Re: Need disk error checker for Windows XP

"D-W-S" <[email protected]> wrote in message 
news:[email protected]...
> Porpoise wrote on Mon, 27 Mar 2006 15:01:27 +0100:
>
>> Mike, here's data that would indicate that SpinRite are not telling the
>> whole truth (presumably in order to sell their product). Low Level
>> formatting is done by the drive manufacturer and cannot be done by the OS
>
> Just because Windows can't doesn't mean that other O/S'es can't.
>
> Many PC BIOSes have that built-in too.
>

It's not an OS (or BIOS) function - it's done at time of manufacture of the 
drive.


<quote>
Newer disks use many complex internal structures, including zoned bit 
recording to put more sectors on the outer tracks than the inner ones, and 
embedded servo data to control the head actuator. They also transparently 
map out bad sectors. Due to this complexity, all modern hard disks are 
low-level formatted at the factory for the life of the drive. There's no way 
for the PC to do an LLF on a modern IDE/ATA or SCSI hard disk, and there's 
no reason to try to do so.
</quote>

Therefore, the OS in use is irrelevant. See the data via the link below:

http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/geom/format.htm