RE: FYI that BIOS setting makes no difference to MHDD - it is used only for int 13h access, not for register-level access.

That error from MHDD is typical for when the Identify Device command fails or it returns unexpected data from the drive e.g. Word 49 in the Identify Device response, which indicates whether the drive can be accessed via LBA, or only CHS. All modern drives should respond that they can use LBA access (which is a specific type of register usage), but I have seen times when faulty drives didn't do that...

Edited to add: In this case, the Identify Device command is working, so it must be that it's returning unusual data, e.g. from ROM data, as I mentioned above.



Thanks your a wealth of knowledge

Loki

You're welcome - it's just that I've hit the same error message, and done programming of (S)ATA device drivers, so I've worked in that "area" before. I appreciate that you've been trying to help the OP, so I hope my comments only come across as an "FYI"

Yes your comments came accross as FYI so no worries there.
My logic of thinking was that I know that MHDD doesnt support ACHI & that you have to change it in BIOS to Compatible for instance so I was thinking along those lines with LBA.

Keep up the good work it is appreciated


Loki

Thank you everyone for the help.

I never had this busy errors, or DRSC before. Could it be possible it's not comptable with my SATA drive?

It won't work with Victoria either. However, it does work with Killdisk, and DBAN.

Other SATA drives work fine with MHDD on this computer?

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You don't have to backup all of your files, just the ones you want to keep.

This is the only drive that I own.

So why, exactly, aren't you using DBAN to erase your disk, since you say that the drive "works" with it?

I thought that MHDD, and Victoria are better then DBAN?

They are different tools, for different jobs (with a little overlap) IMHO. Specific to erasing - I see no reason why MHDD would be better than DBAN (on working drives, in a compatible system, etc. - i.e. on a level playing field).

Instead of all this struggle with MHDD & Victoria (which you said that your Uncle recommended), then if DBAN truly works as you now claim (although you seemed to say that it didn't a while ago, which makes your current comments confusing!), then just use that.