As a last resort, and this would qualify, you can try to
low level format (LLF) the hard drive. Then FDISK and format.

In order to do this, you need to download a LLF utility from
Seagate. If they do not have it on their web site, Disk Manager
can LLF a IDE hard drive if you start it with the switch dm/i

If a LLF does not work, then throw the drive away.

Sometimes I have been able to get an otherwise dead drive to
work with a LLF, sometimes not.


Steven Walley
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At 07:23 PM 5/3/99 -0700, you wrote:
>I have a 1 GB Seagate hard drive (ST31081A) that a friend gave me. I want to
>reformat the drive and install Win98 on it, but when I try to format it in
>Win98 real dos mode, the program says that the first track is bad and
>damaged. My question is, is this drive still usable, or should I just throw
>it out? Thanks.
>
>Chuck Hassenplug
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