Hello;

Either the Bios or the SATA controller (VIA 8237) is setting the write cache as disabled on every boot. I have two hard disks of the same model and this behavior happens only to one of then. The other one has the write cache enabled and works normally. I used the Hitachi Feature Tool to re-enable write cache but it works only until next boot. I noticed that S.M.A.R.T is reporting bad status to the problem HD. I assume reseting SMART status to this disk will solve the problem. I've been monitoring every SMART attribute on both disks and they are perfectly health. This bad status was caused once by a mal-functioning power suply unit that was not feeding enough power to the disk and causing it to spin down. Once replaced everything was OK but this cache nightmare, what takes 10 seconds for one to write the other takes 6 minutes!
javascript:emoticon(':disabled:')
disabled

Please, any help?

FRom mu understanding the old maxdiag tool would disable and then re-enable the cache for testing purposes, maybe you can try this software? Also another thought.... Maybe write cache is disabled on this drive because SMART has tripped and therefore the drive cannot guarante data integrity on a write cache command?

other than that I would ask Maxtor support team, or warranty the drive for a new one.