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From: robl@idca.tds.PHILIPS.nl (R. Luursema)
Newsgroups: comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d
Subject: Re: WANTED: Low Level HD Formatter
Message-ID: <1114@idcapd.idca.tds.philips.nl>
Date: 1 Feb 91 12:27:50 GMT
References: <gbd77X200Voz4H8kcz@andrew.cmu.edu> <1991Jan29.180600.28788@unipalm.uucp> <1991Jan30.183737.16415@amd.com>
Organization: Philips Information Systems, Apeldoorn, The Netherlands
Lines: 39

indra@brahms.amd.com (Indra Singhal) writes:
>ian@unipalm.uucp (Ian Phillipps) writes:
>
>>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)
>
>The two most typical values for XXXX are: C800 or CC00. Give that a try.

Right.

The entry point (:5) seems to differ from manufacturer to manufacturer.
I used to have an XT with an full size DTC disk controller, that starts
its low-level formatting program at C800:CCC . I know of two other 
types of controllers that have entry points at C800:6 and C800:9 .

So before you start, do an U(nassemble) at that location, to see if
there are valid instructions. Most probably you will find an jump
instruction at the first location.

If you cannot find the HD BIOS using debug, or there is no EPROM on 
your disk controller card, or the disk controller is integrated on the 
motherboard, then the HD BIOS functions are included in the system 
BIOS and will probably not include a low level formatter within that 
BIOS. In that case you need an external formatting program, which 
should be supplied with you system when you bought it.

Be sure to check the cables to your HD, and its drive type setup in 
cmos on ATs, or jumpers/switches on XTs. 

Success.

Rob.