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Amiga User Forum · Amiga Hardware

Low Level Format

8 messages in this thread

#117874From: Michael McCormickOct 13, 1993 6:46 PM

Anyone: I have purchased a Maxtor 7345-SCSI II 340 meg HD. Upon installing it I needed to select Change Drive Type from the Hdtoolbox option. Then I selected Define new drive type and obtained the HD info. After exiting the set Drive type window Hdtoolbox told me to do a low level format of the drive. OK so now I have selected this option and the hdtoolbox window indicated Formatting, please wait. My question is…how long does this operation take? I can hear the hd speeding up and down and there is an occasional flickering of the hd light. "May the Warp be with you!" (c) 1993 Michael McCormick

#118133From: Keith MeyersOct 15, 1993 3:30 PM

Michael, A 340 MB hard drive will take about 10-15 minutes to do a low level format (in my opinion). However, it sounds like you have a different problem. The drive should not be speeding up and down like you described, it should have a very continuous access with the LED lighting up about every second. The problem you have described sounds more like a connection is loose. Most likely it is a very small connector that connects the internal hard drive motor to the circuit board that sits under the drive itself. (That's my guess since I've experienced the same problem. Just push the connector all the way onto the circuit board, then try to format it again.) Hope this helps, Keith.

#118281From: Michael McCormickOct 16, 1993 12:28 PM

Keith, I let the drive try and format all night for the heck of it. Still didn't work. I just returned the drive for a new one that works fine. Thanks for your response… "May the Warp be with you!" (c) 1993 Michael McCormick

#118184From: Clark WilliamsOct 15, 1993 9:29 PM

Michael, What controller card are you using? An what machine are you using? I don't know that this will make answering your question any easier, but I'm just curious. Clark -|- Williams –O-o-O– Via George

#118282From: Michael McCormickOct 16, 1993 12:28 PM

Clark, I tried it on both a 3000 and a 2000 using a 2091 controller. Failed on both systems. I finally just returned the drive and obtained a replacement unit. This one worked fine. Thanks also for your response… "May the Warp be with you!" (c) 1993 Michael McCormick

#118206From: J Saperstein/FontBankOct 15, 1993 11:42 PM

Michael: Check that your cable is oriented correctly. From experience, it sounds like you may have it in backwards which will cause the drive to cycle forever. (Shouldn't do any harm, but it won't format the drive either.) Jerry

#118283From: Michael McCormickOct 16, 1993 12:28 PM

J Saperstein, The cable I was using had a orientation notch on it so I know it was correctly installed. ( Tho I did make the cable myself and it has worked in the past for me. ) The drive was just bad and I obtained a new unit that works perfectly. Thanks for your response… "May the Warp be with you!" (c) 1993 Michael McCormick

#118308From: J Saperstein/FontBankOct 16, 1993 2:03 PM

Michael: Glad you resolved your problem! Jerry