Adding a second HDD, can't format it...

[maslinar]

Download GParted live for CD or USB and boot it,you can do the reformat from there.

 

[cotfessi]

There are situations where OSX (Windows too) cannot perform certain types of low-level repairs to a drive from inside the OS itself. This looks like one of those situations to me. Try the repair as I've said and let us know how you make out.

thanks clipper... i don't have a USB drive that I can work with right now... I'll have to have my girlfriend grab one from work.. I'll let you know what happens.