no i meant low level format, indeed zeroing it, but with that difference that a lowlevel format is more secure, i do this all the time at work when we get a system in with problems of which i think is a software problem and the hdd tested ok, then i performe a lowlevelformat and repartition everything again, and reinstall the OS. therefore i don't understand why i should NEVER perform a low level format...
and for those who don't think i know what a low-level format is :check here and here.

if you need a tool to do this, check here

this is the tool i use at work ( i know it's designed for maxtor disks, but it works great on other brands as well)

as for those who do not know what i do at work, i'm a repair engineer, i fix computers.

hope this clears things up, and please let me know why i got negged, i'm pretty curious!

and thanks "The Grunt" for defending me

[edit]b.t.w. i've PM'd the persons who thought they know hardware and think they have a reason to neg me, but as you can see above, i do know what i'm talking about, it's my job GD![/edit]