AGUTOWS@WAYNEST1.BITNET (Arthur Gutowski) (08/31/90)
When you try to boot your machine and get the infamous "1701" code, in
IBM PC lingo this means trouble. The 1701 error code means physical
damage to hard drive sector zero. In other words, it's time to
replace the hard drive. The fact that you can't access your hard
drive, even when booting from a clean floppy (if it's damaged, it will
be inaccessible-- one of the first things the system does when it
boots is perform an I/O check on your drives), and that SCAN hasn't
found anything suggests to me that it's NOT a virus.
/art
l\/\/\/\/l Arthur J. Gutowski, System Programmer
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/ \CETEK63@TECHNION.BITNET (09/01/90)
Arthur Gutowsky writes that the 1701 indicates a defective sector 0 in your drive. WRONG !!! This error indicates lack of power, due to a poor connection, or fluctuating mains supply. The best solution is to power the machine down and up again. If it does'nt help, open it up and make sure all cables and cards are tight in place. If that does'nt help yet, get a technical person to check your power supply and your disk. Any how, it certainly DOESN'T mean a defective sector on disk, but rather some defect with the electrical circuicitry. Enjoy your virus.. It's fun... :-) Shahar.
AGUTOWS@WAYNEST1.BITNET (Arthur Gutowski) (09/04/90)
Well, from the jist of the discussion so far, it appears I was wrong about the *exact* cause of a 1701 error. But, the problem is still of a hardware nature, and not logical or virus related. In this case, a track 0 backup wouldn't do any good. If it's a controller or wiring problem, as some have suggested, then the drive is still ok, and no need to restore anything. The reason I suggested a physical drive error is because I know someone who had the misfortune of a 1701 error. My recollection of the account was a physical drive error. My apologies, I should have looked it up first. >Date: Fri, 31 Aug 90 16:19:48 EDT >From: Bruce Burrell <USERW6BL@UMICHUM.BITNET> > > In V3#151 of VIRUS-L, you state that a 1701 error indicates damage to >hard disk sector zero. Not so. It indicates a fixed disk POST error. >This is documented in the IBM Harware Service Manual. > The error can indicate a bad hard disk, of course, but it is much more >likely to be indicative of non-fatal problems, i.e. usually the data >can be retrieved, and in most of those cases (in my experience) the disk >is still useable. In any case, a virus this is not. /art
buchholz@ese3.ogi.edu (Don Buchholz) (09/06/90)
.. uh, excuse me -- I'm new to the virus group, but I do know a little bit about 1701/hard disk errors. The 1701 error will also come up on a disk drive that needs a low-level format. (I don't know if it is *possible to trash* a low-level format with *software*.) You should have your friend redo the low-level format on his hard disk, although you can probably kiss the files goodbye. On the bright side, we've had 2 XT-clones, with Seagate ST-225's that had gone "sour" (for lack of a better term), that were revived (files recovered and all!) by redoing the low-level format! I won't promise anything, but if the files aren't *critical* (i.e. worth paying $100+ for data recovery at a drive repair shop) then you ought to give it a try. Costs nothing. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Don Buchholz "I wish I'd never gone to Bangkok ..." Oregon Graduate Institute "I wouldn't be so sad I wasn't there now." buchholz@ese.ogi.edu -- J. DeWitt (1985) - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
woody@chinacat.Unicom.COM (Woody Baker @ Eagle Signal) (09/11/90)
In article <0005.9009101250.AA03627@buchholz@ese3.ogi.edu (Don Buchholz) writes : > On the bright side, we've had 2 XT-clones, with Seagate ST-225's that > had gone "sour" (for lack of a better term), that were revived (files > recovered and all!) by redoing the low-level format! I won't promis It has to be done with a utility package, like SPINRITE, or the equivalent to be able to retain the files. If you do it with the built-in formatter, i.e. debug g=c800:5 you will wipe all the files out. Repartioning the hard disk using FDISK (which is necessary in this case) also destroys any data. By using one of several reformatting utilities that do a lowlevel reformat in place, you should be o.k. HOWEVER, they all depend on the disk actualy being readable. Cheers Woody