[3111] in linux-scsi channel archive
Re: low level scsi formatter for linux?
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Michael Weller)
Fri Jan 23 04:12:52 1998
Date: Mon, 19 Jan 1998 11:17:12 +0100 (MEZ)
From: Michael Weller <eowmob@exp-math.uni-essen.de>
To: Roberto Lumbreras <rover@lander.es>
Cc: linux-scsi@vger.rutgers.edu
In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.3.96.980118193729.26241A-100000@leon.lander.es>
On Sun, 18 Jan 1998, Roberto Lumbreras wrote:
> Hi all...
>
> I own a cheap NCR 53c810a scsi controler. It hasn't a bios setup
> utility as Adaptec 2940, so I've no idea how I can do a low level
> format of a SCSI disk in Linux (without changing the drive to
> another computer with other scsi controler). I've a drive with
> media defects and badblocks doesn't help, so I think a low level
> format should solve it.
>
> I found the scsifmt program in
> sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/system/hardware, but it doesn't work for
> me (it's for zip drives, and said to work with hd's but...)
I wrote a scsi low level formatter, even with a graphical frontend (If
you have tcl/tk), but you can use it on the commandline too. It has a very
simplistic partitioner build in which is indeed intended for small
removable devices (just makes one partition). But you don't need to use
it. I also wrote some hints on how to setup the disk for automatic
reallocation of bad blocks. If you did not yet check it, try it.
It is packaged with scsiinfo-1.7 which you can get on tsx-11 under
APLHA/scsi
I also had a look at that lowlevel formatter you mention. I don't see any
really huge problems with it. It tries a few things like ejecting the
disk, which the disk won't like (hence some errors may be printed). The
major problem is, that I nowhere saw that it explicitly flushes linux
buffers for the formatted disk. It tries doing so by ejecting the disk,
but for a hard disk that doesn't work. Note that it seems linux does not
reread things like capacity of the disk (or blocksize) which might change
after a low levelformat too. Thus it is a good idea to powercycle after a
format of a fixed disk.
Oh, of course, you disabled it's explicit check for a ZIP drive in the C
source, did you?
Scsiinfo also allows you to check disksetup with regards to reallocation
of bad blocks and stuff. You should definitely have a look at that too
regardless how you lowlevel format the disk.
Michael.
--
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