[comp.os.coherent] Low level format, Norton Wipedisk, etc

IJBH200@indyvax.bitnet (John B Harlan) (06/20/91)

| Date: Wed, 19 Jun 91 17:42:48 GMT
| From: "Robert L. Wald" <rlwald@PHOENIX.PRINCETON.EDU>
| Subject: RE: >>> Need Help removing "Marc Williams" boot message <<<
| Message-id: <DA161F555600571B@INDYVAX.IUPUI.EDU>
|
|
| In article <0563B945360030DE@INDYVAX.IUPUI.EDU> Coherent operating system list
|   <COHERENT@indycms.bitnet> writes:
| >
| >     I removed Coherent from a pc a few weeks back, but never could rid
| >the disk of the Mark Williams bootstrap.  It's not a prob now, but for
| >future reference, it would be nice to know how to remove it.
|
|  Did you try doing a low level format?
|
|
| -Rob
|

     Low level formats, Norton Utilities Wipedisk, you name it, I tried it  :-)

                                                                      John

     P.S. DOS FDisk etc.

rani@barsoom.nhh.no (Ragnar Nielsen) (06/20/91)

I managed to get rid of the Makr Williams master boot program by
writing garbage into the partition table and the boot block (I wasn't
certain which to destroy, so I wasted them both) with Norton Utilities.
When you do such low level modifications with NU, you must write back
the updated information in "absolute mode" (or something like that), or
the updated information will fail to be written. I went through this
process 3 or 4 times before I realized that Norton was playing tricks
with me on that one, but when I chose the right mehod for updating, the
master boot program disappeared for good.
This procedure will most probably work for you too, BUT IT WILL INEVITABLY
DESTROY ALL INFORMATION ON YOUR HARD DISK! DO A FULL BACKUP BEFORE
ATTEMPTING TO ALTER YOUR PARTITION TABLE OR BOOT PROGRAM!!!

Best of luck,

Ragnar Nielsen

rani@barsoom.nhh.no          My only connection with nhh.no is
XBBB_RN@debet.nhh.no         that they grant me some time on
rani@oscar.bbb.no            their computers.

IJBH200@indyvax.bitnet (John B Harlan) (06/20/91)

Thank you very much for the Norton Utilities tips, Ragnar -- I'll give it
another shot  :-)

John