From: "Louis J. LaBash, Jr." <A200%SIUEMUS.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu> Subject: Re: ll format IDE to install linux Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 14:00:34 GMT
|a. has it ever been decided if it is safe to ll format ide?
It all depends on the drive's design, there is no universal answer to
this question. It is always safe not to low-level format IDE drives;
but the converse isn't always true, hence the often stated warning.
I recommend contacting the manufacturer about the specific model, in
this case Western Digital.
Western Digital's phone numbers: (800)832-4778 or (800)777-4787
b. where can I get a program to do this? I checked in
dskutls on simtel and found only the asm source for
a ll format program. It did not mention ide, so I
am not sure it would be safe to use it.
Disk Manager, a commercial product, and some ROM BIOS will format IDE
drives, according to a technical paper by Seagate, which is available
from their BBS. -WARNING SEE THE ABOVE-
Summary: Some can and some can't
-ljl-
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Louis J. LaBash, Jr.
A200@SIUEMUS.BITNET | labashl@vax3.siue.edu