Markus Kesaromous wrote:
----------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 4 Aug 2009 19:13:13 -0700
From: peter.langfelder@xxxxxxxxx
To: fedora-list@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: low-level formatter for linux
On Tue, Aug 4, 2009 at 6:58 PM, Markus Kesaromous wrote:
I canvassed the web looking for a linux util that will
low-level format a hard drive, and found noting but
dos and windows tools.
Is there a low-level HD formatter for linux?
Markus K.
How low is low? mkfs will build a file system of a specified type,
i.e. format a partition with a given file system. It is a command-line
utility and so low level in my book, but maybe not in yours.
HTH
Peter
--
fedora-list mailing list
fedora-list@xxxxxxxxxx
To unsubscribe: https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-list
Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Communicate/MailingListGuidelines
Sorry I did not clarify - By low level, I do not mean Filesystem creation.
I mean it the level at which bad-block forwarding takes place (i.e. all
blocks are tested for sanity, and the bad blocks are forwarded to good blocks. This in some cases may result in reduced total number of blocks,
and thus might (emphasis on might) affect the disk geometry.
In the bad old days, we used to do low lever format of a disk using a dos asm command and hand enter a set of instructions.
I do not recall what those instructions were, and I am not certain they would work on a 500GB drive.
Now that all I have is linux, and my HD has developed many bad blocks,
I need to back it up and do low level formatting. So, I need a Linux based
low level formatting tool.
I'm not sure what you expect low level formatting to do for you, backing up and
writing and reading to every sector will force all current bad blocks to be
found, but honestly "has developed many bad blocks" is another way of saying "is
failing" and is a hint to replace now. When a drive starts relocating sectors
(as seen in SMART), something is wrong with the drive. Check temps, this is the
time of year when heat becomes a problem in many places, trying to cool with 40C
air doesn't work well.
--
Bill Davidsen <davidsen@xxxxxxx>
"We have more to fear from the bungling of the incompetent than from
the machinations of the wicked." - from Slashdot
--
fedora-list mailing list
fedora-list@xxxxxxxxxx
To unsubscribe: https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-list
Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Communicate/MailingListGuidelines
