Gumley_LE@cc.curtin.edu.au (Liam Gumley) (08/14/90)
I know that some hard disk controllers have their own ROM based program which allows you to low-level format an attached hard disk. After having some trouble recently with a controller for which I naturally had no documentation, I was wondering is there an easy way to work out where the start address of a ROM based low-level format program is, so that you can start it up with DEBUG? -- #Liam E. Gumley, Department of Applied Physics, Curtin University of Technology# #Perth, Western Australia. >>>All opinions expressed are exclusively mine.<<<#
brim@cbmvax.commodore.com (Mike Brim - Product Assurance) (08/14/90)
In article <3101.26c7c9e4@cc.curtin.edu.au> Gumley_LE@cc.curtin.edu.au (Liam Gumley) writes: > After having some trouble recently with a controller for which I naturally > had no documentation, I was wondering is there an easy way to work out where the > start address of a ROM based low-level format program is, so that you can start > it up with DEBUG? First try going to location c800:5 or c800:6. At worst your system will hang. If that doesn't work, try a program like System Sleuth, Sysid... -- ******************************************************************************** Disclaimer: My company knows not what I say (or do). Mike Brim | Commodore Electronics Limited PC Analyst - System Evaluation Group | West Chester, PA 19380 Product Assurance | InterNet: brim@cbmvax.commodore.com ********************************************************************************
RFM@psuvm.psu.edu (08/15/90)
My seagate manual gives the debug command as "g=c800:5". It works on my version of debug (ms-dos 3.3).
ralphs@halcyon.wa.com (Ralph Sims) (08/15/90)
brim@cbmvax.commodore.com (Mike Brim - Product Assurance) writes: >> After having some trouble recently with a controller for which I naturally >> had no documentation, I was wondering is there an easy way to work out wher >> start address of a ROM based low-level format program is, so that you can s >> it up with DEBUG? > First try going to location c800:5 or c800:6. At worst your system will han > If that doesn't work, try a program like System Sleuth, Sysid... Also g=c800:ccc will work on some drives. OPTUNE and SPEEDSTOR also will low-level a drive, both destructive and non-destructive flavors. Great for dinking with interleaves. -- Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most...
jeff@marichal.austin.ibm.com (Jeff Johnson) (08/15/90)
In <3101.26c7c9e4@cc.curtin.edu.au> Gumley_LE@cc.curtin.edu.au (Liam Gumley) writes: >I know that some hard disk controllers have their own ROM based program >which allows you to low-level format an attached hard disk. Most controllers with ROM-based format utilities put them at C800:5. An alternate address (used by my WD1006SR2) is CC00:5. To start the format utility, boot DOS, enter debug, and type g=C800:5 or it that doesn't work, try g=CC00:5 This should start the program. Follow the prompts from there. Jeff -- Jeff Johnson 10926 Jollyville Rd #1420 Computer Consultant Austin, TX 78759 (512) 343 0675 email: @cs.utexas.edu:ibmchs!auschs!marichal.austin.ibm.com!jeff Disclaimer: "My views and opinions do not reflect those of IBM"
pruss@ria.ccs.uwo.ca (Alex Pruss) (08/16/90)
In article <jeff.650731769@marichal.austin.ibm.com> jeff@marichal.austin.ibm.com (Jeff Johnson) writes: >In <3101.26c7c9e4@cc.curtin.edu.au> Gumley_LE@cc.curtin.edu.au (Liam Gumley) writes: > >Most controllers with ROM-based format utilities put them at C800:5. An >alternate address (used by my WD1006SR2) is CC00:5. > >To start the format utility, boot DOS, enter debug, and type > g=C800:5 >or it that doesn't work, try > g=CC00:5 > >This should start the program. Follow the prompts from there. However this will format with the default interleave. This may or may not be the optimal interleave. If you know your optimal interleave, you will want to put it in. Probably if you run the straight format it'll tell you where to put it. On my system it is in AL (Format version 7--Western Digital). Thus: debug -rax 0004 ; or whatever interleave you want g=c800:5 ; or cc00:5 -- pruss@uwo.ca
