Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]

Groups > linux.debian.user > #176712

Low Level Format of 1.4 Mb Floppy Isn't Happening

Show all headers | View raw

	The fdformat utility allows one to low-level format a
floppy disk. I need to convince an older PC that it should boot
from one of it's usb ports and the Plop Project has a boot
manager that fits on a 1.4Mb floppy. It is called plpbt.iso
so I got a 1.4Mb disk and copied the boot manager in to it and
then decided to start from scratch after it didn't work so I used
a bulk tape eraser and completely erased the disk which is
something I used to do back in the DOS days as it makes the
medium magnetically sterile. I would then format it again and use
it.

	Floppies are a relic these days but the system I want
to usb boot on is a relic so the boot manager should work when I
install it correctly.

What happened after I zapped the floppy is that fdformat will not
run because it sees no pre-existing format information. I am not
surprised at this but I seem to remember being able to do
fdformat or something similar some time ago which would lay new
tracks in the magnetic dessert.

	You then use mformat if you want a MSDOS disk but nothing
else happens until the initial low-level format is done.

	What am I forgetting or what has changed?

	I probably haven't messed with floppy disks in a few
years but one used to be able to format from a bare floppy
without much trouble.

	Thanks for any constructive suggestions.

Martin McCormick WB5AGZ

Back to linux.debian.user | Previous | Next — Next in thread | Find similar | Unroll thread

Thread

Low Level Format of 1.4 Mb Floppy Isn't Happening "Martin McCormick" <martin.m@suddenlink.net> - 2017-01-14 22:40 +0100
  Re: Low Level Format of 1.4 Mb Floppy Isn't Happening Henrique de Moraes Holschuh <hmh@debian.org> - 2017-01-14 23:10 +0100
  Re: Low Level Format of 1.4 Mb Floppy Isn't Happening Mirko Parthey <mirko.parthey@web.de> - 2017-01-14 23:20 +0100
    Re: Low Level Format of 1.4 Mb Floppy Isn't Happening "Martin McCormick" <martin.m@suddenlink.net> - 2017-01-15 15:20 +0100
      Re: Low Level Format of 1.4 Mb Floppy Isn't Happening Henrique de Moraes Holschuh <hmh@debian.org> - 2017-01-15 15:50 +0100
        Re: Low Level Format of 1.4 Mb Floppy Isn't Happening <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2017-01-15 16:00 +0100
      Re: Low Level Format of 1.4 Mb Floppy Isn't Happening Gene Heskett <gheskett@shentel.net> - 2017-01-15 19:30 +0100
        Re: Low Level Format of 1.4 Mb Floppy Isn't Happening Henrique de Moraes Holschuh <hmh@debian.org> - 2017-01-15 20:00 +0100
    Low Level Format of 1.4 Mb Floppy Isn't Happening Solved. "Martin McCormick" <martin.m@suddenlink.net> - 2017-01-15 22:40 +0100
      Re: Low Level Format of 1.4 Mb Floppy Isn't Happening Solved. Doug <dmcgarrett@optonline.net> - 2017-01-15 23:30 +0100
      Re: Low Level Format of 1.4 Mb Floppy Isn't Happening Solved. Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2017-01-16 00:10 +0100
      Re: Low Level Format of 1.4 Mb Floppy Isn't Happening Solved. Gene Heskett <gheskett@shentel.net> - 2017-01-16 00:30 +0100
        Re: Low Level Format of 1.4 Mb Floppy Isn't Happening Solved. John Darrah <xyllyx@gmail.com> - 2017-01-16 02:40 +0100
          Re: Low Level Format of 1.4 Mb Floppy Isn't Happening Solved. Gene Heskett <gheskett@shentel.net> - 2017-01-16 04:00 +0100
  Re: Low Level Format of 1.4 Mb Floppy Isn't Happening Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2017-01-15 16:10 +0100
    Dell BIOS ( was Low Level Format of 1.4 Mb Floppy Isn't Happening) "Martin McCormick" <martin.m@suddenlink.net> - 2017-01-16 19:00 +0100
      Re: Dell BIOS Felix Miata <mrmazda@earthlink.net> - 2017-01-16 19:50 +0100
        Re: Dell BIOS "Martin McCormick" <martin.m@suddenlink.net> - 2017-01-16 22:00 +0100
          Re: Dell BIOS Joe <joe@jretrading.com> - 2017-01-16 22:40 +0100
            Re: Dell BIOS John Hasler <jhasler@newsguy.com> - 2017-01-16 23:00 +0100
              Re: Dell BIOS Joe <joe@jretrading.com> - 2017-01-16 23:30 +0100
                Re: Dell BIOS John Hasler <jhasler@newsguy.com> - 2017-01-17 00:30 +0100
      Re: Dell BIOS Mirko Parthey <mirko.parthey@web.de> - 2017-01-17 00:40 +0100
        Re: Dell BIOS Felix Miata <mrmazda@earthlink.net> - 2017-01-17 02:10 +0100

csiph-web