Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!mailrus!uunet!seas.gwu.edu!timur
From: timur@seas.gwu.edu (The Time Traveler)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Re: Norton Utilities 5.0 won't low-level-format my disk
Message-ID: <2175@sparko.gwu.edu>
Date: 25 Sep 90 01:15:07 GMT
References: <120997@linus.mitre.org>
Reply-To: timur@seas.gwu.edu ()
Distribution: usa
Organization: The George Washington University, Washington D.C.
Lines: 11

I heard that it is not possible to handle these "funky" controllers because
of all this sector-translation they do.  I have a PS/2 70 with a 120MB
drive, and only the Reference Disk can do a low-level format.  Software like
Spinrite and Disk Technician can't deal with this.  I don't know whether it
is at all possible to change the interleave, put a low-level format is at
least possible.  It might be impractical to include it in any market software,
however.

In short, these advanced disk repair utilities are becoming more and more
useless, since the number of drives incompatible with them increase.
Unfortunately, I have yet to hear an explanation on this subject that sounds
complete and informative.  Any takers?