EVERHART%ARISIA@rca.com.UUCP (02/18/87)
A recent message asks "Is it true that we cannot salvage a disk containing Unix even after we delete all files and initialize it? " The disk pack can have a bad sector file created on it with the diagnostic program EVRAC. Method for using is to load the diagnostic supervisor first (ECSAA on 11/750; ESSAA on 11/780; dunno for others). Then tell it SET LOAD (wherever) to tell it what disk and directory to use for diagnostics. Do various connects and SELECT the drive you want to reformat and rewrite bad sector file on. Now RUN EVRAC/SECTION=PACKINIT and follow instructions. It'll reformat the pack and write a new "manufacturer's bad sector file" which INIT can read and use. Of course if you don't have the diagnostics, you may be able to tell the BAD function to ignore the bad sector file and INIT likewise; I haven't tried such a path for a long time though and can't say for sure. Glenn Everhart everhart%Arisia@rca.com