Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!dalsqnt!rpp386!pigs!haugj
From: haugj@pigs.UUCP (Joe Bob Willie)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Hard disk problem
Summary: can a periodic reformat do any harm?
Message-ID: <360@pigs.UUCP>
Date: 18 Aug 88 16:48:48 GMT
References: <20173@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu>
Reply-To: haugj@pigs.UUCP (Joe Bob Willie)
Organization: Big "D" Oil and Gas
Lines: 24

In article <20173@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu> msriram@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu (M.G. SriRam) writes:
> The technical person at the place where i bought the hard disk told me
> that there was nothing wrong with the hardware, and that doing a
> low-level format on the disk would fix the problem. he also said that
> such a format should be done as a routine every so often, eg every 9 - 12
> months. however, i am not fully convinced about this.  what do you think?
> does it make sense?

in part it make sense.  as the disk ages, the alignment of the heads change
and the relationship of the head to the center of the track along with it.
thus, a drive may develop errors as time goes by which can be corrected
with a periodic low level format.

note that a high level format will not work.  you must rewrite all of
the data on the disk, including address marks, preambles, etc.

personally, i think 9 months to a year is a little on the short side.  i
have not had any trouble with my system in the year i've had it.  but, if
you are having troubles then perhaps that time frame is needed by your
particular drive.
-- 
 jfh@rpp386.uucp	(The Beach Bum at The Big "D" Home for Wayward Hackers)
     "Never attribute to malice what is adequately explained by stupidity"
                -- Hanlon's Razor