IBM xSeries 200 Hardware Maintenance Manual page 38

v SCSI Disk Utilities
v Format Disk
30
xSeries 200 Type 8479 and xSeries 200VL Type 8481: Hardware Maintenance Manual
Select this choice to view the SCSI IDs that are assigned to each device or to
format a SCSI device.
To use the utility program, select a drive from the list. Read the on-screen
instructions carefully before making a selection.
Note: If you press Ctrl+A before the selected drives are ready, an Unexpected
SCSI Command Failure screen might appear. Restart the server and watch
the SCSISelect messages as each drive starts. After the drive that you
want to view or format starts, press Ctrl+A.
Attention: The Low-Level Format program erases all data and programs.
Select this choice to perform a low-level format on a hard disk drive. Depending
on the hard disk drive capacity, the Low-Level Format program could take up to
two hours.
Use the Low-Level Format program:
– When you are installing software that requires a low-level format.
– When you get recurring messages from the diagnostic tests directing you to
run the Low-Level Format program on the hard disk drive
– As a last resort before replacing a failing hard disk drive
Note: If the server has a PCI RAID adapter installed, refer to the RAID adapter
documentation for instructions for performing low-level formats on hard
disk drives attached to the adapter.
To start the Low-Level Format program:
1. If the hard disk drive is working, make a backup copy of all the files and
programs on the hard disk drive. (See the operating system information for
instructions.)
2. Select Format Disk; then, follow the instructions on the screen.
Note: Hard disk drives normally contain more tracks than their stated
capacity (to allow for defective tracks). A message appears on the
screen if the defect limit is reached. If this happens, replace the hard
disk drive.