T42 "D" Drive Formatting

[white avenger]

I have the optional 2nd hard drive carriage for my computer, and a new hard drive, but the computer doesn't "see" the drive. Is there any simply way to format my hard drive, like maybe some software on line or available somewhere that I can use to get it to work? And when I say simple, I mean so simple that someone with virtually no computer expertise can do it.

[Orclas]

I have the optional 2nd hard drive carriage for my computer, and a new hard drive, but the computer doesn't "see" the drive. Is there any simply way to format my hard drive, like maybe some software on line or available somewhere that I can use to get it to work? And when I say simple, I mean so simple that someone with virtually no computer expertise can do it.

I assume Windows.

1)Right click on My computer and choose Manage
2) Click Disk drives/drive management (or similar, can't remember what it's called in English, have a Swedish version)

Ok, that's as far as I can get on my computer, the rest is from memory (haven't done it that many times and age is getting the better of my brain cells... ).

3) Right click Disk1 (the "grey area) "Choose Initiate (or similar)
4) Right click the disk ("white area") and choose Format

Well, as said, that's what I can remember. Get back if you run into problems, or simply try google something like "windows new disk/initiate disk".

If the disk does not show up in the management console, then you have some issue which you need to start solving by checking whether it shows up in the bios.

[malch]

Press F12 when you start and see if your drive is listed there.

[white avenger]

Okay, I've found out how to get this hard drive (Hatachi 5K750) to work. The problem now is that it will only work when it has its own separate power source. I've tried it in the "D Drive carriage and in an external hard drive case, with two different T42's. I took the original drive back and got another one, and it does exactly the same thing. Has anyone ever came across a problem like this, and is there any way to fix it?

[malch]

The only way I can see that happening is if the hard drive was put in upside down to normal.
But that doesnt seem possible.

[Orclas]

Is it possibly so that the slot is deactivated?

Various parts of a TP can be shut down in order to save power (and perhaps other reasons). On my T40 the settings are at All Programs/Access IBM/Thinkpad configuration.

[white avenger]

Is it possibly so that the slot is deactivated?

Various parts of a TP can be shut down in order to save power (and perhaps other reasons). On my T40 the settings are at All Programs/Access IBM/Thinkpad configuration.

I don't see how. I'm using a different hard drive in that same slot and it works perfectly. The one that I'm having problems with has been tried in 2 T42's as a second internal hard drive and in those to plus another computer as an external USB connection, all with the same results. It works fine as long as it has its own power source, but won't work off of the internal power on any computer that we've tried.

[RealBlackStuff]

Your HD is of the "Advanced Format" type and requires special software and/or tools.
See more info here: http://www.hgst.com/internal-drives/adv ... ives/index
Return it for another non-"Advanced Format" HD if you don't want to bother.

[white avenger]

Your HD is of the "Advanced Format" type and requires special software and/or tools.
See more info here: http://www.hgst.com/internal-drives/adv ... ives/index
Return it for another non-"Advanced Format" HD if you don't want to bother.

But, if that were the case, wouldn't the hard drive still work on a newer computer? My wife's Toshiba is Windows 7, and it doesn't recognise the hard drive either.

[RealBlackStuff]

If that HD does not work inside the main bay of any laptop, then obviously it is not suited for in there!
Guess a laptop does not provide enough power for such a drive.
Have you tried 'initializing' and formatting it in a drive-bay while on external power, and then insert it in the main bay?

[white avenger]

If that HD does not work inside the main bay of any laptop, then obviously it is not suited for in there!
Guess a laptop does not provide enough power for such a drive.
Have you tried 'initializing' and formatting it in a drive-bay while on external power, and then insert it in the main bay?

With the Toshiba computer, I put my hard drive in an external case and tried to run it off of a USB port. I have another 750gb external hard drive that works perfectly that way, so why wouldn't this one?

[jdrou]

Different drives require different amounts of power; I have a couple of Fujitsu drives that I could never get to work reliably in a USB case (vs. very few problems with Western Digital, Seagate, and Samsung). The power output required by the USB standard is actually not enough for most hard drives but most manufacturers provide more than the minimum standard on their ports.

That shouldn't affect using it in the Ultrabay though. Is your drive caddy an actual IBM/Lenovo part or from some other source?

[white avenger]

Different drives require different amounts of power; I have a couple of Fujitsu drives that I could never get to work reliably in a USB case (vs. very few problems with Western Digital, Seagate, and Samsung). The power output required by the USB standard is actually not enough for most hard drives but most manufacturers provide more than the minimum standard on their ports.

That shouldn't affect using it in the Ultrabay though. Is your drive caddy an actual IBM/Lenovo part or from some other source?

I originally used a generic caddy, but I have since gotten one made by IBM, but that didn't seem to make any difference. I've since then bought another hard drive, a WD7500BPVT. and hopefully we can get it to work as soon as my tech can get to it.

Part of the problem before was that I didn't know anything about Advanced Format hard drives, or that they had to be formatted differently. Now that I know, maybe we can get it to work properly.