Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!psuvax1!julius.cs.uiuc.edu!wuarchive!udel!princeton!pucc!Q4105
From: Q4105@pucc.Princeton.EDU (W.g. Price  q4105  Mathtech)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.ps2.hardware
Subject: Addendum to How do I low-level format at PS/2 model 30 (8086)
Message-ID: <12014@pucc.Princeton.EDU>
Date: 9 Nov 90 16:37:15 GMT
Reply-To: Q4105@pucc.Princeton.EDU
Distribution: usa
Organization: Princeton University, NJ
Lines: 11
Disclaimer: Author bears full responsibility for contents of this article

Earlier I asked for help running a low-level format on an original PS/2
model 30 (8086) 20meg -- no one has had any ideas yet for me.  I have some
additional info that might trigger some memories:
PC Mag says this system has an ST506 controller embedded on the motherboard.
SpinRite says that it is RLL encoded with sector translation.
The trick of typing ctrl-A to switch the Startup disk into Advanced Diagnostics
mode that works on the PS/2-70 does not work at any prompt.
But: the full set of Adv.Diag. menus is visible in the SERVICES.COM file !
And: at a spot where it checks AL for 0-4 or 9 (the simple menu choices) it
also checks for 10 and 11 -- but keys ':' and ';' (next up from '9') don't
do anything.  Does anyone know the trapdoor key ?