windows was unable to complete the format

[kiranpvsr]

I have a 160Gb Hitachi hard disk.
I have tried formatting it from both MyComputer and Device Manager.
In both the cases, it goes till 99% and throws error saying that "Windows was unable to complete the format".
Can any1 help me with the problem?

[Xlphos]

Hello,

1. Is this hard drive external or an internal one?
   
2. What type of format did you try quick or full?
   
3. Which file system NTFS or FAT?
   
4. Can you access the disk contents? Does it open a window when you click on the drive icon?

- Let us know the answers to these questions if you know them.

[kiranpvsr]

It is an external hard drive.
I tried with both quick and full formats.
I partitioned it as NTFS.
When you click on the drive, it asks to format and the error repeats.

[cgeier]

Which operating system are you using? Any service packs installed?

Use hard drive diagnostic software to check the drive.
See http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/support/download.htm

Seagate has a program that works with some other vendor's drives.

http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/downloads/seatools/
Then click on "Download SeaTools for Windows now".

[JAWWADALI]

DOWNLOAD THE SOFTWARE FROM THE LINK BELOW AND FORMAT THE DISK.YOU WILL BE ALL SET.
http://en.kioskea.net/telecharger/download-127-hp-usb-disk-storage-format-tool

[mjdodd]

some external hard disks have their own indexing software (and usb data) in a hidden partition and will only accept a full format from the manufacturer of the hard disk!
I solved the problem with my Wd hard disk by using a linux format in linux and then reverting to an NTFS format, again using linux.
M.