low-level formatter for linux

[Bill Davidsen]

Markus Kesaromous wrote:
> 
> 
> ----------------------------------------
>> Date: Tue, 4 Aug 2009 19:13:13 -0700
>> From: peter.langfelder at gmail.com
>> To: fedora-list at redhat.com
>> 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
>>
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> 
> 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 at tmr.com>
   "We have more to fear from the bungling of the incompetent than from
the machinations of the wicked."  - from Slashdot