disk utility cannot format WD Ext HDD

[j de lima]

Error creating file system: helper exited with exit code 1: Error calling fsync(2) on /dev/sdd: Input/output error

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
Package: gnome-disk-utility 2.32.1-0ubuntu4
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-10.46-generic 2.6.38.7
Uname: Linux 2.6.38-10-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Architecture: amd64
Date: Sun Jul 10 11:11:19 2011
ExecutablePath: /usr/bin/palimpsest
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-Studio 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat" - Release amd64 (20101008)
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_GB:en
 LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: gnome-disk-utility
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to natty on 2011-05-01 (69 days ago)
XsessionErrors:
 (gnome-panel:29586): GConf-WARNING **: Directory `/apps/panel/toplevels/top_panel_screen1/screen' was not being monitored by GConfClient 0x1dc82a0
 (firefox-bin:30070): Gtk-CRITICAL **: IA__gtk_file_chooser_set_current_folder: assertion `filename != NULL' failed
 (firefox-bin:30070): Gtk-CRITICAL **: IA__gtk_file_chooser_set_current_folder: assertion `filename != NULL' failed
 (update-notifier:29732): libgdu-WARNING **: Partition /org/freedesktop/UDisks/devices/sdb5 is a logical partition but no extended partition exists
 (gdu-notification-daemon:29718): libgdu-WARNING **: Partition /org/freedesktop/UDisks/devices/sdb5 is a logical partition but no extended partition exists