best way to low level format?

[BowerR64]

I got some utility that came with the NF7-S but it dont seem to work. Im not sure what its doing but its not working like i thought it would.

The drive i have still works just has a few bad spots ont eh drive, i think its from playing a game i use to play every day for a year wore a spot on one of the platters. I never defregged the drive i think that may have had somthing to do with it.

Anyway whats a good lowlevel format tool that you have used that seems to work?

[mbentley]

well most modern hard drives aren't really meant to be low-level formatted except at the factory, but i would try the drive manufacturer's website for software to do it properly. it's because of zone bit recording that the 3rd party low-level format program isn't working.

[stool]

If you have bad spots on the drive, you may want to see if you are still under warranty. A low-level format isn't going to repair the problem.

Be that as it may, mbentley's solution is probably the best available. Almost all drive manufacturers have a lowlevel format program as part of their diagnostics package, or on their support site.

[stan03]

i thought low level formats could fix bad sectors and stuff?

[mbentley]

Originally posted by stan03
i thought low level formats could fix bad sectors and stuff?

well you have to remember that some bad sectors can be from physical damage to the disk surface so it can't all be repaired, but yes it *can* help recover a few bad sectors possibly if it is losing it's low level formatting for some reason where the tracks might be messed up...

[deathman20]

Well its worth a shot if you want to give it a while I bet, just dedicate some time for the low level format.

[BowerR64]

The drives i have are past warantee, they work but they have bad sectors and data gets corupt on them. I think there are bad spots on the drive. Ive tried a format i wana try a lowlevel format now and try and get one to work again. Just to mess around with it.