120GB won't format
 

I've been having a couple of issues with an external 120gb UBS hard drive. It works fine, until I assume the computer is going to 'Safely Remove Hardware' properly which it fails to, and then the drive wont read. I've fixed this once or twice with a quick format.

When it happened again, I figured fuck it, I'll install the fucking thing, its only an IDE drive in an encasement after all. Now I cant quickformat it. It thinks for about 15, maybe 20 seconds and then says "Nah, sorry I can't format this after all."
"Cool," I said.

SPECS: XP sp2, tried using the Disk Management service to format it, and also that util that pops up from explorer when you get "This disk is not formatted, would you like to format it now?"

Ideas anyone? Is there an alternate route I can take or is that drive just out-and-out busted?

Thanks all.

Yeah XP in my experience has sucked at reading drives that aren't in perfect alignment with the moon and stars.
My suggestion lately has been get a copy of Knoppix and use that for all your problems.
It's been saving my butt lately.

Thanks for the tip, it's just gone and worked for no good reason. Hopefully it stays that way. I'll grab knoppix anyway, thanks man.