WD drive. In any case, you'll need to get the failure code(s) that are reported by that utility in order to get an RMA from Western Digital.

Something to remember is that the BIOS won't boot from a hard drive unless you have marked one of the partitions active.