Need a Link for the Best Low-Level Format Utility...please?

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anonymouschris

Diamond Member
Jan 17, 2001
3,101
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*update* searching for the best low-level format utility. my hard drive manufacturer does not have one, u guys have any to recommend? links appreciated.

was using the fdisk utility. here is the sequence of events.

deleted all partitions,
created a primary dos partition,
set it active,
exit fdisk,
restart computer
attempt to format drive

the formating goes well all the way until it reaches the part where it wants to write to the boot sector. it says unable to write and the format process is aborted. i cannot get this drive to work anymore.

the name for the volume label is some wierd stuff that i never entered. and on the occasion that i am able to check the drive contents it says there are two directories that are named something like #&$#$_)#*....wierd. need help. is my hd messed up?

thanks.
 
I

IcemanJer

Diamond Member
Mar 9, 2001
4,307
0
0
there are a lot of floppy-disk based application that you can dl that will allow you to completely hose the harddrive (ie. set all bits to 0, including Sector0 the MBR).

do a google search for partitioning tools and you'll find plenty.
 
B

Buk

Senior member
Oct 9, 1999
558
0
76
You might check your IDE cable. Replace it and try again. Its a long shot but I had similar problems and that was the fix....................
 
R

ripthesystem

Senior member
Mar 11, 2002
571
0
0
the best LLF (Low level format) utility will be the one made for your Hard Drive. Find out what brand your HD is then go to their website and find the Utility for it. Make sure to do a LLF AND rewrite the boot sector. Some utilities seperate the tasks.

HTH
ripthesystem
 
A

anonymouschris

Diamond Member
Jan 17, 2001
3,101
0
0
here is the problem. i was searching for a low level format utility from hitachi (the hard drive manufacuter), but they do not recommend low level formating their hard drives. they also do not provie warranty to consumers. so what i need is the best third party low level format utility. any advice?
 
D

Dogsbody

Senior member
Aug 26, 2001
218
0
76
Just out of curiosity, what was on this hard drive before you fdisked it? I had weird problems when trying to fdisk a hard drive that had Linux on it prior to trying to fdisk.
 
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Dogsbody

Senior member
Aug 26, 2001
218
0
76
I remember that Linux changes the mbr, and you have to use a special (linux?) program to fix it so that Windows can use it. Hopefully someone out there more familiar with Linux can help out. Don't know if this is your problem or not, but it is worth looking into. I'll see what I can find out and will post if I come up with anything.
 
Jeff7

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,596
20
81
ZAP it, or Wipe it. ZAP is pretty much instant once you choose Yes. WIPE is ok, but it only writes 0's to the first 8GB of the drive. ZAP should get rid of anything - boot records, partition tables, the FAT; that should do it.
Oh yes, usage: they can be run from the HD, but you should probably put them on a boot disk. The EXE files are self extracting - they extract a .COM file and a TXT file. Just be careful with them - ZAP/WIPE the wrong drive...well, it's not good.;)
In addition to deleting the old partition, doing all that jazz in Fdisk, did you also try "fdisk /mbr"? That also does something to the boot record.
 
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ripthesystem

Senior member
Mar 11, 2002
571
0
0
Dogsbody- you are right. Linux Distros can require a LLF to change the MBR back to clean. You probably would need to figure out which version of Linux was installed to get the Distros removal tool.. not sure. Everytime I've done it I just got the proggy from the manufacturer.

Which leads me to..
I just checked the Hitachi website (as I'm sure you did) and learned one important thing. I will never buy a HDD from them. Their support section is basically a bunch of pages explaining that they don't support it. If someone won't even bother to support their own hardware-- why should I?

Oh well. I wish you the best of luck with yours. I can't personally recommend a util to you from experience but there are several on CNET that you could try for free. If it works you'll know it.. if not- keep trying.

Good luck
ripthesystem
 
K

klein297

Senior member
Apr 24, 2001
753
0
0
Had exactly the same problem.
Don't know why but changing the jumper on the cd-rom drive fixed the problem.
You might want to play with the jumpers , set to master ,slave or none or change your cables around
(IDE1 + IDE2)
Might even try to disconnect all drives except HDD until format is finished.
 
