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Path: utzoo!utgpu!cunews!bnrgate!bwdls61!bnr.ca!mleech
From: mleech@bnr.ca (Marcus Leech)
Subject: Re: Low Level HD Formatting Software
Message-ID: <1991May28.143929.13870@bwdls61.bnr.ca>
Sender: usenet@bwdls61.bnr.ca (Use Net)
Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Woodline Center
References: <1991May28.021833.5303@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> <1991May28.133950.14789@cbfsb.att.com>
Date: Tue, 28 May 1991 14:39:29 GMT

In article <1991May28.133950.14789@cbfsb.att.com>, mbb@cbnewsb.cb.att.com (martin.brilliant) writes:
|> Exactly.  I thought the reason for low-level formatting an aging drive
|> was to realign the tracks with the misaligned heads, because that's
|> easier and safer than opening up the drive to realign the heads with
|> the tracks.  True? or fantasy?
Exactly. The problem with these wizzy new sealed-hda-and-smaller-than-a-
  washing-machine drives is the inability to do what used to be routine
  maintenance, which included occasional non-destructive head realignment.
There used to be "alignment" packs that you'd load onto the drive, and with
  some other whizzo electronics, you could tweak the head alignment. This
  procedure is usually only necessary when installing a new drive, and
  perhaps every 4 or 5 years thereafter.

-- 
Marcus Leech, 4Y11             Bell-Northern Research  |opinions expressed
mleech@bnr.ca                  P.O. Box 3511, Stn. C   |are my own, and not
VE3MDL@VE3JF.ON.CAN.NA         Ottawa, ON, CAN K1Y 4H7 |necessarily BNRs