---------------------------------------- > From: gene.heskett@xxxxxxxxxxx > To: fedora-list@xxxxxxxxxx > Date: Wed, 5 Aug 2009 00:33:27 -0400 > Subject: Re: low-level formatter for linux > > On Tuesday 04 August 2009, Markus Kesaromous wrote: >>---------------------------------------- >> >>> Date: Wed, 5 Aug 2009 03:33:25 +0000 >>> From: geleem@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >>> To: fedora-list@xxxxxxxxxx >>> Subject: Re: low-level formatter for linux >>> >>> Markus Kesaromous wrote: >>>> Is there a low-level HD formatter for linux? >>> >>> linux-google search "low-level+format", will give 97k hits. >>> >>> mainly, for a truly oem *low-level format* you need an oem format program. >>> they are available in dos format. >>> >>> you will get advice to use 'dd' to zero out sectors. >>> >>> you will find programs to do all sorts of security erasers. >>> >>> >>> for all practical purposes of clearing up why you need 'llf', >>> >>> did you now have live-in girl friend and you want to be sure >>> she does not find your pron? ;) >>> >>> your boss caught you with it on *his* computer? >>> >>> >>> for practical purposes, girl friend included, using >>> 'dd if=/dev/random of=/dev/sdn bs=65536' >>> will removed any thing you need to worry about. >>> >>> >>> for legal reasons, fbi, irs, boss, etc, log; >>> http://www.linux-kurser.dk/secure_harddisk_eraser.html >>> for a type of 'erase' programs available. >>> >>> there are many more, so you can look thru rest of 97k, >>> or modify "low-level+formatter" to lessen. >>> >>> much fun to you. :) >>> >>> -- >>> >>> peace out. >>> >>> tc,hago. >>> >>> g >>> . >>> >>> **** >>> in a free world without fences, who needs gates. >>> ** >>> help microsoft stamp out piracy - give linux to a friend today. >>> ** >>> to mess up a linux box, you need to work at it. >>> to mess up an ms windows box, you just need to *look* at it. >>> ** >>> learn linux: >>> 'Rute User's Tutorial and Exposition' http://rute.2038bug.com/index.html >>> 'The Linux Documentation Project' http://www.tldp.org/ >>> 'LDP HOWTO-index' http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/HOWTO-INDEX/index.html >>> 'HowtoForge' http://howtoforge.com/ >>> **** >> >>Why I need to do low level formatting? >>Disk monitor is reporting 93 uncorrectable sector errors. > > If that drive cannot correct them, it is already out of spare sectors and is > using its input power for life support. > > But to be sure, please post the output of 'smartctl -a /dev/sdX' > where X is the rest of that devices name, a,b,c,d,e etc. > > I'd retire it, before it falls over taking your data with it. Or are you > running amanda? I do. And I don't worry too much, I can do a bare metal > install on a fresh drive, fire up one of amanda's two recovery tools, and have > my 99GB restored in about 3 hours, including the final reboot to put in my > latest kernel. > >>Is that a good enough reason? :) >> >>PS: If I had something on the disk to hide from prying eyes, I would resort >>to a very simple solution: break open the drive (very easyli done), and >>place the platters on the fire grill for about 60 minutes. Ask a physics >> professor. See what he has to say about it :) >> >> >>_________________________________________________________________ >>Get free photo software from Windows Live >>http://www.windowslive.com/online/photos?ocid=PID23393::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-U >>S:SI_PH_software:082009 > > > -- > Cheers, Gene > "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty: > soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order." > -Ed Howdershelt (Author) > The NRA is offering FREE Associate memberships to anyone who wants them. > > > Truth is the most valuable thing we have -- so let us economize it. > -- Mark Twain > > -- > fedora-list mailing list > fedora-list@xxxxxxxxxx > To unsubscribe: https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-list > Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Communicate/MailingListGuidelines I don't know enough about amanda. Guess I have to read up on it. Here is the output: # smartctl -a /dev/sdb smartctl version 5.38 [i386-redhat-linux-gnu] Copyright (C) 2002-8 Bruce Allen Home page is http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net/ === START OF INFORMATION SECTION === Model Family: Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 family Device Model: ST3500641AS Serial Number: 3PM07SFG Firmware Version: 3.AAD User Capacity: 500,107,862,016 