Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!sharkey!clmqt!strike
From: strike@clmqt.marquette.Mi.US (Tim Bowser)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Formatting HD > 1024 cyl
Keywords: Low-level format, HH 1090
Message-ID: <1696@clmqt.marquette.Mi.US>
Date: 25 Mar 90 21:54:22 GMT
References: <1182@dutrun.UUCP>
Organization: Enterprise Information System, Marquette, MI
Lines: 37

vlrugvg@dutrun.UUCP (Ge van Geldorp) writes:
>The problem is that the harddisk has more than 1024 cylinders. I can't 
find a
>utility to do a low-level format of a disk larger than 1024 cylinders.
>I can tell my setup utility that the disk has 7 heads and 1024
>cylinders, after that I can use lots of utilities to low-level format
>the first 1024 cylinders. However, I wouldn't mind being able to access
>the last 18 MB or so of my drive.
>(BTW, I suppose DOS will have a problem accessing the cylinders > 1024,
>but that doesn't bother me, that part of the disk will be used by
>Xenix).


>Ge van Geldorp
>ge@dutlru2.tudelft.nl
>...!uunet!hp4nl!dutlru2.tudelft.nl!ge

   According to the Western Digital information I have for my -SR2 (RLL 
variant of the MM2), you can use the onboard BIOS routines to run the 
formatting.  The WD'd BIOS will format up to 2048 cylinders, 16 heads, 
and will automatically reset the computer's CMOS drive type.

   This worked for my setup except for the annoying problem of a 1:1 
formatting routine on the chip, and a 2:1 version drive controller :(.  
The command to get the BIOS routines is given from debug -g=cc00:5 .  Be 
forewarned, if you do NOT exit the program via the Exit command (I think 
it is selection 6), you'll either hopelessly scramble the FAT or 
partition tables.  If you don't have a backup of the drive, don't run the 
BIOS setup.

   Hope this helps...
 
-- 
 Tim Bowser  ("Strikemaster")  |  Standard  |  mailrus!sharkey!clmqt!strike
Enterprise Information System  | Disclaimer |  strike@clmqt.marquette.Mi.US
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