Can't select my HD to install W7 on

[lazlo]

Hi all, this morning I used PartedMagic to do a secure erase on my HD, I've done this several times with this HD without any problems. After the erase was completed I booted the W7 installation from USB. When I got to the point where I had to select my HD to install W7 on, I received an error message: "Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This computer's hardware may not support boo[ting to this disk. Ensure that the disk's controller is enabled in the computer's BIOS menu."

So from the W7 installer I tried creating a new partition, where I received a new error: "Error 0x8007045D: the request could not be performed because of an I/O device error."

So I went to the repair thingy on the USB and started a command prompt. From there I tried to do chkdsk where I got the following error: "The type of the file systyem is NTFS. Cannot lock current drive. Windows cannot run disk checking on this volume because it is write protected.". I also tried to create a partition with diskpart, where I got a similar error ("write protected"). The HD is from Western Digital, so now I tried to run the Western Digital's "Data Lifeguard Diagnostics" from DOS. I did a quick test where it found no errors, when I tried to do the extended test I received the following error: "Drive is locked - Full Media Scan is not possible."

I could really use some help with this. The HD worked perfectly untill this morning when I did a secure erase.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I'm not sure what's going on, but I'd want to look at the drive with a tool such as Partition Wizard 8.1.1:

Free download Magic Partition Manager Software, partition magic alternative, free partition magic, partition magic Windows 7 and server partition software - Partition Wizard Online

 

[lazlo]

I'm gonna try it out right now!

 

[lazlo]

I'm not familiar with Magic Partition but in MP my HD shows up as 'File System: Bad Disk'. What kind of information do you want?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I'm not an authority on the program and rarely use it, but as far as I know, "bad disk" is about the worst thing it could say.

That can mean the disk is dead and ruined, but it's very odd that it suddenly died when you did a secure erase.

I assume you are using Partition Wizard from the link above?

I can't help you. I'd wait for other comments. In the meantime, don't write anything to the disk.

 

[lazlo]

Yes I used the program from your link, Partition Wizard (I said PM by accident). The disk is only 6 months old.

Small update: The Western Digital tool says the drive is locked.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

The only thing I can offer is to investigate GParted and secure erase. I thought secure erase was a way of writing zeroes to the drive as you might if selling it, but I've never done a secure erase. I'm thinking there must be a way to "unlock" it unless the drive in fact died as a result of the secure erase.

I've requested more help.

 

[bigmck]

See if this helps any. How to Unlock HDD Software | eHow

 

[lazlo]

Hey, thanks for the replies all. I found out what happened. Apparently my secure erase was interrupted right at the end, which caused my HD to get locked. This caused symptons which make it look like the HD is damaged. I found out that it was locked with the Western Digital diagnostics tool and now I used victoria to remove the lock with the standard master password, which seems to work!

 

[gregrocker]

Run WD Data Lifeguard bootable flash stick and Windows version diagnostics Extended scan on the drive to determine its condition with certainty.

Is your BIOS UEFI? What are the settings for UEFI, CSM and Legacy BIOS?