-=PCTechTalk=- Re: Low level format?? (Sandy)
- From: Gman <gman.pctt@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2008 23:13:04 -0400
Well covered, Roger! Indeed, the plan is to see what other possibilities
exist to eradicate all files from the drive to allow a normal format to
proceed.
However, while a low-level format is a last resort possibility, it is not as
hideous a solution as most articles on the subject would have everyone
believe. I liken it to making manual changes within a registry. It's to be
avoided by novices, but it's also what is used by all hard drive
manufacturers whenever they certify a drive. Specifically, it places the
drive platters in a state where there is no formatting left on the drive.
The procedure is completely destructive in that it will wipe out any data
already stored in the drive. For that matter, it will also wipe out any
previous partitioning performed on the drive. So, if you had the drive
broken up into three different partitions (drive letters), they will all be
erased and no partitions will exist when it's done. Afterwards, you must
format it into at least one partition so that an OS can see it, just like
any new drive.
Many folks have lost valuable data by attempting a low-level format on a
drive that had a bad partition, but also had info stored on one or more
other partitions within the drive in question. My understanding of your
drive's situation is that there are no additional partitions, so the risk of
such a loss, at least on that drive, is negated. There are also horror
stories of folks who have low-level formatted the wrong drive. As a result,
I am probably FAR more careful than necessary, especially with someone
else's data, to make sure that never happens to any system I service.
I will attempt to use all of Roger's suggestions (and others) for removing
the files before resorting to that more extreme measure.
Peace,
Gman
"The only dumb questions are the ones we fail to ask"
----- Original Message -----
From: "Roger" <rcleavitt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "PCTT" <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, September 06, 2008 4:35 PM
Subject: -=PCTechTalk=- Low level format?? (Sandy)
> Sandy,
>
> A low level format is strictly a last resort effort in my book and I'm
> sure
> Gman will agree.
> I posted my thoughts on your situation previously and Gman agreed with my
> diagnosis.
> To recap a little, and if I fully understand, you have an external drive
> with some files on it that are, or may be, compressed.
> For some reason you can't delete the files???
> You want to wipe the drive and reformat?
> Catch 22:
> Format won't work on a drive containing compressed files! To format the
> drive to clean it you must remove the compressed files FIRST.
> Catch 44: The files are locked?????
> Gman's low level format will wipe out those files.
> If you can remove all those files then a format should put the drive back
> in
> pristine condition.
> Removing the partitions on the drive will wipe out any reference to the
> files so format thinks the drive is empty.
> Fdisk is the old DOS tool used to remove partitions.
> XP doesn't have an Fdisk.
> XP has a Disk Management feature that is used to partition and unpartition
> drives.
> Catch 66:
> Since your drive is an external connected via USB I have no idea what you
> can do to the drive from withing Disk Management.
> If it will remove the partitions existing on the drive then the compressed
> files will disappear allowing you to format the drive.
> If you can see the external drive in Disk Management you might check to
> see
> what it will allow you to do???
>
> There is also another idea kicking around in my head to delete those
> immovable files on boot. There is a program called "Move on Boot" kicking
> around that was very popular several years ago to solve problems such as
> yours. I don't know if it would work in XP??
> Mark the files in MOB, reboot, and the files are deleted before the system
> boots into XP and locks the files.
>
> Another possible option is removing the drive from the external enclosure
> and connecting it directly to the controller in your machine.
> This would eliminate USB as a middle man and possibly allow more control
> of
> those files. It may not make any difference, I don't know? (and I'm the
> only
> one here, lol)
> Anyway, with a remote connection Gman could run through the various
> options
> and determine if a low level format is the last option open to get the
> drive
> back online?
>
> Until he gets back I would work on removing those compressed files. As I
> understand it you don't want to save them so anything that works is fair?
---------------------------------------------------------------
Please remember to trim your replies (including this sentence and everything
below it) and adjust the subject line as necessary.
To unsubscribe or change your email settings:
//www.freelists.org/webpage/pctechtalk
To access our Archives:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PCTechTalk/messages/
//www.freelists.org/archives/pctechtalk/
To contact only the PCTT Mod Squad, write to:
pctechtalk-moderators@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
---------------------------------------------------------------
Other related posts:
