Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ncar!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!unix.cis.pitt.edu!ydist
From: ydist@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Yijun Ding)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: IDE drive physical format
Keywords: IDE, format, question
Message-ID: <32531@unix.cis.pitt.edu>
Date: 28 Aug 90 13:15:12 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh, Computing & Information Services
Lines: 12

I recent got a 386sx compatible with 40MB (IDE) hard disk.

The harddisk is formatted with Disk Manager so that a non-dos partition
is there. I would like to do a low level format. The saleman knows nothing
about the drive.

I used debug to look the usual address c800:5, cc00:5 etc. All memory there
are filled with 0xFF. I know little about the IDE. 

Anyone knows how the IDE work? How can I do a low level format? 

Thanks in advance.