bytes Device is: In smartctl database [for details use: -P show] ATA Version is: 7 ATA Standard is: Exact ATA specification draft version not indicated Local Time is: Tue Aug 4 21:42:21 2009 PDT SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability. SMART support is: Enabled === START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION === SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED See vendor-specific Attribute list for marginal Attributes. General SMART Values: Offline data collection status: (0x82) Offline data collection activity was completed without error. Auto Offline Data Collection: Enabled. Self-test execution status: ( 120) The previous self-test completed having the read element of the test failed. Total time to complete Offline data collection: ( 430) seconds. Offline data collection capabilities: (0x5b) SMART execute Offline immediate. Auto Offline data collection on/off support. Suspend Offline collection upon new command. Offline surface scan supported. Self-test supported. No Conveyance Self-test supported. Selective Self-test supported. SMART capabilities: (0x0003) Saves SMART data before entering power-saving mode. Supports SMART auto save timer. Error logging capability: (0x01) Error logging supported. General Purpose Logging supported. Short self-test routine recommended polling time: ( 1) minutes. Extended self-test routine recommended polling time: ( 255) minutes. SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 10 Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds: ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME FLAG VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE UPDATED WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE 1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate 0x000f 108 078 006 Pre-fail Always - 157925240 3 Spin_Up_Time 0x0003 096 096 000 Pre-fail Always - 0 4 Start_Stop_Count 0x0032 100 100 020 Old_age Always - 670 5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct 0x0033 100 100 036 Pre-fail Always - 1 7 Seek_Error_Rate 0x000f 087 060 030 Pre-fail Always - 627490383 9 Power_On_Hours 0x0032 082 082 000 Old_age Always - 16386 10 Spin_Retry_Count 0x0013 100 100 097 Pre-fail Always - 0 12 Power_Cycle_Count 0x0032 100 100 020 Old_age Always - 767 187 Reported_Uncorrect 0x0032 001 001 000 Old_age Always - 863 189 High_Fly_Writes 0x003a 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 0 190 Airflow_Temperature_Cel 0x0022 061 039 045 Old_age Always In_the_past 39 (0 2 41 29) 194 Temperature_Celsius 0x0022 039 061 000 Old_age Always - 39 (0 14 0 0) 195 Hardware_ECC_Recovered 0x001a 060 045 000 Old_age Always - 185506743 197 Current_Pending_Sector 0x0012 093 093 000 Old_age Always - 157 198 Offline_Uncorrectable 0x0010 093 093 000 Old_age Offline - 157 199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count 0x003e 200 037 000 Old_age Always - 366 200 Multi_Zone_Error_Rate 0x0000 100 253 000 Old_age Offline - 0 202 TA_Increase_Count 0x0032 100 253 000 Old_age Always - 0 SMART Error Log Version: 1 ATA Error Count: 1188 (device log contains only the most recent five errors) CR = Command Register [HEX] FR = Features Register [HEX] SC = Sector Count Register [HEX] SN = Sector Number Register [HEX] CL = Cylinder Low Register [HEX] CH = Cylinder High Register [HEX] DH = Device/Head Register [HEX] DC = Device Command Register [HEX] ER = Error register [HEX] ST = Status register [HEX] Powered_Up_Time is measured from power on, and printed as DDd+hh:mm:SS.sss where DD=days, hh=hours, mm=minutes, SS=sec, and sss=millisec. It "wraps" after 49.710 days. Error 1188 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 9674 hours (403 days + 2 hours) When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle. After command completion occurred, registers were: ER ST SC SN CL CH DH -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 40 51 00 18 e8 dd e0 Error: UNC at LBA = 0x00dde818 = 14542872 Commands leading to the command that caused the error were: CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- -------------------- 25 00 08 11 e8 dd e0 00 05:14:07.198 READ DMA EXT 27 00 00 00 00 00 e0 00 05:14:07.120 READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT ec 00 00 00 00 00 a0 02 05:14:07.109 IDENTIFY DEVICE ef 03 46 00 00 00 a0 02 05:14:11.121 SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode] 27 00 00 00 00 00 e0 00 05:14:11.036 READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT Error 1187 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 9674 hours (403 days + 2 hours) When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle. After command completion occurred, registers were: ER ST SC SN CL CH DH -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 40 51 00 18 e8 dd e0 Error: UNC at LBA = 0x00dde818 = 14542872 Commands leading to the command that caused the error were: CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- -------------------- 25 00 08 11 e8 dd e0 00 05:14:07.198 READ DMA EXT 27 00 00 00 00 00 e0 00 05:14:07.120 READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT ec 00 00 00 00 00 a0 02 05:14:07.109 IDENTIFY DEVICE ef 03 46 00 00 00 a0 02 05:14:07.096 SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode] 27 00 00 00 00 00 e0 00 05:14:07.031 READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT Error 1186 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 9674 hours (403 days + 2 hours) When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle. After command completion occurred, registers were: ER ST SC SN CL CH DH -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 40 51 00 18 e8 dd e0 Error: UNC at LBA = 0x00dde818 = 14542872 Commands leading to the command that caused the error were: CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- -------------------- 25 00 08 11 e8 dd e0 00 05:14:07.198 READ DMA EXT 27 00 00 00 00 00 e0 00 05:14:07.120 READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT ec 00 00 00 00 00 a0 02 05:14:07.109 IDENTIFY DEVICE ef 03 46 00 00 00 a0 02 05:14:07.096 SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode] 27 00 00 00 00 00 e0 00 05:14:07.031 READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT Error 1185 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 9674 hours (403 days + 2 hours) When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle. After command completion occurred, registers were: ER ST SC SN CL CH DH -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 40 51 00 18 e8 dd e0 Error: UNC at LBA = 0x00dde818 = 14542872 Commands leading to the command that caused the error were: CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- -------------------- 25 00 08 11 e8 dd e0 00 05:14:03.173 READ DMA EXT 27 00 00 00 00 00 e0 00 05:14:03.108 READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT ec 00 00 00 00 00 a0 02 05:14:03.105 IDENTIFY DEVICE ef 03 46 00 00 00 a0 02 05:14:01.313 SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode] 27 00 00 00 00 00 e0 00 05:13:52.427 READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT Error 1184 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 9674 hours (403 days + 2 hours) When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle. After command completion occurred, registers were: ER ST SC SN CL CH DH -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 40 51 00 18 e8 dd e0 Error: UNC at LBA = 0x00dde818 = 14542872 Commands leading to the command that caused the error were: CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- -------------------- 25 00 08 11 e8 dd e0 00 05:14:03.173 READ DMA EXT 27 00 00 00 00 00 e0 00 05:14:03.108 READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT ec 00 00 00 00 00 a0 02 05:14:03.105 IDENTIFY DEVICE ef 03 46 00 00 00 a0 02 05:14:01.313 SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode] 27 00 00 00 00 00 e0 00 05:13:52.427 READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1 Num Test_Description Status Remaining LifeTime(hours) LBA_of_first_error # 1 Short offline Completed: read failure 80% 15374 752823153 SMART Selective self-test log data structure revision number 1 SPAN MIN_LBA MAX_LBA CURRENT_TEST_STATUS 1 0 0 Not_testing 2 0 0 Not_testing 3 0 0 Not_testing 4 0 0 Not_testing 5 0 0 Not_testing Selective self-test flags (0x0): After scanning selected spans, do NOT read-scan remainder of disk. If Selective self-test is pending on power-up, resume after 0 minute delay. _________________________________________________________________ Express your personality in color! Preview and select themes for Hotmail®. http://www.windowslive-hotmail.com/LearnMore/personalize.aspx?ocid=PID23391::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WM_HYGN_express:082009 -- fedora-list mailing list fedora-list@xxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe: https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-list Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Communicate/MailingListGuidelines