FAT errors

[Dannzig]

Would a low level format help
if i have a File allocation table
error on a harddrive?

[BBA]

Thats a little extreme for a FAT error don't you think?

It will remove the FAT altogether! Along with all other data on the drive from the master boot record on out. The only thing it wont fix is clusters marked as bad (this data is stored on a eprom chip atached to the drive), but "Format /C C: " will fix cluster tables.

So I guess it's a "YES" answer to the LLF, but a simple scandisk will repair it much less painfully.

BBA

[Dannzig]

But when i use partition magic 4
i cant resize the drive because of it.
by the way its an old 2.5 fujitsu drive...
gonna trie to low-level today anyways http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

dann

[MadMax]

Low level format is about 3 steps further than you need to go to get rid of your problem. Fdisk will certainly do it without any trouble. Just blow your old partition away and make a new FAT. LLF should be your LAST resort to correct a damaged disk.

To echo BBA, say good-bye to all of your data.

[This message has been edited by MadMax (edited 07-08-99).]

[Dannzig]

Hm... already tried llf.....
works fine until i high level format....
then this message comes up:
Trying to rebuild FAT nr: 12042040234
or something like that.
Goddamn **** harddrive!
To the bin ou go! http://www.sysopt.com/forum/frown.gif

[BBA]

philipg, I find it hard to believe that you can't fdisk a drive that has EZ-BIOS on it, I seem to remember doing that. I also find it hard to believe that you had to use Partition Magic to delete a partition before you could fdisk it.

I have deleted every kind of ibm/pc compatible X86 drive partition imaginable, both on IDE and SCSI drives with DOS 6.22 fdisk!

Is there anything I can help you learn about using fdisk?

BBA

[This message has been edited by BBA (edited 07-08-99).]

[philipg]

I believe that error your getting is the ez-bios. Ez-bios doesn't let you use fdisk and format from dos, you have to use the ez-bios disk for that. Also you may want to consider a boot sector virus a fdisk/mbr should work to kill it, as long as, you don't have your bootable floppy infected too.

[[dannzig]]

the drive is allready @ a friend
he said he would take alook at it
im planning to use the disk for
a server running linux....
but thanx for all the answers

[philipg]

BBA,

I already know DOS and all the commands and syntax, Thanks for the offer.

As far as the Partion Magic the previous user went through all kinds of confiration problems with this HD. When they finally got it up and running they used Partion Magic to change the drives. Since then anytime after that fdisk gave violation errors when I tried to delete the partions to make it one drive. I had to load partition Magic in dos and delete all partitions only to find out my MOBO doesn't support a drive that size without EZ-BIOS. If you goto the WD web site they even tell you not to use Fdisk and format from dos since it screws up the ez-bios settings.

Now there's also a ez-bios called Disk Manager that lets you use Fdisk and Format in Dos, that's what is on my Seagate 3.2GB drive.