u2zj@vax5.CCS.CORNELL.EDU (09/24/88)
Will a low level format be likely to help a fixed disk that is going bad? I have a Seagate st251 (40 Mb) disk that has recently begun to sour. (20 bad clusters in the last 2 weeks). My warranty runs out Oct 20. The company says they will "refurbish" it if I send it to them. Is refurbishing in my case (since the disk is readable) just re-formatting? Thanks for any advice.
mvolo@ecsvax.uncecs.edu (Michael R. Volow) (09/25/88)
You certainly should try low lvel reformatting (after backing up). The bac sectors might not realybe bad -just head/track mis-align- ment, which can happ over tim. Algh I have nt used SpinRite, many net members have testified that they can low level reformat on th fly, without losing dat. I did have an ST22"refurbished by Everex -they sent me an older drive which workd but had 112k of bad secto! Michael R. Volow 919 286 0411, page beeper #550 Dept. of Psychiatry mvolo@ecsvax.UUCP Durham Vet Admin Medical Center Durham, N.C. 27705
jborza%burgundy@Sun.COM (Jim_Borza) (09/26/88)
In article <16941@vax5.CCS.CORNELL.EDU>, u2zj@vax5.CCS.CORNELL.EDU writes: > > Will a low level format be likely to help a fixed disk that is going bad? > I have a Seagate st251 (40 Mb) disk that has recently begun to sour. > (20 bad clusters in the last 2 weeks). My warranty runs out Oct 20. > The company says they will "refurbish" it if I send it to them. Is > refurbishing in my case (since the disk is readable) just re-formatting? > If Seagate says they'll look at it, get it to them! Whether they refurb- ish it or whatever, they still owe you a working disk. Apparently they have all but certified you have a warranty claim - don't blow it. At the very least they'll run a surface check and clean it up! A bargain!
hollombe@ttidca.TTI.COM (The Polymath) (09/29/88)
In article <16941@vax5.CCS.CORNELL.EDU> u2zj@vax5.CCS.CORNELL.EDU writes: }Will a low level format be likely to help a fixed disk that is going bad? }I have a Seagate st251 (40 Mb) disk that has recently begun to sour. }(20 bad clusters in the last 2 weeks). My warranty runs out Oct 20. }The company says they will "refurbish" it if I send it to them. Is }refurbishing in my case (since the disk is readable) just re-formatting? I've heard of at least one computer virus that hides on a fixed disk by marking sectors bad and copying itself into them. If you can examine the contents of the bad sectors with a disk editor that might reveal or eliminate a virus as the source of your problem. If it is a virus, it's vector is probably still lurking around your installation somewhere. A low-level format will probably clear it off the disk, but you could be re-infected. -- The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe, hollombe@ttidca.tti.com) Illegitimati Nil Citicorp(+)TTI Carborundum 3100 Ocean Park Blvd. (213) 452-9191, x2483 Santa Monica, CA 90405 {csun|philabs|psivax}!ttidca!hollombe