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From: atc@waikato.ac.nz
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Re: HELP I'M BEING HELD CAPTIVE BY AN XT
Message-ID: <1991May26.152327.3807@waikato.ac.nz>
Date: 26 May 91 15:23:27 +1200
References: <10177.283d9e6a@ohstpy.mps.ohio-state.edu> <7560@mace.cc.purdue.edu>
Organization: University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
Lines: 32

In article <7560@mace.cc.purdue.edu>, nef@mace.cc.purdue.edu (paulhicks) writes:
> In article <10177.283d9e6a@ohstpy.mps.ohio-state.edu> smithj@ohstpy.mps.ohio-state.edu writes:
>  
>>4. My guess is that the hard drive needs a new low-level format.  If you agree
>>   with this diagnosis let me know where I can get a program to do the trick.
>>
> Jeffery, I cannot solve your problem, however, the way to format
> the hard drive is to use the IBM Diagnostic disk which came with the
> machine, unless ofcourse your disk drive controller has the ability
> to format the disk itself.  If you truely have an origional IBM-PC/XT
> with its origional drive and controller, you will need the Diagnostic
> disk.  There may be a few gurus out there who know better and I would
> welcome the help to enlighten me :-) 
> 
> Good Luck, Paul

I once had a client who dropped his original IBM XT on the ground, this damaged
the hard-disk (according to nortons anyway), as I didnt have the original diags
disk I removed the harddrive and attached it to the controller in my Commodore
PC 10iii (20 meg MFM) reformatted it according to the commodore pc10 operations
guide, then put it back in the IBM XT! Low and behold it worked.

Just an idea, and I DONT GUARANTEE this will work for all variations that could 
arise.

-- 
Andrew Chambers
Computer Services
University of Waikato
New Zealand

ATC@WAIKATO.AC.NZ