Conference hydra::amiga_v1

4586.0. "Problems getting a hard disk operational " by RGB::ROSE () Tue Mar 12 1991 09:46

	I am trying to get a ST251 working on my A590 and am having an unusual
problem. I have an OMTI 3100 SCSI to ST506 in between. When I run the HD
utilities, the drive came up as UNKNOWN. So I put in the parameters:

	6 heads
	17 sectors/track
	820 cylinders

Then I did a low level format. It only took 20 -30 seconds, but completed with
no error indication. Then I tried to verify data. I got an error message that
it couldn't read the device size. I wrote parameters to the drive, exited, and
tried formatting the first partition. It got up to cylinder 216 then failed.
The drive lists a bad block on cylinder 216. I tried reducing the size of the
partition just below cylinder 216 and was able to format it and read and write
files to it.

	So, I went back and entered all the bad sectors by hand and tried 
low level formatting, etc. I got the same error message on verify data and
formatting still failed on cylinder 216.

	Once I write the parameters to the drive, the HD tools
recognize it as a ST251, so it can read the drive parameters. If I could
get it to map the bad blocks or use the ones I entered by hand, I would have 
a working drive. Also, I suspect the low level format should have taken longer.

	Anyone have any ideas?

	I've got a working 10 Mbyte partition. I'm pretty convinced the
remaining 30 mbytes are not getting low level formatted. I've tried some
outrageous drive geometries, but it alwasy finishes low level format in
40 seconds. Has anybody else tried formating a ST251 with the A590? Is
40 seconds to little time? Are there any other utilities I could use to
do the low level format? Or does anybody know what is required to write
a low level format program?