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From: tcs@mailer.jhuapl.edu (Carl Schelin)
Newsgroups: comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d
Subject: Re: WANTED: Low Level HD Formatter
Message-ID: <1991Jan31.115625.22186@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu>
Date: 31 Jan 91 11:56:25 GMT
References: <gbd77X200Voz4H8kcz@andrew.cmu.edu> <1991Jan29.180600.28788@unipalm.uucp>
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Organization: Johns Hopkins University - Applied Physics Lab
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In article <1991Jan29.180600.28788@unipalm.uucp>, ian@unipalm.uucp (Ian Phillipps) says:
>
>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

This only works on XT type controllers. The three 'XXXX's that I've seen
are G=C800:5 (standard, most use this), G=C800:1 (only seen this on one
board and I can't remember which), G=C800:7 (someone else mentioned
this one to me so it may or may not be true). I think there is another one
for a second hard drive. Something like CC00:5? Not sure.

Also, the WD XT controllers usually (<- note this) only ask for interleave
unless you ask for advanced formatting options (95% of drives don't need
the advanced options). 

Adaptec (sp) asks for all this other information most of the time.

Carl Schelin
tcs@mailer.jhuapl.edu