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From: amichiel@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Allen J Michielsen)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Re: low-level format of IBM XT 10 Meg HD
Message-ID: <1991Mar9.173920.7302@rodan.acs.syr.edu>
Date: 9 Mar 91 17:39:20 GMT
References: <1991Feb28.135914.10949@athena.mit.edu> <1991Mar6.134300.1@dev8h.mdcbbs.com>
Sender: amichiel@sunrise.acs.syr.edu
Organization: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Lines: 42

In article <1991Mar6.13430> campbell@dev8h.mdcbbs.com (Tim Campbell) writes:
>In <1991Feb28.135914.10949>, rcharbon@athena.mit.edu (Ray Charbonneau) writes:
>> I would like to find a method of doing a low-level format on original
>> IBM PC-XT 10 Meg hard disks without having to get the Advanced
>> Diagnostics.  Unfortunately, Norton 5.0's Calibrat program doesn't

>The low-level program is in the rom bios - to activate it, use DOS "debug".
>Assume that you insert a floppy with the MS-DOS "DEBUG" program in drive A:
>-g=c800:5         <- execute the program located in segment c800 starting
>After it completes the low level format, you'll have to execute DOS "fdisk"
>to partition the drive, followed by DOS "format" to complete a high-level
>The address I gave you (c800:5) was pretty common - it is "possible" that


   Sorry tim, you don't get the cigar this time. The original poster said
quite clearly that he has a original ibm with 10 MB.  That quite clearly
indicates that he PROBABLY is using a IBM controller.  (Which was made by
somebidy else, probably, but definately does NOT use thec800:5 address,
and while it MUST have some sort of onboard bios extension, does NOT have
ANY onboard software for doing a low level format.
   The IBM advanced diagnostocs (dealer only {not for sale} or from your
local pirate) or some other software which has this provision built in
is clearly indicated and the only solution available.  Disk manager will NOT
work, the other's I've never tried.  The norton hardware manual includes
debug directions for making a bootable floppy whose only function is to
low level format all mfm & rll drives regardless of the controller software.
It's about a page of typing, but is quite simple...
   A side note, thie program predates ide,scsi,esdi drives and other really
'smart' controllers that remap heads or cylinders or logical partitioning
capabilities and probably won't work right on them....   I'd use this software
(I haven't yet) ONLY on systems which require it (read that as with IBM
hard disk systems which otherwise require the IBM advanced diagnostics...)
al





--
Al. Michielsen, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Syracuse University
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