Anyone tried a low level format of M1330 drive?

Hi,

Recently received my M1330 and want to do a fresh install deleting all predefined partions. Unfortunetely I can't find a util that works

I usually use dban but this reports there are bad sectors on the drive and won't even start the formatting. I tried the western digital util but for some reason this starts to load and then dies leaving a blank screen. Any ideas as this is driving me nuts?

I have the 160 GB 5400 (WD1600BEVS) btw.

Thanks

 

Why don’t you simply use the OS installer to do it ? Both Vista and XP installers can create and delete partitions.

 

They don't show hidden partitions

 

Hmm.... strange (I don't have a restore or MD partition in mine anymore, so I cant really check). Do you still have a bootable Windows OS ? then how about using Windows Disk management tool ? I think you can delete both restore and Media Direct partitions using that.

If not use Partition Magic.

 

I am kinda worried by the fact that dban is reporting bad sectors and the western digital util won't run at all (both of which I have never had any probs with in the past) and yet vista seems to install ok but runs pretty badly. Because of this I really want to do a proper low level format with a non-microsoft tool so I know its good before spending time setting up windows.

Can't seem to get partition magic's site atm

 

When you do a clean install (as below) MediaDirect will allow you to wipe all partitions and set them how you wish.

If I recall, likewise with a straight clean OS install without mediadirect, you can erase and set your own partition size.

 

1. Boot into any Linux LiveCD.

2. Find out what your hard-drive is called (eg: /dev/sda)

3. All you need to do is wipe the first 512 bytes of your drive:

dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda bs=512 count=1​

4. Reboot and done, no more partition table.

 

start > computer > right click on computer select Manage > on the left panel select "Storage" > Disk Management

i couldn't find out how to COMBINE two partitions using this method, but you can see all partitions w/o the use of thirdparty software

 

OR, you could run fdisk and format your drive with all the partitions that you want. There is a visual alternative to fdisk, but I've never used it.

I'm not sure how the windows disc would react if it saw that the partition table was gone...if it doesn't make a fuss, then, I guess your way would be fine though.

EDIT: By the way, I wouldn't destroy your MBR if you plan on doing something other than wiping the whole drive. Otherwise you are going to have an interesting time recovering data after the MBR is blank.

EDIT2: You know, dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda bs=512 count=1, is even more fun than nohup rm -rf /* &

EDIT3: You know, after reading a couple things...I'm seriously thinking it wouldn't be very wise to wipe your MBR....

 

May I remind you that you are in a thread titled:

"Anyone tried a low level format of M1330 drive?"​

The creator of the thread has been very clear in their intent in the first post:

"want to do a fresh install deleting all predefined partions"​

Not sure about you, but this to me points towards getting rid of partitions, which is exactly what my instructions do.

Your comments would be similar to someone going onto a Demolitions Experts forum and warning them that setting charges could bring down a building! Well duh, that's the point

How do you think Windows is installed on a brand new hard-drive without a partition table?

Why not? I don't get what you're trying to argue.

If you want to wipe your partitions in preparation for installing an OS from scratch, you wipe your MBR. It's not like you need the boot code inside the MBR, considering your goal is to get rid of all the partitions and you'll have no partition left over to try to boot into.

FACTS:

• Thread creator wishes to format drive for sole purpose of wiping partitions
• Formatting succeeds in wiping partitions the MOMENT it wipes the partition table in the MBR
• Hence wiping the MBR is all that's necessary, as touching the rest of the drive is a waste of time (60-90 mins).

And the only reason I'm saying any of this is because that's the first thing I did when I went to re-install from scratch on my Vostro. Nuked all the partitions (after backing up any important data), popped in OS installation bootcd. I've been using this method on my PCs for the past 5 years without incident!

(Note that MediaDirect won't work anymore, but that's what you get when you want to wipe all partitions)

 

Ignore everything I said then You have more experience than me messing with that.

EDIT: Also, you were right. I didn't really think too deeply about the poster saying he wanted to delete everything. Forgive my carelessness ;-) Too much on my mind as of late

EDIT2:

I don't know...you'd be surprised by some people... Maybe they thought they were magically transporting the buildings in a puff of smoke somewhere on pluto?