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bonkers325

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
13,076
1
0
Originally posted by: wongsoongpak
here is the problem. i was searching for a low level format utility from hitachi (the hard drive manufacuter), but they do not recommend low level formating their hard drives. they also do not provie warranty to consumers. so what i need is the best third party low level format utility. any advice?
Click to expand...

if u own a non hitachi drive, u can use a wd or maxtor diskmanager to nuke the hitachi drive while a wd or maxtor hdd is inside your computer

 
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bonkers325

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
13,076
1
0
Originally posted by: wongsoongpak
*update* searching for the best low-level format utility. my hard drive manufacturer does not have one, u guys have any to recommend? links appreciated.

was using the fdisk utility. here is the sequence of events.

deleted all partitions,
created a primary dos partition,
set it active,
exit fdisk,
restart computer
attempt to format drive

the formating goes well all the way until it reaches the part where it wants to write to the boot sector. it says unable to write and the format process is aborted. i cannot get this drive to work anymore.

the name for the volume label is some wierd stuff that i never entered. and on the occasion that i am able to check the drive contents it says there are two directories that are named something like #&$#$_)#*....wierd. need help. is my hd messed up?

thanks.
Click to expand...

delete partitions
dont restart pc
power down
wait 2 minutes
power back on
then create partition, then format it

u might have a virus

and use format c:/u

 
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bonkers325

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
13,076
1
0
Originally posted by: wongsoongpak
*update* searching for the best low-level format utility. my hard drive manufacturer does not have one, u guys have any to recommend? links appreciated.

was using the fdisk utility. here is the sequence of events.

deleted all partitions,
created a primary dos partition,
set it active,
exit fdisk,
restart computer
attempt to format drive

the formating goes well all the way until it reaches the part where it wants to write to the boot sector. it says unable to write and the format process is aborted. i cannot get this drive to work anymore.

the name for the volume label is some wierd stuff that i never entered. and on the occasion that i am able to check the drive contents it says there are two directories that are named something like #&$#$_)#*....wierd. need help. is my hd messed up?

thanks.
Click to expand...

oh yeah, make sure u do fdisk /mbr before u delete partition, then u power down, so this wipes out the boot record

 
A

anonymouschris

Diamond Member
Jan 17, 2001
3,101
0
0
i tried lowlevel formating with 3 different programs and they all gave me errors. each time this happens it results in more bad sectors. bonkers, im not sure i understand what you mean when you say

if u own a non hitachi drive, u can use a wd or maxtor diskmanager to nuke the hitachi drive while a wd or maxtor hdd is inside your computer
Click to expand...

can you explain this a bit more...
 
M

meefmah

Member
Mar 8, 2002
127
0
0
wongsoongpak: Have you ever had this HDD working properly? Have you run any drive diagnostics (scandisk, Seatools or IBM drivefitness) on it?
 
J

Jhhnn

IN MEMORIAM
Nov 11, 1999
62,365
14,685
136
As has been mentioned, the WD or Maxtor utilities will work on any drive in a system with one of their drives. I suspect that the seagate utilty will do the same.

Modern drives should never be low level formatted like in the old days, where the sectors and tracks were erased and rewritten. If you manage to find an old DOS utility designed for that, you'll destroy a modern drive, if the drive's firmware will even let it work.

What you really want to do is write the drive to zeroes- this will remove all information while leaving the physical aspects of the drive untouched. Like a virgin- you'll be ready for fdisk and format. And unless there's been some change in drive firmware, damage to the first(boot) sector will leave the drive unuseable for that purpose....
 
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meefmah

Member
Mar 8, 2002
127
0
0
The Seagate utility will work with standalone, generic HDDs. There is a generic HDD test. I believe IBM uses the same program. BTW, I am referring to the physical integrity of the HDD, not a data corruption problem. Seatools
 
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MWink

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
3,642
1
76
Modern drives should never be low level formatted like in the old days, where the sectors and tracks were erased and rewritten. If you manage to find an old DOS utility designed for that, you'll destroy a modern drive, if the drive's firmware will even let it work.
Click to expand...

That is correct. Never use an old third party LLF utility. I HAVE damaged hard drives by doing that.

BTW, have you tried "Fdisk /MBR" ???
 
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