All NTFS boot sectors are unwriteable?

[sjt269]

So, I formatted my hard drive, partioned it (30Gb for Windows and 'essential' programs, 127Gb for games and recordings) and installed Windows. Got all the software installed, everything ready for a fresh start. Then I tried to get into the 127Gb partition, but I hit a snag - it wasn't formatted. Okay, I thought, I'll click the 'Yes' option in the box asking me to format. Only it didn't format.


Went through the Windows format thing twice, with it just throwing its hands up in the air after an hour each time saying 'It can't be done'. Then I tried going through DOS and the command prompt, where I got the message:

The second NTFS boot sector is unwriteable
The first NTFS boot sector is unwriteable
All NTFS boot sectors are unwriteable. Cannot continue.
Format failed.

What's up? The hard drive has been working for a year (albeit shakily and prone to frequent suicides) now with 127Gb of it being used. The rest of the space was neglected, since at the time of installation, I didn't know about partitioning.


Any ideas would be much appreciated

Thanks
tTz

 

[sjt269]

A long shot but try inserting your OS CD and booting from it, and then format the 127gb from there, worth a try anyway.

Yeah, I thought about that, but I hate playing about in BIOS type menus like that, I always end up screwing things up.

Well if atually accurate that message means the disk is dead as far as using as a boot drive is concerned as those blocks are required for booting. As long as the first sector on the disk (partition table) are still writeable then you should be able to still use it for data with suitable partitioning.

The disc is the boot drive, so I don't quite understand what you mean. I'm booting from a 30Gb partition with Windows on it, and trying to gain access to the unformatted 127Gb remaining.

You given it ago via computer mangement at all?

No, I dunno what that is...could you elaborate a little?

 

[sjt269]

If the drive has lots of bad space I would recommend RMA'ing it.

It's a year or so old, so I dunno if it's still covered by its waranty. Besides, I'll be getting a new PC in a few months (finances permitting) and there have been hints that it's a motherboard problem, and that getting a new HDD would possibly end up with a dead new HDD in a month or two. Bleh. I hate PCs sometimes.

 

[sjt269]

What brand is it?

Hitachi.

Why do you suspect it's a motherboard problem and why do you expect it to kill the drive?

Third time with this drive I've had serious problems, plus another two drives in this machine have met similar fates (corrupt file structure etc), though I rescued one of them eventually. Also, my DVDRW doesn't work properly in this PC (haven't tested it in another one yet) and that apparently is a strong hint that it's the motherboard.