[SunRescue] Format parameters for Fuji MAB3045SC?

[BSD Bob the old greybeard BSD freak]

> I would presume that by zeroing it, the disk will appear blank/unused to 
> the format program, rather than getting weird data back when it tries to 
> read the first bit of the disk.

If that really is the case, and it sounds like it probably is, then
the sun formatter needs a fix.  Maybe that is why it is braindead.
It is reading the disk platters rather than rom, when it should be assuming
the sysadmin really does want to format the critter, and does not care
what the platters say it currently is.  It sounds like it is trying
to read a Sun label, and going bellyup if that is not exactly right.

That must not be what the DEC prom formatter does.  It just reads the
disk rom info, and then assumes the sysadmin is really wanting to
format, and then it goes right to it, rather than trying to read the
platters.

If that really is the case, it sounds like Sun's format logic is off,
which is the way it has been as far back as SunOS 3.5 (the earliest
one I have played with).

I will try that zero the front of the disk trick, and see if it
rescues my sunblown Fuji drive.  It is worth a try.....

> > > > Specify disk type (enter its number): 0
> > > > Must reformat device to 512-byte blocksize.  Continue? y
> > > > Formatting...
> > > > Auto configure failed
> > > > Hmmm... Might have to use the macintosh to get it happy again...
> > >
> > > Try dd'ing the first 8k of the disk with zeros:
> > >   dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/{disk} bs=512 count=16
> >
> >Why does format need that zeroed?

Thanks

Bob