WD Raptor: Format always fails 86%

Xandos · 7 Jan 2010 at 16:28

Hi guys, I've been trying to (re) format my system drive to reinstall a flakey XP install, and every time format gets to 86 or 87% and then freezes. I ran Western Digital's Data Lifeguard Diagnostics extended test on it, and it passed, apparently.

What does this sound like to you? I've only got 1 (of 3) sticks of RAM in there, tried 2 GFX cards... There were issues with my machine (freezes, then windows failing to boot properly - and seemingly working but not allowing any inputs at all (screensaver would come on, but nothing else worked)), could there be any other hardware failures causing this? Motherboard perhaps?

I've been at this problem for literally 2 working days, and it's driving me nuts, any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading...

PiKe · 7 Jan 2010 at 16:29

Can you not perform a format using the WD Lifeguard tools?

Xandos · 7 Jan 2010 at 16:40

I'd thought of that, but I kinda figured that if it's failing, it's failing for a reason, and if that's hinting at an unstable drive then it might be too risky to run off installing an OS on it for my work machine... Or could it simply be the fault of the Windows Formatter? I'm formatting on a different windows disk at the moment in case of a bad disk in some shape or form..
[edit]Different windows disk didn't help, suprise suprise.

SMB30 · 7 Jan 2010 at 17:13

Tried swapping the sticks of ram?

Bad memory will make a format fail.

Andrew G · 7 Jan 2010 at 17:26

could it not be a bad sector? using the life tools or format in dos with the correct "/ operator" would sort out a bad sector and mark it as do not use?

Senture · 7 Jan 2010 at 21:28

Andrew G said:
could it not be a bad sector?

Full drive formats pick up on bad sectors and mark them as unusable so no data can be written to them.

paradisiac · 7 Jan 2010 at 21:35

have you tried low level formatting it, that usually throws up errors if the drive has them.

Dom_UK · 7 Jan 2010 at 21:37

Well, I don't know the answer, however here is what I would do...

- Back up my files if it was a work PC firstly. Although it may not be HD, it's not worth the risk.

- Run MemTest on your RAM.

- Run HD Tune error checker (not the quick scan)

At least this will help narrow down the problem. Which is all that can be done when trying to solve possible hardware problems such as these sometimes!