The problem with replacing the MBR from a DOS prompt is that it places a DOS/Windows boot record there (the one that you booted off, in fact).
If you do that, make sure you have a Linux boot-floppy around somewhere, 'cos the Windows MBR is likely to only want to boot into Windows.
I just always use the lilo boot loader (at a linux prompt, as root, type "lilo" to put the boot-loader onto the drive).
Anyway, if it can't write the partition table to the drive, and hangs when you try, something is wrong. Have you modified the settings in the BIOS from the default? Maybe you've set the drive to not using an LBA scheme or something?
I'd still try and find some diagnostics from the manufacturer.
