Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!dg-rtp!rock.concert.net!mcnc!gatech!psuvax1!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!casbah.acns.nwu.edu!ftpbox!motsrd!motcid!reichert
From: reichert@motcid.UUCP (Chuck KD9JQ)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Toshiba MK234FCH IDE Update
Keywords: IDE
Message-ID: <4735@cocoa46.UUCP>
Date: 8 Apr 91 16:59:22 GMT
Distribution: comp
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Div., Arlington Heights, IL
Lines: 27


 
After learning the hard way, I've determined that the Low Level Format for
MFM, RLL drives is not the same definition for IDE drives.  When a manufacturer says
they've Low Level Formatted their drives, that means Cyls, Heads, Sectors, and
 Interleave.  The old definition was just Interleave.
 
When Toshiba said their drive can be low level formatted what they really meant
 was 
can format the cyls, heads, sectors with some specified program like
Ontrack's DiskManager.  Do not try to change IDE Interleave.  DiskManager
checks to see if its an IDE drive and skips the Interleave part.  The HD must be
run with their DMDRVR.BIN installed though!
 
When installing a new IDE drive just set the CMOS to the correct drive type or
use the User defined type.  Use physical parameters if possible.  Then reboot 
the OS
off a floppy and then use FDISK to partition the Hard Drive.
 
Do not use the ROM BIOS Format, Interleave or any destructive test on an IDE
drive! My new AMI ROM BIOS now includes the Interleave with the normal Head,
 Cyl, 
Sector Format, which really screwed things up. 

So as a rule, just partition IDE drives!

        Chuck Reichert   KD9JQ