Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!julius.cs.uiuc.edu!roundup.crhc.uiuc.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!maverick.ksu.ksu.edu!uafhp!engr!mea1 From: mea1@engr.uark.edu (Mark _E_ Amos) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware Subject: Re: Using "Disk Manager" software Message-ID: Date: 15 Jan 91 15:42:15 GMT References: <40187@super.ORG> Sender: netnews@uafhp.uark.edu Distribution: usa Lines: 30 impett@super.super.org (Richard L Impett) writes: >Could someone enlighten me on the advantages and more importantly, >the disadvantages of using Seagate's Disk Manager software? ...(Parts deleted)... >What kinds of incompatibilities (Norton, Spinrite, Windows, etc) can >I expect to find if I use Disk Manager to attempt to use all of the >cylinders of my drive? Although Disk Manager seems to work o.k. for some people (so I've heard), in my own experiences as a PC technician, I have seen more trouble caused by it than not. The three specific programs you list I have not had experience with on a Disk Manager machine, but the problems I have had seem to affect the operation of DOS itself (i.e. erroneous lockups, crashes, etc.) while showing a random pattern (different machines, hard drive types, and DOS versions). These problems are not frequent, but are unique to the machines I service that contain Disk Manager. My suggestion to you is to get the Technical Specs on your drive and controller from the manufacturer, then use DEBUG to low-level format using the controller ROM (if possible). DOS FDISK should then allow partitioning of the disk in 32Meg units (unless you manually choose). If you have done all this and still cannot find a way to get the use of the entire drive, then (as a last resort) use Disk Manager. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- mea1@engr.uark.edu (Yes a tiny sig is a GOOD thing...)