I bought two SAMSUNG Spinpoint F1 HD103UJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA drives from Newegg. They don't appear to be compatible with the MediaSmart server. Plugging them in to the drive bays gives weird results. They don't always show up the first time you plug them in. After plugging them in a few times, they sometimes show up.

When they show up the server will prepare them and it appears to be ok. Until I reboot the server. Then they show up as missing and don't come back.

I have tried reformatting them manually using the format utility available in the computer management-storage console. Stilll no luck.

I have even tried swapping the main drive for the Samsung and restoring the system onto the new disk. The restore process works, unitl the system does the final reboot. Then the Home Server console software can't find the server. I suspect that the drive goes missing again.

I have heard that a low-level format is needed. Is the regular format utility low-level format if you don't select quick format? How can I do a low level format?

I'm going to borrow some more drives to make sure that this is a drive specific problem tomorrow and not some kind of server hardware issue.

Any help appreciated.

You may want to check if there are any jumpers set on the HD. I had the same problem with a HD and I noticed it had a jumper set. I took off the jumper, and it has been working flawlessly ever since.

I've not heard of any HDD incompatibilities so far with the MSS. Hopefully someone else has this drive and can chime in with their experience!

Usually the drive manufacturers provide utilities for low level formatting.

Well,I did find two sets of jumper pins on the back of the drive, empty. Looking at the guide that came with it, it showed a different model (IDE)with more jumper pins! But since there were only two sets, I tried them all. There was no difference in the way the drive was recognized (or not). And when it was recognized, it would dissapear after I rebooted.

I went to my local store and got the Hitachi 1TB to try (they didn't have the Seagate).

Well I swapped out the main drive and put in the Hitachi and ran the restore disk (remember I had tried this with the Samsung too). Voila, it worked without a hitch! The server is now working perfectly. So I am returning the Samsungs to NewEgg, and I have already ordered another Hitachi to give me a nice redundant 2TB.

Either there was a problem with the Samsung (I don't feel like testing it further, already wasted enough time on this), or the Samsung drives have some incompatiblity with the MediaSmart Server.

I thought I heard that the WD green power drives weren't playing nice?

BTW: Staples will put the 1TB version on sale this week.

I have TWO 1TB Western Digital "GREEN" drives in My WHS.

I have never experienced any issues with them.

Specifically, again, WHAT are the issues with these. Several have stated "issued with them, YET, have never explained WHAT the issues were or pointed any URL links to the article explaining these issues.

Nothing, I just *thought* I read somewhere that people had problems. It's all second hand knowledge. I'll probably pick up one next week and test it myself.

I've used the WD drives myself with no issues.


Is This the Samsungs?

Yes, thems the culprits.

I ordered two from Newegg this morning, will let you know if I see the same problem.

Well, my 1TB WD's are purring right along . . . If you read any issues about them, please post it here. THX!

I know where the rumor on the WD came from. Somebody reported on the WHS forums that they couldn't get the drives to work. It turned out to be two DOA drives that they RMAd back to Newegg.

One HD related question guys - I was thinking of getting the WD drives, but the specs for them say that they only have a 16MB buffer while the buffer on most of the other 1TB drives is listed at 32MB - I was thinking that this could greatly effect the speed of backups and data transfers and such - am I wrong on this?

I doubt this would have a significant impact on performance, but I don't have any hard evidence to show you. You're still limited by network bandwidth...