Low-Level PC Formatting Using Debug Commands

This works if the card has a formatter in ROM located at that address. Many Western Digital cards did. To check if it's likely to work, examine the code at that address and see if it looks like a jmp or not. If it's all text or nothing that looks like valid code, attempting to execute it might send your machine into oblivion until the next hard reset. I've also encountered some Adaptec cards with a different scheme: C800:0CCC. If you have a Western digital controller that is smart enough to coexist with another WD controller, it should install its ROM at a secondary address; the formatter would then likely be at CA00:5 I have a tech note from the Kaypro 2000 Base Unit that also specifies the C800:5 address for the formatter. I believe they used a WD controller. There is also a note that reads "If the fixed disk controller board has a ROM of its own, there should be no jumper in J11 on the Kaypro 2000 base unit mainboard." I take this to mean that some versions of the HD controller didn't have ROMs. I have the original WD docs that came with some of the Western digital controllers back in the day when user's guides actually had some real information in them. On-board BIOS Formatters, XT and AT hard disk and Hard / Floppy disk controller cards: (in DEBUG) WD1002-WAH, WD1003-WAH, and -WA2 versions, 16-bit, MFM, see note 1, but no apparent onboard formatter WD1002A-WX1, MFM, for the IBM XT (or AT with "superBIOS" ROMS), drive number in AH, interleave in AL, g=C800:5 WD1002S-WX2A, MFM, for the IBM XT (or AT with "superBIOS" ROMS), drive number in AH, interleave in AL, g=C800:5 WD1002-27X, RLL, 8-bit, but F000 feature has no ROM, others use g-C800:5 to format WD1002A-27X, RLL, 8-bit, similar to above but with SuperBIOS (allows dynamic entry for drive parms etc) WD1002-FOX, Floppy/Floppytape controller, no ROM WD1003V-MM1 and -MM2: 16-bit MFM, No ROM WD1003V-SR1, -SR2, RLL, 16-bit, see note 2 WD1004-27X, WD1004A-27x, RLL controller for 8-bit slots, SuperBIOS II formatter at C800:5 WD1005-WAH, ESDI, 16-bit, apparently no onboard formatter WD1006V-SR1 and SR2: RLL, for 16-bit (AT), g=CC00:5 (not C800:5) but see note 2 WD1006V-MM1 and MM2: MFM, for 16-bit (AT), ???? May have no formatter? WD1006-WAH, MFM, 16-bit, supports 1:1 interleave, no on-board ROM or formatter; use WDFMT.EXE or OnTrack WD1006S-WAH similar to WD1006-WAH WD1007A-WA2 and WAH, ESDI drives, 16-bit, g=C800:5 but see note 1 WD1007A-WA4: ESDI, 16-bit, 1 serial port, 1 parallel, fdc controller, notes 1 & 2 WDXT-GENx, docs unreadable, may be the same as CMS HCWDXTGEN instructions Adaptec ACB-1072, RLL, rumored to have a formatter, address=? Adaptec ACB-1070A, RLL, rumored to have a formatter, address=? (full length card) Adaptec 2002A, MFM, Note weird address: g=C800:0CCC CMS HCWDXTGEN, MFM, 8-bit, note 1 (W21 & W22), g=C800:5 Data Technology DTC-5280CRA, MFM, 16-bit, FDC, no formatter Data Technology DTC-5187-1 or 5187-AT, 16-bit, RLL, g=C800:5, but note 1 (W3) and note 2 (W2) National Computer LTD NDC-5427, MFM, JP1 1-2 if 0-8 heads, 2-3 if 9-16 heads, I have some other jumper settings Omti 5520A/5520B, MFM, 8-bit, jumper configured, W7 out (BIOS enabled) W9 out (BIOS at C800) g=C800:6 Omti 5527A/5527B, RLL, 8-bit, jumper configured, W7 out (BIOS enabled) W9 out (BIOS at C800) g=C800:6 Seagate ST11M, 8-bit, MFM, note 1 (W1), g=C800:5, note 3 Seagate ST11R, 8-bit, RLL, note 1 (W1), g=C800:5, note 3 Xebec ??? MFM I have jumpers for drive size Note 1: BIOS ROM address depends on jumper settings, W1, W2, W3 on WD1007A (2-3, 2-3, and ON by default). Others use different jumpers. Note 2: BIOS ROM can be disabled: E.g. If jumper J2 is installed on WD1006V-SRx, (W2 on WD1003V) no on-board formatter or other features. Others use different jumpers. Note 3: Be prepared to enter the drive's defect map At 09:25 PM 3/19/2005 -0800, you wrote: [Sex] The only people who make love all the time are liars. --Telly Savalas (b. 1924) --... ...-- -.. . -. ----. --.- --.- -... tpeters at nospam.mixcom.com (remove "nospam") N9QQB (amateur radio) "HEY YOU" (loud shouting) WEB ADDRESS http//www.mixweb.com/tpeters 43? 7' 17.2" N by 88? 6' 28.9" W, Elevation 815', Grid Square EN53wc WAN/LAN/Telcom Analyst, Tech Writer, MCP, Cisco Certified CCNA