First, please be aware that I am a computer user, not a computer understander.
About two years ago my DELL Dimension E510 hard drive failed (or I thought since I was getting error messages on boot-up telling me that I had multiple missing or corrupted files). I have a newer computer so until recently I was content to let my E510 wait in the wings for spare parts. Since most of my Best Buy award points were about to expire I used them to buy a WD Caviar Blue 320 GB internal HD.
Not knowing how large a partition needs to be, or even if partitioning is lnecessary, I followed the DELL instructions and formated the drive without partitions. It took about an hour, and at the end of the process I got an error message saying “format failed”. I tried again, and again “format failed”.
I created a partition (15 GB) and attempted to format. This time the message read something like “disk not repairable”.
I find it hard to accept that a new hard drive is defective, so I am asking this forum for some instructions on the proper way to install (technical, not physical) my hard drive.
I have the original software CD’s, but either I do indeed have a defective new HD, or I simply continue to screw up the steps for installation.
B.T.W., I reinstalled the old hard drive and for whatever reason, it now seems to work just fine.
Hi dude!!! Physical installation instructions can be found here.
On the other hand, are you using the DELL recovery/installation disc, or a clean Windows installation disc not related to DELL? Since the drive is new, you need a clean Windows installation disc, since the DELL recovery only works with the orginal drive.
Also, if you are using a clean installation disc, then the version of Windows is important to partition the drive, if it is the orginal XP then you won’t be able to partition the drive/format it above 137GB. For the drive to have a native 137GB+ partition, then you’ll need the second edition of XP which comes ready with Service Pack 2, Windows Vista or Windows 7.
I went to WD technical help first. They said that I needed to reference the original computer manufacturer for any information on formatting or operating system installation. When I told them of the error messages I had gotten they refered me to this forum.
That seems to be the issue, the “Operating System Reinstallation CD” you have may only work on the original drive (It happens a lot with OEM drives, they have a special partition that works with the CD for recovery), but it will do you no good with a new drive…
