Printable View
Procedure of doing Low Level format... normally we format things in High level partition, but low level format is writing zero byte back to each sector... Anyone can explain the purposes of doing low level format? etc to kill data(secure delete) and bad sectors? Btw, after low level format is MS-Dos gone? how shall i install back ms-dos never did low level format before, please advise :p
Check your hard drive manafactures website. They might have a low level format utillity for you to use. Low Level formatting (and correct me if I am wrong) is just the process of deleting all the data and then writing over it correct? MS Dos is on the boot disk you use to do a low level format, not on your hard drive. You should be able to do a low level format and then install an OS.
A little more http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/geom/...ilities-c.html
So MS-Dos will still be around :confused:
not on your harddrive, but it will be on your boot source (floppy, cd, dvd).Quote:
After you llf your drive you will need to repartition it.
Once this is done you need to give the partitions a 'normal' format to put a filesystem on it again (ie: FAT32, NTFS, Ext3).
Then you will need to reinstall the OS.
The only time i did a low level format was with my old fuji (just replaced it yesterday) that was causing troubles. Instead of just deleting partitions with fdisk and formatting over the old data, I figured I would try and wipe the data. Using a low level format utility designed specifically for my drive (from fuji's web site) it took a few hours and zero'd the drive. it still caused problems however, so I knew there was something really wrong with it. thats the only reason why I would use a low level format. if you get a royally nasty virus that really doesn't want to leave, this may also work.
just my .02
Dave
Im not sure if this is true, but i read once that a LLF could also "fix" bad clusters/sectors.
But i got that info from a dark colord site, maybe there is someone who can verify that.
Using the term "low level format"(concerning IDE drives) is technically incorrect from it's true original meaning... It's like how the term hacker is misconstrued these days compared the the old days..
When the term "low level format" first came out.. it was in reference to SCSI, ESDI , RLL and MFM hard drives.. An IDE drive is only low level formatted at the factory.. there are no real LLF utilities for IDE's, only things that write zero's and ones.. and they certainly can't fix and remap the hard drive structure. I remember having to enter blocks/sectors into the partition tables of esdi/scsi drives.. that could be tedious back in the early unix days, if a drive was getting way out of hand. Then later versions of the unix partition utility made it easier.. with dos and early windows, the manufacturers of the RLL/MFM drives that were common.. did provide true LLF utilities...
these days, the best utilitiy I've EVER found for fixing an IDE drive with bad clustors/sectors is spinrite5 from Gibson Research Corporation. I've fixed many drives with this.. it's been a godsend.. better than sliced bread.. ;)
http://www.spinrite.com/
SpinRite only fixs FAT32 partitions?
Maxtor Claims different, I used this utility a couple of times (clearing a hard drive is not exactly a hobby).Quote:
there are no real LLF utilities for IDE's, only things that write zero's and ones.. and they certainly can't fix and remap the hard drive structure.
http://www.maxtor.com/en/support/downloads/powermax.htmQuote:
WARNING: ALL DATA WILL BE LOST WHEN PERFORMING THE LOW LEVEL FORMAT QUICK OR FULL OPTIONS.
The utility has aslo diagnostic utils etc built in and returns your HD to the factory state.
/* Note that this utility offcourse only works for maxtor harddrives */
EDIT:
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/L/LLF.html
Now I am confusedQuote:
Modern hard drives are low-level formatted at the factory for the life of the drive. A PC can not perform an LLF on a modern IDE/ATA or SCSI hard disk, and doing so would destroy the hard disk.
:confused:
Yes indeed. Low level format overwrites not only the data and partitioningQuote:
An IDE drive is only low level formatted at the factory
information, but also the markings that constitute the tracks and sectors.
You used to be able to actually change the numbers of tracks and sectors
on the drive, and their physical location.
When today's HD manufacturers supply a "low level format" utility,
all it does is erase all data from all sectors of the drive, including
the MBR, putting the drive in the same condition as new.
