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Re: /dev/null > /dev/sdb1 !



Mark Allums wrote:
Bob McGowan wrote:
Mark Allums wrote:
Bob McGowan wrote:

I have Maxtor IDE drives and Maxtor makes (or made, I got this some time ago) a DOS based utility to do low level formats. Your disk vendor probably has something similar available.

The Maxtor utilities will prep a drive, for those who can't be bothered to use the native utilities for an OS, but I quite doubt that an IDE was truly low-level formatted by it. The drive platters of modern drives are low-level formatted before they are even assembled into a working hard disk. They contain "embedded servo"

--DELETED verbage--

I was not able (yet) to find the original download I did, only the exe file on a floppy. When I find the related docs, I will post that.


I found the CD I burned with the utility and readme file last night.


Sorry, I was being a bit snarky, I guess. Not really called for. There are three kinds of formatting. Low-level, fdisk, and OS-level.


And my apologies, as well. I was not clear in my statement about my knowledge base. I was referring to the issues of "low level formatting" and IDE devices (and their "embedded servos").

In any case, see below...

Low-level used to need to be done for some reasons, such as to adjust the sector interleave, or to switch the drive to a different physical orientation (required with stepper motor head positioning). It is no longer required to do it more than once, and it is always done at the factory.

Fdisk, or partitioning, is not really formatting, but it is something you do in the process of prepping a disk, so it is lumped together with it.

OS-level, or high-level, is done to create meta structure, like inodes, or the FAT, etc. It can be done at any time.

Many OSes will do a "verify" of the whole partition. This is an attempt to read every sector. It is not really part of formatting, and can be done at any time. The goal is to find bad sectors, and mark them bad.

If there is any other kind of formatting, I am not aware of it.


I am not aware of any other kind of formatting, either. So, some excerpts from the Readme.txt file that came with the "PowerMax" utility I downloaded in November of 2005.

Begin quoted text excerpts:

Subject:  Using Maxtor's Power Diagnostic (POWERMAX.EXE) Utilities
          (PowerMax v 4.XXX)

...

6. The best test for a drive with intermittent problems is a 'low
        level' format routine.  !! Warning !! This test will erase all
        your data, but the drive will be restored to a 'factory
        re-certified' condition.  Be sure to make a full backup of all
        critical data before proceeding.  If your computer has more than
        one hard drive, be sure to choose the correct drive. If a drive
        fails this test, it usually indicates a drive failure.

...

Overview of tests using POWERMAX.EXE:

PowerMax is a keyboard menu driven diagnostic. Choices and options are displayed at the bottom of the screen. Further instructions are displayed at the bottom of the popup window display when a test completes.

Available Tests:

    1.  Installation Confirmation
    2.  Basic Quick (90 Second) Test
    3.  Advanced Test (Full Scan Test)
    4.  Burn In Test
    5.  Low Level Format (Quick)
    6.  Low Level format  (Full)
...

Low Level Format, Quick or Full Test:

!! Warning!! These tests are data destructive, all user information on the hard drive is removed. Maxtor recommends you backup all critical data and remove other hard drives before performing this test. Perform this test only if all other tests have passed (or by direction of Maxtor Technical Support) but the hard drive is still not performing correctly. The quick option is most useful for removing a computer virus, or you are rebuilding the information on your hard drive, and you need a quick erase of the operating system without taking the time involved to perform a full LLF. The quick LLF overwrites a pattern of zeros to the first 300 megabytes, and the last 100 megabytes of the drive. The full LLF overwrites a pattern of zeros to all sectors on the drive. High capacity hard drives take longer to complete. Allow sufficient time to complete the test. Several hours to overnight may be needed. A full Low Level Format remains the most effective test for a drive with intermittent problems.

End quotation section.

I was quoting, from memory, this information. I do admit to generalizing it to include other makes of drives, which it appears was an invalid generalization, based on your information.

--
Bob McGowan
Symantec, Inc.

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