Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!ub!dsinc!bagate!cbmvax!uunet!brunix!ruby.vcu.edu!hleaves From: hleaves@ruby.vcu.edu (EAVES,HUGH) Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.programmer Subject: What is low-level/high-level FORMAT? Message-ID: <61737@brunix.UUCP> Date: 16 Jan 91 22:34:22 GMT Sender: news@brunix.UUCP Reply-To: hleaves@ruby.vcu.edu Organization: Medical College of Virginia, Hired Hackers Lines: 22 News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.3-4 I have a few questions about formatting disks. Any responses would be appreciated... 1. What is a low-level format? What does it do? (that is not done by a high-level format) 2. What is a high-level format? What does it do? 3. Are hard disks formatted differently than floppy disks? (is a floppy formatted at a low-level, where as a hard disk is formatted at a high-level?) 4. I understand that the MS-DOS format command only performs a high-level format of hard disks. Does it do the same thing for floppy disks? Thanks in advance, Hugh ******************************************************************************* ** Hugh L. Eaves ** Internet: hleaves@ruby.vcu.edu ** ** Medical College of Virginia ** Bitnet: hleaves@vcuruby ** ** Department of Human Genetics ** Voice: (804) 371-8754 ** ***************** All non-incendiary communication welcome! *******************