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(_)_/_/ SGATFMT4.EXE v4.0 - Seagate Format drive utility.
Copyright 1992-1995 Seagate Technology, Inc. All rights reserved.



Introduction
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! READ THIS ENTIRE DOCUMENT BEFORE USING THIS PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM
! IS DESTRUCTIVE TO USER DATA. SEVERAL SPECIFIC WARNINGS AND
! RECOMMENDATIONS ARE GIVEN THAT MAY PERTAIN TO YOUR DISC DRIVE.

SGATFMT4 (Seagate Format) is a lo-level formatting utility designed
for AT 286/386/486 systems, only. (If the program is run on an XT,
most likely a stack overflow error message will display.)

SGATFMT4 is designed and LIMITED to work with the following Seagate
disc drive interfaces: ST412 (both MFM and RLL), ESDI (with controller
bios disabled), and ATA/IDE (with certain limitations). SCSI
interface disc drives are not supported. (See the section "ABOUT
DRIVES NOT LISTED")

SGATFMT4 does not use the system BIOS to access the drive, but instead
uses the AT register command set. This means that it is not necessary
to pre-set a CMOS drive-type prior to the lo-level format. The CMOS
drive type will become mandatory, however, prior to partitioning and
the DOS hi-level format (see the section below on SETTING CMOS DRIVE
TYPES).

SGATFMT4 only works if the controller/host adapter is set to the
primary hard drive port addresses of 1F0-1F7. (This is the common port
address used on most controllers.)

SGATFMT4 checks to see if a Seagate ST21/22 M or R controller is
installed with its on-board controller bios enabled. If this
condition exists, SGATFMT4 will exit and issue an appropriate debug
command to initiate the controller's built in lo-level format.

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There are three basic steps to preparing a hard disc drive for use in
a computer system:

1. Lo-level format (MFM, RLL, ESDI, and some SCSI)
2. Partitioning with the operating system software.
3. Hi-level formatting with the operating system software.

SGATFMT4 addresses step number 1. In addition to preparing a hard
disc drive for use, SGATFMT4 also has practical use as a diagnostic
utility to test drive functionality.

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