[ununpentium]

Hello, this was my situation (up to 1 hour ago):

Motherboard AsRock P4i65G
CPU Intel Pentium 4 3.2 GHZ
2 GB RAM
PATA Western Digital 200 GB Hard disk (primary master)
DVD Writer (secondary master)
SATA1 and 2 free (no drives).
WinXP Pro SP3 32 bit

Since Windows was very slow, I had to re-install it. So, since I have a SATA hard drive, I tried to install it on the SATA drive instead of the PATA one.

The SATA drive is a Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 120GB SATA150 HDD.

I powered off the computer.
I phisically installed and connected the SATA HDD.
I powered on the computer.
Windows XP (on PATA HDD) booted. I partitioned the "new" SATA HDD using windows computer management tools.
I tried to format the first primary active partition... the SATA HDD emitted a regularry intermittent sound (not the classic "click" of the damaged hard drives!), but there was no progress bar or number %... So after several time I closed the application and rebooted.

I used a boot CD, and I used from the CD a good partitioning tool. I removed and re-partitioned the SATA HDD. I formatted the partitions, but it made the "quick format" and it was all OK.

I rebooted with DriveImage XML in order to restore a WinXP installation CLONE (to avoid the whole process of re-install Windows)... It restored the "cloned" WINXP installation. The process was OK... great...

I rebooted the computer, I changed in the SETUP the boot drive... setting the SATA HDD... I saved and rebooted again... nothing... I got an error when trying to boot... I don't remember, but was a very short error, a "cannot boot from this drive..." like message.

So I rebooted with the original Windows XP Pro (SP3 slipstreamed) CD, and tried a regular Windows XP installation...

I selected the partition, I told it to format it... again the same problem of the first attempt: There was the Windows XP progress bar and the % number.... I again heared for lots of time the intermittent sound (HDD working), I read "formatting...", but noghing happened for lots of time: always 0%.... no progress bar movements... zero... nothing...

In conclusion: this drive seems to be OK (it worked to the guy who gave me it, it worked, he tried to install WINDOWS XP, he succeded, he powered off his computer, he unplugged the HDD and it gave me it).

So the drive is OK.
It is partitionable.
It can be quick-formatted.
But it can't boot with a WinXP restored image...
And it can't make a full format...

What can be happened?

The motherboard has a SATA 150 controller (not SATA 300), it hasn't AHCI options neither in bios, nor in the manual...

Here's the link for the manual:

ASRock > Products > P4i65G > Manual

Which can be the problem?
About the hard disk jumpers? (but I think that this is a SATA150 hdd, not a SATA300, because it is old)...

THANKS!!!

[ununpentium]

UPGRADE:

I just installed the same SATA HDD in another computer with this configuration:

Motherboard AsRock A785GMH/128M (am2+/am3)
CPU Athlon II X2 245
1 HDD SATA 300 Samsung (160 GB)
1 HDD PATA (320 GB)
Windows 7 64 bit home premium
DVD-Writer PATA Pioneer
PCI-Express Ati Radeon HD4600

I powered the computer off.
I connected the Maxtor SATA 150 HDD
I powered the computer on:
Windows 7 can't boot... It hangs on the black screen with the color-animated Windows 7 logo...

I powered it off... I entered the setup, I set the Samsung HD as 1st (the just-plugged Maxtor SATA 150 become the 1st drive...). I saved and rebooted.... Windows 7 asked me to boot with a repair console or normally, I made "normal" boot... nothing... always hang on the black screen with the windows 7 logo....

So I powered off the computer, just removed the SATA 150 HDD, and it booted again (asking me for a repair console or normal boot: I chose the normal boot and it booted as always.

This SATA 150 Maxtor hard disk seems to force anyone to their knees...!!!!