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From: ian@unipalm.uucp (Ian Phillipps)
Newsgroups: comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d
Subject: Re: WANTED: Low Level HD Formatter
Message-ID: <1991Jan29.180600.28788@unipalm.uucp>
Date: 29 Jan 91 18:06:00 GMT
References: <gbd77X200Voz4H8kcz@andrew.cmu.edu>
Organization: Unipalm Ltd., Cambridge, England
Lines: 20

gr0z+@andrew.cmu.edu (Gregory Phillip Rhoads) writes:

>I have tried to find a public domain low-level formatting program, and
>have not been successful.  Can any one recommend one that would do the
>job?

Your disk controller may very well have the formatting program in its ROM.
Often this has a starting address of XXXX:5, where the rom starts at segment
XXXX.  You will need to know the correct drive parameters (e.g. no. of
tracks, whether pre-compensation is needed) before you do this.

To start the program, type
	DEBUG
then
	G=XXXX:5 (where you've found XXXX by hunting round the memory)

Look to the supplier of the disk controller board (or your system) for
advice.

Ian