[imgachu]

Hardware: WDE1U6400 or Western Digital Elements 640gb External Desktop version USB interface

OS: Vista Home 64 bit SP1

---Skip to the next paragraph to get the the current problem---

The drive came formatted in fat32 and I planned to primarily store video files on it. So as per recommendations I tried to format ntfs when I first got it. After I started the format (by right clicking the drive in "my computer") I noticed the "quick format" option. So I clicked cancel, then I started the format again without quick format because I thought it would do a better job if I just let it do it the long way. This time when it got to 99% it said "windows failed to complete the format" or something. And now the drive was labeled as "raw". From this point I looked up various solutions to that error message and no matter what I tried it would always say "windows failed to complete the format" Finally just to be random I created a smaller partition 11gb I believe to try to format it. I selected fat32 and quick format and it worked. This also allowed me to format the remaining 580ish gigs as NTFS. I just used the default settings usually.

Now to the current problem. When I copy my video files over there are random broken parts within them. It depends on the file size. Something small like 34 mb can be broken sometimes and sometimes the whole file is fine it's a gamble. But anything larger lets say 500mb+ is guaranteed to have a spot where the timer keeps ticking but nothing is showing. It's just in random segments because later parts of the video work ok after it and sometimes there is multiple broken segments. My dilemma is that the same files work fine on my main hard drive. I've done enough testing that I'm sure there is nothing wrong with the video files but with the hard drive.

EDIT: Oh I also tried going to the Western Digital site for support. I found my exact hard drive and downloaded a fat32 formatter program it listed which is supposed to restore the factory format specifications on the disk but it just gives an error when I try to run it.
"Error: Drive size is too small or not supported! (WD6400AAKS-00A7B)"
I know it can't be that it's not supported because I downloaded it right off the page where my hard drive is listed...

Also I have tried formatting with larger cluster size and had the same issue.

Is this fixable or a 100% bunk hard drive that I have to get replaced?

Thanks for any help and sorry if I left out any information I will gladly give any information requested. Please help I've tried for days to fix it on my own and I just am not able to.

[philthomas]

Grab the Diagnostic Utility program from WD's website here

Run the extended test (be patient) .... if the drive fails, you will need to get it exchanged.