Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!ihlpa!wolfordj
From: wolfordj@ihlpa.ATT.COM (452is-Wolford)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: FORMATTING a AT RLL drive - please read my question !!!!!!
Message-ID: <10726@ihlpa.ATT.COM>
Date: 2 Dec 88 15:53:32 GMT
References: <8191@nsc.nsc.com>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories - Naperville, Illinois
Lines: 38

> in article <12695@steinmetz.ge.com>, davidsen@steinmetz.ge.com (William E. Davidsen Jr) says:
>> I beleive that the BIOS call to format the hard disk calls the
>> controller. Did you try using that?
> 
>  You can use Debug to format your HD (low level) the address is c800:5 even
>  on an adaptec, at least the few systems I have tried it on. 
> 
NO NO NO this may be ok for a XT type drive controller but it
is NOT available on a AT type WD1003-RA controller.  There is no rom
at that address, yes I've tried.  

I have put in many XT controllers and know how they work, and AT
controllers are a different beast .....

I have the documentation (straight from WD), and they say
you have to use a seperate formatter to do the LOW LEVEL format.  But,
they won't give any suggestions or recommends.

I have Dimession Storage's format routine, but this version only handles
MFM (ie 18 sectors/ track) drives and they want $99 for a program to
handle RLL.  That's a large $$ for a one time use program.

Please only people who have REAL first hand knowledge comment.

DOES the new MACE utilities ( I have a 1yr old version that does not work)
format AT (NOTICE I SAID "AT" type RLL drives).

How about any of the hard disk managers out there, and they do the job ?

Jeff Wolford
att!iwsag!jww
att!ihlpa!wolfordj

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