poffen@sj.ate.slb.com (Russ Poffenberger) (08/17/90)
In article <778@ria.ccs.uwo.ca> pruss@ria.ccs.uwo.ca (Alex Pruss) writes: >In article <jeff.650731769@marichal.austin.ibm.com> jeff@marichal.austin.ibm.com (Jeff Johnson) writes: >>In <3101.26c7c9e4@cc.curtin.edu.au> Gumley_LE@cc.curtin.edu.au (Liam Gumley) writes: >> >>Most controllers with ROM-based format utilities put them at C800:5. An >>alternate address (used by my WD1006SR2) is CC00:5. >> >>To start the format utility, boot DOS, enter debug, and type >> g=C800:5 >>or it that doesn't work, try >> g=CC00:5 >> >>This should start the program. Follow the prompts from there. > >However this will format with the default interleave. This may or may not >be the optimal interleave. If you know your optimal interleave, you will >want to put it in. Probably if you run the straight format it'll tell you >where to put it. On my system it is in AL (Format version 7--Western >Digital). Thus: >debug >-rax >0004 ; or whatever interleave you want >g=c800:5 ; or cc00:5 > I believe you will find this very vendor dependent. My Adaptec AHA1542B starts at c800:6, and it has prompts for various things (including interleave.) Russ Poffenberger DOMAIN: poffen@sj.ate.slb.com Schlumberger Technologies UUCP: {uunet,decwrl,amdahl}!sjsca4!poffen 1601 Technology Drive CIS: 72401,276 San Jose, Ca. 95110 (408)437-5254
heiser@tdw201.ed.ray.com (08/17/90)
In article <1990Aug16.185942.9612@sj.ate.slb.com> poffen@sj.ate.slb.com (Russ Poffenberger) writes: >I believe you will find this very vendor dependent. My Adaptec AHA1542B starts >at c800:6, and it has prompts for various things (including interleave.) > hmmm.. I just installed an Adaptec 1542B and a CDC Wren IV in my system last night, and when I formatted the drive, the only question it asked me was "interleave (default:0)". I entered 0, and away it went, and formatted the drive. I wonder why it didn't ask me anything else? Is "0" the correct value to use for interleave? This setup is running on a 386/25 with 8mb of ram, and will be used to run Esix. -- Bill Heiser Work: heiser@tdw201.ed.ray.com {decuac,necntc,uunet}!rayssd!tdw201!heiser Home: Bill.Heiser@f240.n322.z1.fidonet.org (Fidonet 1:322/240) The Think_Tank BBS (508)655-3848 1200/2400/9600-HST Other: 75106.2332@compuserve.com Other: heiser@world.std.com (Public Access Unix)
rick@wet.UUCP (Rick Rutledge) (08/19/90)
In article <2143@sud509.ed.ray.com> heiser@tdw201.ed.ray.com writes: >last night, and when I formatted the drive, the only question it asked >me was "interleave (default:0)". I entered 0, and away it went, and >formatted the drive. > >I wonder why it didn't ask me anything else? > >Is "0" the correct value to use for interleave? This setup is running >on a 386/25 with 8mb of ram, and will be used to run Esix. You didn't set the interleave to 0. You specified 0 to select the default interleave, whatever that may be. You can't have an interleave of 0. That would imply that you could read a full track on the drive in 0 revolutions. I suppose that would give you some amazing access times, but would require a great deal of buffering on the controller... -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rick Rutledge {hoptoad|ucsfcca|claris}!wet!rick rick@wet.UUCP "Voici le secret." dit le renard. "On ne voit bien qu'avec le coeur. L'essentiel est invisible aux yeux." -Antoine de St. Exupery, _le Petit Prince_