Ok. Here's the deal. My SuSe server HDD died! OR NOT! It's like this. Its a 20GB IBM DeskStar. I use lots of diag software IBM, Maxtor, Seagate, etc, etc, etc. The drive pass all the tests in the several utils. Interface OK! SMART OK! Mechanics OK! Surface OK! Read and Write OK! etc, etc, etc. When I set the drive for 16 Heads Master (it's default) I can make partitions and format it. But then I can't write to it. The computer crashes when it starts to write to the drive! When I set for 15 Heads Master! I can't even format it! It crashes right after creating the partitions! When I set for 2GB Clip mode Master! The HDD isn't detected in BIOS! And finaly. When I set it for Master with AutoSpin Disable the disk doesn't even inicialize! If I remove the IDE cable, tghe disk starts inicializing! I can't Low Level format it, Because when it starts to write the zeros, it crashes! But according to the various utils i used for testing the drive, everything is OK, like i've said before! I've tried the HDD on another PC. Same thing! And now the weird stuff. Only happens with Low Level Format and With Linux/Unix Partitions. NTFS and FAT partitions, no problem! This is weird or what? LOL :) Any ideias? Thanks

The IBM DeathStars from that period were notorious for failing. You are lucky it lived that long! Those were some terrible drives. Do you hear the deathstar rattle, as they call it? A series of clicks. There were class action suits and a LOT of unhappy people. Perhaps yours can be fixed with the utility IBM provided, but usually that finished trashing the drive. Some solution. Please read here. http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,67608,00.asp http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,59943,tk,dn082901X,00.asp http://www.dataclinic.co.uk/ibm-deskstar-hard-disk-drive-data-loss.htm You can avoid many of these Windows problems with Linux. Linspire eases the transition for new users

You should be able to set it as AUTO in cmos/bios setup. But if you use C/H/S then use 16383/16/63. What utility are you using to write zero's?

I don't hear any clicks! I'm using IBM fitness Test. Powermax. and Quantum something, Samsung something. Anyway, no Low Level works! I let the drive making some hard tests from IBM Fitness Test Util during the night. But in the morning someone here in the house kicked the HDD against the wall! :( Now i'm getting Excessive Shock error! Maybe now it really died! Someone is going to have to give me a new HDD! Thanks for your help!

I went searching through my hardware (Lot's of it!) and found 2 Maxtor HDD 20GB and 40GB. But has to be expected 2 Maxtor Slim Drives don't work! The maxtor Slim Driver were terrible! Much like the IBM DeathStar! Still out of luck! LOL Thanks

Dark666, It was the IBM Drive Fitness Test that put many DeathStars over the edge, as I told you in my earlier post. Sorry you had to experience that too. Again, if you got much use at all out of that drive you were lucky. You can avoid many of these Windows problems with Linux. Linspire eases the transition for new users

did it bounce or just land? was it heads or tails?