How to format a Hard Drive you don't see?

Hello everybody, Merry Christmas.
I have purchased a 250 GB hard disk because my other hard disk is broken. I have a macbook and it was easy to put the hard disk in, but now the problem is that I need to format the disk and install the OS. I can not see the HD when I boot off of the DVD. I see only the DVD. I cannot format a drive if I don't see it. Any suggestion? Anyone knows how to get around this? There is something I need to do before?
Thanks.
Piero

Slip said:

If you go into Disk Utility from the menu when you're booting from the DVD and you should see your disk. Go to Erase and then reformat it as 'Mac OS Extended (Journaled)'
After it's reformatted it should show up as a usable volume to install the OS on

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Hi, thanks. But, this is exactly the problem. I don't see the HD. I only see the DVD. I have no idea why the HD is not there, but it is not there. I cannot initialize it if I don't see it. it is a brand new HD that I just installed. Do you think that there is something else I should do? I am booting off of the dvd with the "c" key pressed and I did go, as you said, into the Disk Utility from the menu when I was booting from the DVD and I did't see the HD.
Regards,
Piero

Mitthrawnuruodo said:

Is it the Samsung SpinPoint M5S HM250JI?

In that case it's 50/50 chance you need to download and apply this patch: http://www.samsung.com/global/business/hdd/faqView.do?b2b_bbs_msg_id=131&orderNum=1

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NO IT IS A Western Digital SATA Model WD2500BEVS.
DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS ONE INSTEAD? THANKS.
PIERO

IMcD23 said:

Hey,

Make sure it is in correctly (take it back out and put it in again). Then, you may have a defective drive so take it back and get a new one. Good luck!

IMcD23

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Hi again, sorry for the caps, I was in bed when writing and didn't mean anything by it.
Anyway, I have uninstalled and installed again the HD in the laptop and the situation doesn't change. The HD doesn't show up on the menu. I will try to download what you guys say and see what happens. Thanks again, the last resort is to send the HD back.......
Regards,
Piero

Mitthrawnuruodo said:

Nah, not really...

You could always try to download, burn out and boot from either the diagnostics iso or the tools iso and see if either gets contact with the disk when you run the tests/setup on those, but chances are, like trainguy77 said, it's a dud and needs replacement.

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Hi, I have also bought an external case with usb connection to try format the HD off of another mac.
Do you think that this might work?
I hope so......
Thanks.