Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!pallas!kabra437
From: kabra437@pallas.athenanet.com (Ken Abrams)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Re: Norton Utilities 5.0 won't low-level-format my disk
Message-ID: <419@pallas.athenanet.com>
Date: 27 Sep 90 21:33:01 GMT
References: <120997@linus.mitre.org> <15160009@hpspcoi.HP.COM>
Reply-To: kabra437@pallas.UUCP (Ken Abrams)
Organization: Athenanet, Inc.,  Springfield, Illinois
Lines: 23

In article <15160009@hpspcoi.HP.COM> dlow@hpspcoi.HP.COM (Danny Low) writes:
>>(David H. Friedman) 
>>In short, Calibrate
>>will not attempt a low-level format on disks with sector-translating, ESDI
>>and other "funny" controllers, although it will perform diagnostic functions.
>>  My question now is, what do I do further down the road when my disk starts
>>to show signs of needing a SpinRite-style low-level format? 
>
If you have a "modern" drive that uses voice coil technology (or better)
to provide head positioning, it is possible that you will never be in the
position to require such a fix.
These low level formatting utilities are much more useful (and necessary)
for the older MFM drives; expecially the ones that use step motors for
head positioning.  The alternative is to do it the old way.  That is, 
back up the drive and then do a destructive low level format.  The means
to do that varies with disk type and maufacturer.


-- 
========================================================
Ken Abrams                     uunet!pallas!kabra437
Illinois Bell                  kabra437@athenanet.com
Springfield                    (voice) 217-753-7965