Is My New LaCie 320 GB Mobile Disk ... Deceased?

This is my brand new LaCie 320GB Hi-Speed USB2.0 Mobile Disk, which in the present circumstances, is neither hi-speed, nor anything else for that matter, other than an expensive, minimalist Paper-weight;

When I first plugged the unit into a USB port, everything went swimmingly. Auto-play popped up, and the Installation Wizard appeared even before I had a chance to rub the unit, and all went well with the setup until it came time to format the disk.

It is at this point that I became responsible for causing all the problems that I now have with the disk. Too late, I noted that instead of doing a Quick Format, as Mr. Wizard had instructed, I had hit the Full Format instead.

Well, the unit took off faster than Valentino Rossi from the front Grid, as it began to wink, blink and nod at a furious pace, on and on and on. For an hour and a half the poor thing raced like fury until I lost patience with the litte fellow and tried to abort the futile mission.

I tried to Safely Remove Hardware by right clicking the USB icon in my Notification Tray, but naturally Windows would not allow that because the hardware was still in use. This is the description of the Disk as it was running, while I unsuccessfully tried to stop it;

OK. I thought, 'Let's try a hard removal' and I pulled the USB on the disk. A few minutes later, I plugged the unit back in.....nothing, no Auto-play, no Mr. Wizard! So it was off to Start>Computer>Right click on (F) - Drive.... [with the MFC Name???], for this to happen;

So it's click on Format Disk button, and hopefully we're in business;

...and then, with Quick Format checked, I hit the Start button, and the !Warning! fires up;

That's OK, so I hit the OK button. But it's not OK...lots of "Dang!" sounds from the Laptop tell me that all is not well, and then as if by magic, up pops this delightful message, much like an invitation to a Funeral;

So it was back to the (F) - Drive to attempt to rename it and give it all another go. But wouldn't you know it? I need to format it first. See! A prime example of "Catch 22".

So while I'm considering the next move, insult is added to injury when this little number appears;

That's that then, and out comes the USB Plug again, because I still can't Safely Remove Hardware.


Where to now? Is there any hope to restore this reprobate disk to anything that is likely to function as it should? Or is it now just a candidate for disposal on eBay? Maybe I'll put it out of it's misery, and then bury it!