On one of the drives, I am getting this at the end of the partition procedure:

Command (m for help): p

Disk /dev/hdc: 255 heads, 63 sectors, 14593 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hdc1 1 5 40131 5 Extended
/dev/hdc2 6 10 40162+ 83 Linux
/dev/hdc3 11 13 24097+ 10 OPUS
/dev/hdc4 14 14593 117113850 83 Linux
/dev/hdc5 1 3 24034+ 83 Linux
/dev/hdc6 4 5 16033+ 82 Linux swap

Command (m for help): w
hdb: read_intr: status=0x59
hdb: read_intr: error=0x01
hdb: read_intr: status=0x59
hdb: read_intr: error=0x01
hdb: read_intr: status=0x59
hdb: read_intr: error=0x01
hdb: read_intr: status=0x59
hdb: read_intr: error=0x01
ide0: reset: success
hdb: read_intr: status=0x59
hdb: read_intr: error=0x01
hdb: read_intr: status=0x59
hdb: read_intr: error=0x01
hdb: read_intr: status=0x59
hdb: read_intr: error=0x01
hdb: read_intr: status=0x59
hdb: read_intr: error=0x01
ide0: reset: success
hdb: read_intr: status=0x59
hdb: read_intr: error=0x01
end_request: I/O error, dev 03:40 (hdb), sector 48194

Unable to write /dev/hdc
empeg:/empeg/bin#

The other drive worked fine. Does this smell like a defective drive? Is there a way to be sure and wipe out the drive before starting the procedure so that I can be sure it's clean?

- Thanx
- Jon