Naturally your OS will not be there any more. You will have to partition,
format, and install an operating system.
:cool:
nice data from http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/geom/...ilities-c.html
If i do LLF, i need to install MS-DOS into the sytem again :confused:Quote:
When most users today talk about "low-level formatting" a drive, what they are really talking about is doing a zero-fill. That procedure will restore a functional drive (that is, one that does not have mechanical problems) to the condition it was in when received from the factory. There are occasions when a modern hard disk can become so badly corrupted that the operating system cannot recover it, and a zero-fill can help in this situation. Stubborn boot sector viruses for example can be hard to eradicate without resorting to low-level intervention. Since the zero-fill cleans all programs and data off the drive it will get rid of almost any data-related problem on the drive, such as viruses, corrupted partitions and the like. Just remember that it's a bit like burning down your house to get rid of termites: you lose everything on the drive.
This type of utility can also be used to "hide" bad sectors by telling the drive to remap them to its collection of spares. Just remember that a drive that continues to "grow" bad sectors over time is one whose reliability is highly suspect. I discuss this matter in more detail here.
Death_Knight..
to answer your two recent questions..
1. yes.. unfortunately spinrite only works on fat partitons but there may be a version in the works for ntfs
2. yes.. you'll need to repartiton/format and install..
but my question is.. what version of window are you planning on using ? unless you are going to use win95 or (gasp) windows 3.1 (or 3.11) you don't really need to install MS-DOS. All other more recent windows OS's don't require a base DOS install..
if you really need to have ms-dos for some reason I'll give you a link to download.
http://www.peteweb.com/oldos.php
note: I do not consider this to be warez.. it's more like abandonware. In fact, I've had discussions with pete about this and he assures me that if MS does object, he'll take it down.
so far, he's had these links up on his site for a long time and MS has yet to complain..
(ps.. apart from his bootdisks, he also has windows v 1.0, win3.1 and win3.11 along with ms-dos 3.3 and version 6.22..)
hope this helps..
I'm kind of blur you mean WinXp, Win2k can be install without DOS?Quote:
Originally posted here by jenjen
Death_Knight..
to answer your two recent questions..
1. yes.. unfortunately spinrite only works on fat partitons but there may be a version in the works for ntfs
2. yes.. you'll need to repartiton/format and install..
but my question is.. what version of window are you planning on using ? unless you are going to use win95 or (gasp) windows 3.1 (or 3.11) you don't really need to install MS-DOS. All other more recent windows OS's don't require a base DOS install..
if you really need to have ms-dos for some reason I'll give you a link to download.
http://www.peteweb.com/oldos.php
note: I do not consider this to be warez.. it's more like abandonware. In fact, I've had discussions with pete about this and he assures me that if MS does object, he'll take it down.
so far, he's had these links up on his site for a long time and MS has yet to complain..
(ps.. apart from his bootdisks, he also has windows v 1.0, win3.1 and win3.11 along with ms-dos 3.3 and version 6.22..)
hope this helps..
Yes.Quote:
I'm kind of blur you mean WinXp, Win2k can be install without DOS?
Just boot the CD to install the OS, it will reckonise unformated (high level) space on your HD and lead you trough the formatting proces. If your box does not support booting from the cd, search the microsoft site for help in creating boot floppies
I think if you go the boot floppy root you will need 5/6 floppy disks and i don't no anyone who has used them. If you are new to all this i would suggest an easier root is to load up an older opperating system win85/98 then load XP / 2000 from within the operating system. This method is only the easiest method if you can not boot from cd. Assuming of course that you own an earlier version of windows.
Using this method you still get the opption to format to fat32 or ntsf.
There's something i remember... you guys not enabling smartdrv in DOS before installing os :confused:
i have used powermax on many harddrives and it fixed themQuote:
Note that this utility offcourse only works for maxtor harddrives
samsung
maxtor
fugi
some long chinese named drive
generic
ive never had a problem with compatibility