Can someone tell me how I casn low level format a hard drive?
I've been having all sorts of problems with my PC and think I have the
source of my problems nailed down to the hard drive.

I've formatted and installed a fresh copy of XP.
But no luck... the system just keeps on rebooting. : (
Everything else seems fine including the memory.

I thought the next option would be to low level format the hard drive?
Would this do me any good?
How long will it take?
Is it a worthwhile option to go for?
Or should u buy a new hard disk?

Thanks.


OM

OM wrote:
> Can someone tell me how I casn low level format a hard drive?
> I've been having all sorts of problems with my PC and think I have the
> source of my problems nailed down to the hard drive.
>
> I've formatted and installed a fresh copy of XP.
> But no luck... the system just keeps on rebooting. : (
> Everything else seems fine including the memory.
>
> I thought the next option would be to low level format the hard drive?
> Would this do me any good?
> How long will it take?
> Is it a worthwhile option to go for?
> Or should u buy a new hard disk?
>
> Thanks.
>
>
> OM
>

"format c:"?

As long as you don't use the /q switch for a quick-format, you'll be
doing a low-level format AS USUAL. I think.

In message <421415b2$(E-Mail Removed)> GFree <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>As long as you don't use the /q switch for a quick-format, you'll be
>doing a low-level format AS USUAL. I think.

No -- That isn't a low level format.


--
It's not an optical illusion. It just looks like one.

In message <(E-Mail Removed)> "OM"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Can someone tell me how I casn low level format a hard drive?
>I've been having all sorts of problems with my PC and think I have the
>source of my problems nailed down to the hard drive.
>
>I've formatted and installed a fresh copy of XP.
>But no luck... the system just keeps on rebooting. : (
>Everything else seems fine including the memory.
>
>I thought the next option would be to low level format the hard drive?
>Would this do me any good?
>How long will it take?
>Is it a worthwhile option to go for?
>Or should u buy a new hard disk?

With most drives there is no way to low level format. However, this
shouldn't be required.

If the disk is physically failing, replace it outright don't try to work
around the bad sectors.

If the disk hasn't physically failed, wiping and starting over from
scratch will be sufficient.


--
It's not an optical illusion. It just looks like one.

DevilsPGD wrote:
> In message <421415b2$(E-Mail Removed)> GFree <(E-Mail Removed)>
> wrote:
>
>
>>As long as you don't use the /q switch for a quick-format, you'll be
>>doing a low-level format AS USUAL. I think.
>
>
> No -- That isn't a low level format.
>

I was worried I might be ignorrant.

Then what the hell is a low-level format? You format or you don't!

>>>As long as you don't use the /q switch for a quick-format, you'll be doing a
>>>low-level format AS USUAL. I think.
>>
>> No -- That isn't a low level format.
>>
> Then what the hell is a low-level format? You format or you don't!

FORMAT C: is not low level.

Low level formatting is what the drive manufacturer software does to the drive.
It's also known as 'zero'-ing the drive.

The DOS command FORMAT C: is the process used AFTER running FDISK.

H

Hank wrote:
>>>>As long as you don't use the /q switch for a quick-format, you'll be doing a
>>>>low-level format AS USUAL. I think.
>>>
>>>No -- That isn't a low level format.
>>>
>>
>>Then what the hell is a low-level format? You format or you don't!
>
>
> FORMAT C: is not low level.
>
> Low level formatting is what the drive manufacturer software does to the drive.
> It's also known as 'zero'-ing the drive.
>
> The DOS command FORMAT C: is the process used AFTER running FDISK.
>
> H
>
>

Oh.

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>,
(E-Mail Removed) says...
> Can someone tell me how I casn low level format a hard drive?
> I've been having all sorts of problems with my PC and think I have the
> source of my problems nailed down to the hard drive.
>
> I've formatted and installed a fresh copy of XP.
> But no luck... the system just keeps on rebooting. : (
> Everything else seems fine including the memory.
>
> I thought the next option would be to low level format the hard drive?
> Would this do me any good?
> How long will it take?
> Is it a worthwhile option to go for?
> Or should u buy a new hard disk?
>
> Thanks.
>
>
> OM
>
>



Look around on the manufacturer's website. They should have some sort of
tool for doing this.

The only reason to do it is if you keep getting more and more bad
sectors, the low level format can be successful in stopping that
business.

Check your temps, might be a heat issue.

a big magnet that should take care of sector zero, lol joking. You should
get a new HDD. If using Fdisk and or Delpart won't solve your problem the
HDD is bad.

In message <vzVQd.6194$(E-Mail Removed)> "Hank"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>>>>As long as you don't use the /q switch for a quick-format, you'll be doing a
>>>>low-level format AS USUAL. I think.
>>>
>>> No -- That isn't a low level format.
>>>
>> Then what the hell is a low-level format? You format or you don't!
>
>FORMAT C: is not low level.
>
>Low level formatting is what the drive manufacturer software does to the drive.
>It's also known as 'zero'-ing the drive.

Actually low level formatting is a lot more complex then that. See the
following URL:

http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/geom/formatLow-c.html


--
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