I have done a low-level format for MISTAKE (I wish to die!!)on my two SCSI HHDs. I don't know what to do now, the fdisk and the format don't reconize my HHD , they are gone somewhere I don;t know please help me!

That is why hard drive makers no longer supply low-level formatting utilities and supply zero-fill utilities in their place. You need professional help that can't be provided on these forums. Take the drives into your local computer store or Data Recovery company so they may be professionally repaired.

I have come upon a reason why a low level format might be desirable. I had this problem with Windows 98 incorrectly thinking I pirated it. It finally removed mouse support and turned the message "it is now safe to turn off your computer to orange vertical bars like a jail cell window. So I reformatted every drive. When I reinstalled Windows from an archive, it put yellow folders on my information services bar. SO IT KNEW. I looked and every logical drive serial number had 14 in it. I think I was flagged with the serial number DOS assigns when you format. I thought of a low level format at the time, but I do not have such a utility at hand. So I let it go. Why did you say manufacturers removed their low level format utilities?

Freed6008 - You should use UNCONDITIONAL FORMAT in the case that you give - Its safer. FORMAT C: /U I agree with the Doof - NEVER USE LOW-LEVEL FORMAT on modern drives.

A true Low-level format is going to erase the firmware sector from the hard drive. Oops! If you need to retore a disk to it's near-original condition, use the utility supplied at the disk makers web site. Though, as phil said, FORMAT C: /U works most of the time

Thanks for the reply, so the best thing is to bring the HD in a specialised shop! In fact nothing reconize my HDs, only the SCSI adapter. And now the other HD i have (IDE)has problem, when I try to install Win98 the setup tell me BootSector Write!! VIRUS: Continue(y/n) and than freeze. I'm desperate i'm going to kill me for my stupidity.Do you heve some other good advice? Thanks to everybody!!

dario, don't take it too hard. At least you didn't set the computer on fire. I've done that a few times. ;-0