sfn20715@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (09/05/89)
I am writing a program to format hard drives using extended formats. My developers kit says the XBIOS function 10 (flopfmt) works for floppies. Does it work for hard drives too? I assume all I have to do is change the device to 2 for drive C, 3 for D, etc, right? Please respond by email to sfn20715@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu if you know the answer.
alderaan@tubopal.UUCP (Thomas Cervera) (09/06/89)
In article <111500028@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu> sfn20715@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu writes: > >I am writing a program to format hard drives using extended formats. >My developers kit says the XBIOS function 10 (flopfmt) works for floppies. >Does it work for hard drives too? I assume all I have to do is change >the device to 2 for drive C, 3 for D, etc, right? This Xbios call works for floppies only. To format your HD you'll have to use the utilities coming with your hard drive. -- Thomas Cervera | UUCP: alderaan@tubopal.UUCP SysMan RKOpdp (RSTS/E) | ...!unido!tub!opal!alderaan (Europe) D-1000 Berlin 30 | ...!pyramid!tub!opal!alderaan (World) Motzstrasze 14 | BITNET: alderaan%tubopal@DB0TUI11.BITNET (saves $$$)
hcj@lzaz.ATT.COM (HC Johnson) (09/06/89)
In article <111500028@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu>, sfn20715@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu writes: > > I am writing a program to format hard drives using extended formats. > My developers kit says the XBIOS function 10 (flopfmt) works for floppies. > Does it work for hard drives too? I assume all I have to do is change > the device to 2 for drive C, 3 for D, etc, right? > NO, floppy format requires setting up tracks and talking to the WD controller chip. It is done for you in XBIOS. HD format is a high level SCSI operation and is done by the user application program. Generally two messages are required on the SCSI bus: set up parms, and format disk. Then just sit back and wait for it to happen. Howard C. Johnson ATT Bell Labs att!lzaz!hcj hcj@lzaz.att.com