4.1 The FORMAT Command
The
function
field defines the function performance as follows:
• 0 — Normalize System Area
Reads the existing system area, reformats only the tracks used to store the
system area, and then writes the system area to disk with cleared Growth
Error Table (GET) and the reset disk array position address.
Caution
The function 1 option can destroy the drive’s OEM flaw list.
• 1 — Initialize System Area
Formats only the tracks used to store the system area and writes the system
area to disk with cleared RFT and cleared GET.
• 2 — Read Media Defect List, Initialize System Area
Reads the manufacturer-written media list to initialize the RFT, formats only
the tracks used to store the system area, and writes the system area to disk
with initialized RFT and cleared GET.
Note
Always use function 2 when formatting the system area. Function 2 reads
the manufacturer’s media defect information and saves it in the system
area. During the user area formatting, bad blocks are mapped using this
defect information.
• 3 — Discard GET, Format User Area
Reads the existing system area, clears the GET, writes the system area
back to disk, then formats all tracks in the user area. (The DA controller
automatically runs a Bank Mount Sequence on the selected bank.)
• 4 — Merge GET into RFT, Format User Area
Reads the existing system area, merges the GET into the RFT, clears the
GET, writes the system area back to disk, then formats all tracks in the user
area. (The DA controller automatically runs a Bank Mount sequence on the
selected bank.)
• 5 — Merge GET into RFT, Reformat Bad Tracks Only in User Area
Reads the existing system area, attempts to recover data from flawed tracks
(retries, ECC correction, RECONSTRUCT), reformats flawed tracks or
assigns an alternate, writes original data back, merges the GET into the RFT,
clears the GET, and writes the system area back to disk. (The DA controller
automatically runs a Mount Bank sequence on the selected bank.)
The DA controller executes this command entirely (including a Mount
Bank sequence) before executing any other commands (noninterleaving of
commands). (This is a special feature of
func 5
only.)
Whenever a system area is written, a read check always follows to ensure
validity.
4–2 Disk Formatting
