[comp.os.minix] Installation of MINIX 1.3 on Hard Disk losing back blocks

bdf@rex.cs.tulane.edu (Brett Fleisch) (10/22/90)

A student of mine is installing MINIX filesystems on a 20MB hard disk.
He used a DM program to format the disk and create three partitions,
and prepared the partitions.  The disk drive suggested an interleave
of 4 so an alternate routine of using another format program was
also tried.  Bad blocks were found (and tagged).  When the student
brings minix 1.3 up and uses mkfs he reports the bad blocks
found during the low level format dissappear.  He identified
the bad blocks as not being bad by checking the partitions using
the DM program after using mkfs.

We thought of using the badblocks and checkdisk program in MINIX, but
my impression is that it was not necessary to use these programs
after a low-level format.  What portion of the procedure is in error?

please send email to bdf@cs.tulane.edu if you think you can assist.