Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!spierk From: spierk@cs.rpi.edu (Kevin Spier) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc Subject: The real story with IDE drives and low-level formats Message-ID: Date: 18 Jan 91 17:40:48 GMT Sender: spierk@cs.rpi.edu Distribution: na Organization: Rensselaer Computer Science, Troy NY Lines: 9 Nntp-Posting-Host: cs.rpi.edu Can anybody tell me what the real deal with IDE drives and low-level formating is? I have heard that "you cannot low-level format IDE drives". If this is the case then what happens in the case where you run some piece of software that attempts this (eg. SpinRite or Norton)? Do they fail, but render the drive useless? Please e-mail to me and I will post a summary if there is interest. Kevin L. Spier spierk@turing.cs.rpi.edu