Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!natinst!uudell!hotwheel!stecz From: stecz@hotwheel.dell.com (John Steczkowski) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware Subject: Re: IDE drive physical format Keywords: IDE, format, question Message-ID: <8960@uudell.dell.com> Date: 28 Aug 90 18:10:03 GMT References: <32531@unix.cis.pitt.edu> Sender: news@uudell.dell.com Reply-To: stecz@hotwheel.dell.com (John Steczkowski) Distribution: usa Organization: Dell Computer Corp. Lines: 24 In article <32531@unix.cis.pitt.edu>, ydist@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Yijun Ding) writes: > 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? You can't do a low level of an IDE drive, but to remove the non-dos partition, try this debug routine... -f cs:00 l1000 0 -w 0 2 ffef 11 -- John Steczkowski Dell Unix Customer Support P#: (512) 343-3571 9505 Arboretum Blvd. !s: uunet!dell!hotwheel!stecz Austin, Texas 78759 @s: stecz@hotwheel.dell.com