Low-level formating an hd

[Shard92]

Is there a good utility for low-level formating? I know you are not suppose to do that to IDE drives and I've also heard you can't actually low level with software but for all intent and purpose ( ie Blanking and clearing a drive, removeing problem partitions, etc ) it can be done. My boss has decided that it might be a good idea to have such a utility if one exits. I have used some "low level " format software before but always with mixed results. I hear spinrite is the end all of hd utilities but will it do what we are looking for? Yes we are one of those poor shops who still don't have spinrite! Thanks for any input!

GLSmith

[jhutto]

The closest you can get easily is to rewrite the MBR, repartition, and format. Many people these days think that is low-level formatting. Older BIOS low-levels can ruin a drive.

To completely wipe and start over a IDE drive usually takes a seperate machine. I worked for a place that was a Seagate Service Center for a while, and in the HDD area they had a machine you plugged a drive into, and it told you all kinds of info about the drive, and it would lowlevel format it in a matter of a couple minutes.

There are suppost to be some softwares that will truly low-level the drive, but they usually come from the maker.

[3fingersalute]

How about "WIPE & ZAP" ???
http://www.windrivers.com/utility/download/072099.htm

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[This message has been edited by 3fingersalute (edited October 30, 2000).]

[shawnMt]

Wipe writes zeros to the entire drive - same as Wddiag.

Zap writes zeros to the first 128 sectors on a drive and is very fast. It kills the mbr and any partition table. I STILL haven't seen a drive it wouldn't wipe.

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Paint your old laptop!

[Shard92]

Thanks for the info guys! I have used both wipe and zap with varying degrees of success. They just don't seem to do what I want them to. I guess ( like I said this is coming from my boss ) what we want is something that will handle problem partitions. WE have come across some drives that just won't fdisk correctly unless on the machine they were originally formated on. That's not always possible. We have also dealt with drives with damaged mbr's and/or partitions that nothing wants to fix. My boss is old school and remembers the days of lowlevel formating old drives and wants to do that to cure some of these problems. I will also check with WD and Fujitsu to see if they have utilities ( those are the two main drives we use )

Thanks again

GLSmith

[Digital_Rick]

Have you tried Partition Magic developed by Power Quest??

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Network Administrator
http://www.dcinh.com

[Darren Wilson]

There is a good Low Level Format util at eh QDI website called LF.exe. This is a generic low level program that works fine.
http://www.qdigrp.com

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[bdunn]

Disk Manager, not the crippled version that comes with some drives but the full version, lets you do some real neat stuff in maintenance mode.

SpinRite is also a wonderful utility for more info on it visit http://www.grc.com

[RGK01]

Micro-Scope diagnostic software has a low-level utility in it. It has revived many drives for me, only problem is that it is very slow.

[Ruslan]

I mostly use specially written low-level diagnostic and recover programm (I mentioned at Windrivers forum (October 9,2000)).
Here is link: http://forums.windrivers.com/cgi-bin...ML/002561.html
This programm can remap defective sectors on HDdrive and lot of another usefull things.
I would share with this programm - let me know.
Try to use it and post Your opinion about this util, please.
By the way,is out where any similar utility?
I'm looking for these programms.Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.


[This message has been edited by Ruslan (edited October 31, 2000).]

[spinning]

I've used a program called Maxtor Low Level Formatter. It does work really well when a virus has messed up the MBR and fdisk or Partition Magic can't fix it any more.

I havn't used it in a while, so I don't remember much about it, but it has helped me out of some strange hard drive problems.

Heres a link I found to download it on Fast FTP. ftp://ftp.cs.tu-berlin.de/pub/msdos/mirrors/ftp.mpoli.fi/hardware/HDD/MAXTOR/LLFUTIL.ZIP.

[Shard92]

Thanks everyone I will try and find some time to test some of these things suggested and try and get back to you all!

GLSmith

[Rejection Man]

QAFE

never had anny problmes with it.

calls it certify disk, low levels entire disk, any disk, no mater who made it. If bios can read it QAFE can Nuke it. also a GREAT hardware diag tool!!! (tests everything, or selective) only one issue. can only low level the primary master, if other drives are attached, may damage them, so doit one at a time.

Im only 20 I know abotu the Old School! used this program to breath life into an Olivettie M24 (I8086) have used it to resurect the ability to OEM install win onf systems that have an OS. (if win 98 detects anything o nthe drive during OEM setup if stops because the disk obviouslyy is not new)

could not save a note book with physical damage, that is the only failure to report.

[BAD.IRON]

Trouble shooter works well.