Two Questions about Low Level Formatting

[stuman19]

1st: What does a low level format do?

2nd: Is there a utility out there that is not vendor specific? Meaning it doesn't matter what type of HD you have.

As always, thanks for reading...you guys are always helpful.

Stu

 

[DaveSimmons]

Why do you want to do it if you don't know what it does?

What problem are you trying to solve?

 

[stuman19]

I think my roomate is having problems with his hard drive and some wierd errors and I have done it before and it cleared up a few errors and it saved the HD for a little bit (eventually got a new HD). I just thought I'd try it and I haven't done one for a while so what the heck..might as well.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Last I checked (years ago though) llformat software was vendor-specific written to the vendor's drive controller hardware not like high-level formatting with a standard API.

Check for downloads at the drive manufacturer site, and don't use a program unless it specificlally says it's compatible with the exact drive model.

It will maybe give you a little (unreliable) extra life by marking damaged areas of a platter as unusable, but by the time you're getting "weird errors" it's usually time to back up and RMA if there's any warranty left.

(Of course often the problem isn't the hard drive at all, it's virus/trojan/spyware/adware, or mssed up drivers, or a bad memory stick, or overclocking.)

 

[V00D00]

I wouldn't mess around with that. If you're having problems, I would suggest Spinrite from grc.com, it's not free, but if you have any hard drive problems, it will be sure to both make them apparent and fix them.

Low level formatting is always a vendor specific task. You shouldn't have to ever do a low level format to begin with. It isn't recommended by manufacturers either.

What do you believe that a lot level format will do that a normal full format and a checkdisk will not do?

 

[bendixG15]

A true Low Level Format cannot be done in the normal world.
The manufactorer does low level formats for his drives.

What you want to do is write zeros to the hard drive. This is
sometimes called a "low level format" but all it does
is writes zeros, no formatting is done.

If you write zeros, it will often clear up a drive and get rid of
stuff, especially by 3rd parties, that MS cannot handle.

I have written zeros to many hard drives and this has cleared up
some drives for me, especially from Gateway and other OEMs.
I also zero out used drives that I bought from other guys to clean them up.

Just go to the drive manufactorer and download his utility program
to write zeroes (it may be called a low level format, read the fine print. ).
You can also google it and find "generic" programs.

Only other caution is that it takes a LONG time. A big drive can take overnight.

Good Luck

 

[stuman19]

Thanks for all the information guys...I am not in the know.

 

[JimPhelpsMI]

Hi, There are lots of free zero writers, sometimes called lowlevel formatters, to be down loaded. A boot disk called Mad Boot has one. Doubt if zero writing everything will do anything for you, but will make it difficult to recover any data from the drive.

Good Luck, Jim

 

[corkyg]

I have used SpinRite for over 10 years - and the new version 6 is certainly worth a look.

SR6 Review

SR6

 

[Bozo Galora]

Originally posted by: corkyg
I have used SpinRite for over 10 years - and the new version 6 is certainly worth a look.

SR6 Review

SR6

Spinrite used to be useless, but I didnt realize V6 can work NTFS (as of 2004), thats a whole new story
Thnx for heads up.