Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.misc
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!uupsi!cci632!ritcsh!ultb!rjb1868
From: rjb1868@isc.rit.edu (R.J. Beverley )
Subject: Re: Looking for a faster low-level format software
Message-ID: <1991May22.030436.26437@isc.rit.edu>
Organization: Rochester Mental Institute of Technology
References: <91141.113948G22QC@CUNYVM.BITNET>
Date: Wed, 22 May 91 03:04:36 GMT

In article <91141.113948G22QC@CUNYVM.BITNET> G22QC@CUNYVM.BITNET writes:
>Hi,
>
>  I've tried SpinRite II to low-level format on my hard disk, but I
>don't like it because it takes too much time (38 hrs. for a 42MB
>hard disk).  Can anyone name me a or a few faster low-level format
>software? 

	I think that you have to take into consideration that SpinRite
is NOT a low-level formatting program.  SpinRite 'reformats' a hard
drive by reading a sector, formatting it, and then writing back the
information to the sector.  A low-level formatting program JUST writes
to the disk (usually all '0's) and no information is saved.

	If you really want to wipe your hard disk, looks to your BIOS in
newer machines or to DEBUG for older machines.
later,
				-Rich
-- 
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|T o y M a s t e r |    Richard J. Beverley   |-The one with the most|
|     Toys...?     | rjb1868@ultb.isc.rit.edu | toys in the end wins!|
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