# Solved: Low level Format software for Seagate:



## pinso (Jun 20, 2009)

Hello folks ,,,
i h a 30 GB Seagate *U Series 5 : ST330621A* *...*HDD and i want to do a complete LOW LEVEL FORMAT on my HDD.
I tried to get the software for the Seagate website ,,but couldn't find one.... (except for installation n use manual manual ) i think i h few to many bad sectors in ,my HDD. 
The main reason beign i hvn't tried this LLFormat n whenever i try to do full format from Win xp CD it gets stuck n doesn't proceed further, so every time i just do quick format wiht NTFS extension, (Windows xp wont write on any bad sectors)


> This problem of bad sector started when one friend gave me a pirated Winxp Vista version, that has Vista like features but runs Win xp, now i m using a Genuine Winxp i though what the hell its original n wont give any problem


 so i want to wipe everthing out n start from scratch. I h heard of few names like HDD wipe , KillDisk etc.... Can someone suggest me some fine ware which is absolutely 100% safe n easy...( which u urselves h tried out )

i can do basic thing in command prompt,,,,,but every Bootable Ware has its own command,,that i can manage...
Can someone suggest me something ,,,,


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## leroys1000 (Aug 16, 2007)

Seagate seatools can write all zeros to the disk but
it doesn't mark bad sectors as far as I know.
You can probably boot to the XP cd and press R
to go to the repair console.
The type chkdisk /r and hit enter.
Should check the drive,do repairs and mark bad sectors
so windows wont use them.


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## Rick_in_Fla (Apr 2, 2007)

You really should consider purchasing a new HDD.


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## pinso (Jun 20, 2009)

leroys1000 said:


> Seagate seatools can write all zeros to the disk but
> it doesn't mark bad sectors as far as I know.
> You can probably boot to the XP cd and press R
> to go to the repair console.
> ...


Thank you for ur prompt reply
I browsed again n found their r some warez available for Seagate (like Disc Wizard) http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/downloads/discwizard had heard about Seatool, i thought Seatool was designed to repair bad sector (may be i m wrong). Their is Seamap also, but some user warned about the interface being too complicated, so abandoned the thought of using it.

So far i managed to download few freeware for low level format that are quite popular.
My main concern here is , i just want to do Low level format...then later fix the bad sector.
I downloaded the Disc Wizard from Seagate...n preparing to make a Bootable CD.
Do u think it can perfrom low level format. m8


> i hvn't yet tried out the chkdisk command , i'll do that later


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## pinso (Jun 20, 2009)

Can anyone reply that Disc Wizard from Seagate can perform Low level formating ,,,, is it possible


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## TheOutcaste (Aug 8, 2007)

Unless the drive was manufactured before the mid-1990s, it's can't be Low-Level Formatted (LLF) outside of the factory. Many people (and companies) mistakenly use the term LLF when they really mean reinitialize.

DiscWizard can't do a Low Level Format, nor can it reinitialize a disk.
It can create images, and clone disks. It's actually a version of Acronis True Image that Seagate has licensed for use.

You can reinitialize the drive using Seatools.
This writes zeros to every sector, and finds bad sectors. You have the option to mark them as unusable (adds them to the Grown Defect List), and remap them to a spare sector, or leave them as is.
DBAN and ActiveKill disk can also write zeros to the entire disk, but they do not check for bad sectors as far as I know.

HTH

Jerry


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## pinso (Jun 20, 2009)

TheOutcaste said:


> Unless the drive was manufactured before the mid-1990s, it's can't be Low-Level Formatted (LLF) outside of the factory. Many people (and companies) mistakenly use the term LLF when they really mean reinitialize.
> 
> DiscWizard can't do a Low Level Format, nor can it reinitialize a disk.
> It can create images, and clone disks. It's actually a version of Acronis True Image that Seagate has licensed for use.
> ...


Thnks m8 before using Seatool i tried my hands on Kill Disk,, free version wrote 0's but my HDD runtime was drastically slow ,,,,
i thried MHDD ,,,though it removed bad software blocks , HDD runtime was little better,,,,
i had heard of Seatool but mistook for Seamap, heard a lot of horror about it,,,so finally tried Seatool,,, this Diagnostic tool was for only Seagate n Maxtor,,,,i h to say now my HDD is running like usual n feels like new ,,, was like tuning an old car....(from now onward i will never use freeware for LLF)
thnks mate for the suggestion.....:up::up::up:


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