----- Original Message ----- From: "R. A. Cantrell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "PCI PowerMacs" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2004 11:42 PM Subject: Re: [PCI] Low Level Format
> on 8/31/04 9:38 PM, David at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > How long should a low level format of a 160 Gig hard ATA Seagate drive take? > > My 6500 has been at it for 13 hours. The drive is suspect. > > > > Thanks, > > David > Just short of forever. I've been curious about the relevant factors in the > speed of the low level/zero data process. I've suspected that it is a > combination of processor speed and available ram, but have no basis for that > suspicion. I hope that someone who is knowledgeable will go into an in depth > discussion of the nuts and bolts of the process. I also suspect that doing a > low level formatting of an IDE drive may be contra-indicated. > -- > All the Best, > > R.A. Cantrell > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Visit R.A.'s Old Mac (mostly) Stuff @ > > http://tinyurl.com/ubkw > http://freepctech.com/pc/001/007.shtml "The IDE or ATA drives we use today have all this information preset at the factory and a real low level format would destroy the drive or at least slow it down radically... you cannot redefine the tracks and sectors on these drives with a true low level format. Of course this is highly simplified for this discussion, but let us suffice to say that you cannot change the physical geometry of current IDE/ATA drives without destroying it... or what a low level format does is redefine the tracks and sectors on a hard drive. So... this is an old term that really does not apply to today's IDE/ATA hard drives." If you take the time to look at the websites of ATA drive makers you will find the only thing that you can do is zero fill a drive http://www.seagate.com/support/kb/disc/faq/ata_llfmt_what.html "Why would I want to Zero Fill my drive? The most common reasons to Zero Fill an ATA (IDE) hard drive are: 1.. The drive has contracted a virus that cannot be removed without destroying the boot sector. 2.. You are changing from one operating system to another and wish to remove everything from the drive." Google is your friend. -- PCI-PowerMacs is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | -- Sonnet & PowerLogix Upgrades - start at $169 | & CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> PCI-PowerMacs list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/pci-powermacs.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive:<http://www.mail-archive.com/pci-powermacs%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Mac? Free email & more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
