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From: tbrown@lehi3b15.csee.Lehigh.EDU (Thomas Brown [901015])
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Re: Don't low-level format an IDE drive
Summary: unless you have to
Message-ID: <1354@lehi3b15.csee.Lehigh.EDU>
Date: 22 Jan 91 04:02:29 GMT
References: <80330006@hpl-opus.hpl.hp.com> <16550002@hpfcso.HP.COM>
Reply-To: tbrown@lehi3b15.csee.Lehigh.EDU (Thomas Brown [901015])
Organization: CSEE Dept. Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA
Lines: 19

IDE drives (typically) come pre-low-level-formatted from the factory
and, therefore, only require partitioning and high-level formatting.
However, a (very small) few from certain manufacturers may have not
been low-leveled or may have lost format due to magnetic fields in
shipment.  There is *no* danger in low-level formatting these drives
provided you do it correctly.  There are versions of Disk Manager for
IDE drives which work very well.  Just be sure the correct parameters
(and, optionally, sector translation scheme) are used and all will be
well.

Regards,
Tom
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Thomas Brown, KA2UGQ          BITNET: twb0@lehigh.bitnet
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