spierk@cs.rpi.edu (Kevin Spier) (01/19/91)
Can anybody tell me what the real deal with IDE drives and low-level formating is? I have heard that "you cannot low-level format IDE drives". If this is the case then what happens in the case where you run some piece of software that attempts this (eg. SpinRite or Norton)? Do they fail, but render the drive useless? Please e-mail to me and I will post a summary if there is interest. Kevin L. Spier spierk@turing.cs.rpi.edu
huis@testeng1.misemi (Stephen Hui) (01/19/91)
IDE drives are pre-low level formatted in factory. All you have to do is FDISK and FORMAT. You can low level format IDE only if you have the right software, e.g. Disk Manager 4.3 for Seagate, which will low level format all Seagate IDE drive. Norton Utilities & Spinrite will work on IDE drive but incorrectly. They are fool by the drive and take the translated mode as the drive parameters. I did re-formatted an IDE drive Seagate ST-157A with Spinrite II. Spinrite II reported the same transfer rate with any interlave (1 to 7 or 8), and I just let Spinrite II re-formatted the drive as the initial interlave. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Stephen Hui uunet!mitel!testeng1!huis Mitel Corporation Tel: (613) 592-2122 X4959 Kanata, Ontario, CANADA Fax: (613) 592-4784
gwoho@nntp-server.caltech.edu (g liu) (01/20/91)
spierk@cs.rpi.edu (Kevin Spier) writes: >Can anybody tell me what the real deal with IDE drives and low-level >formating is? I have heard that "you cannot low-level format IDE >drives". If this is the case then what happens in the case where you >run some piece of software that attempts this (eg. SpinRite or >Norton)? Do they fail, but render the drive useless? Please e-mail to >me and I will post a summary if there is interest. >Kevin L. Spier >spierk@turing.cs.rpi.edu i've llformated my ide drive with the ami bios. no problems. gwoho liu.