installing a new hard drive

[jason2074]

Go here --> http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php?topic=61232.0
Follow the steps then upload it --> http://www.imageshack.us/
*Right-click the unknown device before hitting the Pause/Break

[coyote454]

Thanks.  Here's the image of the Disk Management screen:

http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/3027/screenshotvd.jpg

I don't get the option to format, as I do if I right click on the regular HD, making me think the new HD may be defective.

I don't have another computer to try it in to see if it would be recognized, so I'm stuck with wondering if it's a DOA unit.

[jason2074]

The probable reason why there is no format option is because there might be an existing OS stored on your HD. What is the HD capacity of your troubled HD?

[coyote454]

The new HD has nothing on it.  It's new out of the box, straight from Computer Geeks. The new (troubled) HD is a 500GB; the existing one is a 250GB; both WD.

I'm not sure if there's anything else that needs to be done other than connect the power and data lines to the new HD.  It should have been a plug n' play kinda thing.  The fact that it shows up at all on Disk Manager leads me to believe it's at least being recognized by the computer, even though I can't seem to format it.

Strange, eh?

[Salmon Trout]

I'm running Windows XP.  When I go into Computer Management, the new HD is recognized as an "unknown", is not initialized, and shows the disk "unallocated". It also shows the current disk as "C", which is normal, but doesn't show the new HD with any letter designation.  Getting stranger.

Not strange at all; quite normal.

[JJ 3000]

Right click on the disk icon and select initialize.

[Allan]

Right click on the disk icon and select initialize.

Correct. After initializing you can partition / format as you choose.

[coyote454]

I've tried to right-click on the icon in Disk Management and get this error message each time.  I've rebooted and tried again, but get the same error message.

http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/5149/errormessage.jpg

Here's something I didn't mention, but may be relevant. The motherboard doesn't have SATA inputs, so I added a SATA card for the SATA DVD I installed a month ago.  The DVD works fine, but I disconnected it to see if there was a conflict.  The card has two input slots, and I've tried them both, but continue to get the same error message.

I'm wondering if a HD takes a specific SATA card? When I purchased it I said it was for a DVD, so maybe there's more than one type? 

[Linux711]

Do you have another comp that you can test this drive in (one with sata)?

I'm wondering if a HD takes a specific SATA card? When I purchased it I said it was for a DVD, so maybe there's more than one type?

Can you post a link of what you bought?

[Salmon Trout]

Do you have another comp that you can test this drive in (one with sata)?

Can you post a link of what you bought?

SATA is SATA, I would have thought, but maybe the OP will post the make and model and we can see what the specs are.

[Computer_Commando]

I'm running Windows XP.  When I go into Computer Management, the new HD is recognized as an "unknown", is not initialized, and shows the disk "unallocated". It also shows the current disk as "C", which is normal, but doesn't show the new HD with any letter designation.  Getting stranger.

You must "allocate" (i.e., create Partition), prior to Formatting.  Right-click where is says "Unallocated".
You have been instructed to perform this by 2 others.
There is nothing wrong with the Hard Disk drive, I can see it in your link.

If nothing else works, use the WD Data Lifeguard Tools or the Acronis True Image
http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?modelno=WD2500AAKS&x=6&y=9

[Salmon Trout]

Right-click where is says "Unallocated".

Coyote454 wrote this...

I've tried to right-click on the icon

What "icon"? Did you click the white rectangle with the word "unallocated" in it?

[coyote454]

  Right-click where is says "Unallocated".
You have been instructed to perform this by 2 others.
There is nothing wrong with the Hard Disk drive, I can see it in your link.

_______________________________________ _________________

I'm hoping you're right and the unit is good.  I've tried to right click as you and others have suggested, but this is what drops down instead of an option to format:

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/1470/cannotformat.jpg 

I can right-click the working HD and I get the option you're talking about.  But not with this new HD. 

[coyote454]

I ran the WD Lifeguard Tools and tried to run a test on the new 500GB HD (that does show up, but has an unusual icon-not like the OS HD). The test just runs non-stop; seems to freeze the computer without any result.

http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/5743/wdlifeguardtools.jpg

Also, I noticed that the #1 HD (the older 250GB one) is shown as SATA (it isn't) and the new 500GB SATA HD is shown as SCSI. 

However, when I run a program called "Fresh Diagnose", it says that this computer doesn't support SCSI.
http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/2838/freshdiagnose.jpg

Is this correct, as the device manager leads me to believe that I have SCSI capabilities.

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/7245/devicemanagerj.jpg

[Computer_Commando]

...I've tried to right click as you and others have suggested, but this is what drops down instead of an option to format:
http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/1470/cannotformat.jpg 

I can right-click the working HD and I get the option you're talking about.  But not with this new HD.

Don't know why "New Partition" is greyed out.

I ran the WD Lifeguard Tools and tried to run a test on the new 500GB HD (that does show up, but has an unusual icon-not like the OS HD). The test just runs non-stop; seems to freeze the computer without any result.

http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/5743/wdlifeguardtools.jpg

Also, I noticed that the #1 HD (the older 250GB one) is shown as SATA (it isn't) and the new 500GB SATA HD is shown as SCSI. 

However, when I run a program called "Fresh Diagnose", it says that this computer doesn't support SCSI.
http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/2838/freshdiagnose.jpg

Is this correct, as the device manager leads me to believe that I have SCSI capabilities.

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/7245/devicemanagerj.jpg

Your add-on SATA controller being identified as SCSI is normal.  It has it's own BIOS & the computer's BIOS will say SCSI.  Don't know why the ATA (IDE) drive is identified as SATA; it's a WD drive & should be identified properly.
Did you install the WinXP drivers for the SATA controller?  If you did not, this is the problem.

Forget "Fresh Diagnose", many 3rd party programs will mis-identify.

Device Manager SCSI is the SATA controller.

What is make & model of computer & what does it's BIOS say?  Also, what is the add-on SATA controller make & model.