IBM server cannot install SATA Hard Drive

Question

I got a refurbished IBM Storage engine earlier that comes with a 80GB WD SATA Drive. I try to put another Drive in it which is a 320GB Seagate SATA Model#:ST320620NS.

When I attempt to install Windows XP on it, it's all good until when it starts to copy files after quick format. It doesn't finish and restarts by itself. I then try to Run PC CHECK on it from Eurosoft, it's stating that read test and read verified failed, but all other tests passed.

But all these drives are tested just fine with other hardware. When I run the same test for the original 80GB it passed all the tests and installs Win XP without any problem.

So I ended up not adding the 320GB drive. Right now, I got another IBM eserver 336, it didn't come with a hard drive, when I plug in the 320GB, it does the same. Although this time PC CHECK got stuck on loading screen and wouldn't run. But Memtest 4.0 passed without any problem.

I've tried a 250GB and 750GB additionally to no avail, they both failed to boot into winPE after Restart when finished formatting and copying. I have found this link here for BIOS update and am wondering if they'll fix the problem, but I'm a bit lost there since there's so many and I know Bios update is not recommended unless there's a problem, and I'm not even sure if this will actually fix it. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

I would update the bios to the latest version 1.35a, there were some Sata problems fixed along the way, see the Change history in this document.

http://www-947.ibm.com/support/entry/portal/docdisplay?lndocid=MIGR-63148&brandind=5000008

V1.31 Changed SATA bus signal timings to minimize SATA HDD time-outs

v 1.30 Fixed problems of false SBEs and poor quality of SATA signal causing system to hang

Be sure to read all documentation before flashing the bios.

They offer a CD iso image, you can burn this and flash the bios from the bootable cd you make.

Answer 2

I had a similar issue with a hard drive before. Try using a GPartEd Live disc to delete all partitions on the hard drive. Then try installing the OS. I don't know the logistics behind it, but it worked for me on a hard drive that kept hanging on install.

Please post the outcome of this as a comment to this answer. I might be able to help you more.

Good Luck-

Answer 3

Just updated Bios as Moab suggested, it seems promising, it's able to run PC Check now, before the update it wasn't even able to get into PC Check, and hangs at loading screen, it usually does that when there's problem with the HDD, so I'll keep this updated when it finished running PC check. Thank you so much!