On 18/3/03 10:57 AM, "Andrew Kershaw" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>> I've low-level formatted many IDE/ATA drives, most in desktops, but also in >> my 1.3GB 1400. > > Well, color me crazy. --snip-- > > Open Drive Setup. Click on the drive you want to initialize. Select > the "Functions" -> "Initialization Options..." menu. "Low level > format" is definitely not available as an option. It is greyed out > and not selectable. I assure you, It is NOT greyed out on this machine (PB 1400), nor on my 5500/225's and no, not even on my LCD iMac (after booting in 9.2). And yes, I have low level formatted all of them. I had a look when the machine was booted from the hard drive, and THEN it's greyed out, but I doubt you could actually go through with formatting the start-up disk anyway... In all cases, the "type" listed in drive set-up is "ATA". > I'm suspicious that you were able to do this in any desktop mac. > Unless you've got one of those Turbo66 or other Sonnet IDE cards > (which only allow this through the fact that they are 3rd party > controllers and not "known" to Drive Setup - also some of them > identify IDE disks as on a SCSI bus). But I'm pretty sure I've heard > horror stories on the PowerComputing list about people who LLF'd IDE > drives connected to these cards... Nope, these are the stock hard drives plugged into the stock controller. I've tried to take a screenshot, but that doesn't seem to work when booted from a CD. > So, to those who say that they have successfully LLF'd an IDE drive, > I declare shenanigans! :-) Declare what you want, I know my Macs, and I sure as heck know when I LLF a drive or not. In fact, I have not come across a drive that WON'T LLF, when booted from a disk other than the HD. I know it is not just a fluke, as I LLF'ed a room full of Power Mac 5500/225, and then the next room of iMac 233's at my old school. All had some major problems before hand, but ran like a dream afterwards (something not to be sneezed at in a high-school :-) > For the disbelievers: > <http://freepctech.com/pc/001/007.shtml> > <http://www.appletechs.com/archives/00000055.html> > <http://modecideas.com/faq45.htm?faqsubpar> I honestly have not ONCE had a problem doing this. I don't know what these people are doing to their drives... > > Peace, > Drew Well, I agree with you on the "peace" part anyway :-) -- John -- PowerBooks is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Enter To Win A | -- Canon PowerShot Digital Cameras start at $299 | Free iBook! | Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> PowerBooks list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/powerbooks.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/powerbooks%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Mac? Free email & more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
