Hardware
You will need to download a utility program from the maker of the hard drive to do a low level format.
The following is from the Seagate (hard drive manufacturer) web site. Substitute your model where this refers to Seagate.
Actually the term"low level" is a bit of a misnomer. The low level process first used years ago in MFM hard drives bears little resemblance to what we now call a "low level format" for today's ATA (IDE) drives. A better name for today's low level formatting utility is intermediate- or mid-level formatting. This is sometimes referred to as the "initialize" or "re-initialize" process. The basic purpose of a mid-level format is to erase everything currently on the drive.
Why would I want to low level format my drive?
The most common reasons to low level format an ATA (IDE) hard drive are:
The drive has contracted a virus that cannot be removed without destroying the boot sector.
The drive is developing bad sectors at an increasing rate.
You arechanging from one operating system to another and wish to remove everything from the drive.
How do I low level format my drive?
Caution: Low or Mid Level formatting an ATA (IDE) Drive destroys 100% of the data on the drive. Make sure the drive is completely backed up before proceeding.
Caution: The Low Level Format options of Disk Manager are the only safe methods for use with Seagate and Conner hard drives. Some system BIOSs may include a Low Level Format option; use these at your own risk, as this may produce undesirable results.
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Disk Manager can be downloaded as a part of the DiscWizard package. It includes two low-level format options, partitioning options, and high-level formatting options. Zero Fill writes zeros in each data sector up to the complete capacity of the drive and will clean up some file system defects. The Low Level option performs a track by track initialization for the entire capacity of the drive, but does not spare bad sectors.
The download routine for Disk Manager creates a bootable diskette. Boot from the diskette to start Disk Manager. After startup, Select Advanced Options | Maintenance | Options | Utilities. Select the drive you want to erase, then select Zero Fill or Low Level.
Note: The Zero Fill option runs more quickly and removes data just as thoroughly as the Low Level option.
Note: Older versions of Disk Manager do not include the Advanced Options menu, but the Maintenance Options can be reached by pressing Alt+T at the Main Menu.
When the process completes, reboot the system from a DOS diskette. Run FDISK to partition the drive, then format the drive and begin installing the new Operating System.
The link for that site is:
http://www.seagate.com/support/kb/disc/low_level_ata.html
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Good luck,
Maxwell
by jerry 27
by purplebook
To remove a virus from your kernal, don't think about the low-level format or just using a Quick Format! Those really don't serve any real use. If you really want to get rid of everything on your drive, quickly and easily, use FDISK and remove thepartition, then put an clean one on.
The Low-Level format in the BIOS (CMOS) for IDE drives has the same function as a regular format. In the old days (1994) when IDEs come out, people that still owned MFM drives tried to use the same low-level format on their IDEs. It literally ruined the drive. Low-level on an IDE now is just a term for format from the BIOS.
If you really want a CLEAN copy on a CLEAN drive, use the FDISK as described above.
by jerry 27
by jerry 27
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