i have a 40gb oem harddrive and it is detected by my bios but fdisk says i have a partition error and nortons disk doctor tells me to perform a low level format,but my bios has not got the option to do that. so where can i get a low level reformat program or what can i do ?

Here are some tools & reading . You can also get it from your hd manufacturer . Low-level format tool(Clearhdd.exe) http://www.samsungelectronics.com/hdd/support/faqs/faq_1320.html -------------- Low level Utilities here . ( click on utilities ) http://www.thetechpage.com/cgi-bin/default.cgi -------- http://www.qdigrp.com/qdisite/eng/support/utility.htm LF.EXE Hard Disk Low Level Format Utility . If you can't find the hard disk low level format utility in your BIOS menu , you may use this utility to low level format your hard disk if necessary . --------- http://esca.atomki.hu/paradise/sac/utildisk.html Low level format . ---- http://www.seagate.com/support/kb/disc/low_level_ata.html Use > DiscWizard Starter Edition , full writing to zero's does the job . http://www.seagate.com/support/disc/drivers/discwiz.html dwse103055.exe is the file name . Frequently Asked Questions What does low level formatting mean? Why would I want to low level format my drive? How do I low level format my drive? What does "low level formatting" mean? Actually the term "low level" is a bit of a misnomer. The low level process first used years ago in MFM hard drives bears little resemblance to what we now call a "low level format" for today's ATA (IDE) drives. A better name for today's low level formatting utility is intermediate- or mid-level formatting. This is sometimes referred to as the "initialize" or "re-initialize" process. The basic purpose of a mid-level format is to erase everything currently on the drive. Why would I want to low level format my drive? The most common reasons to low level format an ATA (IDE) hard drive are: The drive has contracted a virus that cannot be removed without destroying the boot sector. The drive is developing bad sectors at an increasing rate. You are changing from one operating system to another and wish to remove everything from the drive. How do I low level format my drive? Caution: Low or Mid Level formatting an ATA (IDE) Drive destroys 100% of the data on the drive. Make sure the drive is completely backed up before proceeding. Caution: The Low Level Format options of DiscWizard Starter Edition are the only safe methods for use with Seagate and Conner hard drives. Some system BIOSs may include a Low Level Format option; use these at your own risk, as this may produce undesirable results. DiscWizard Starter Edition can be downloaded as a part of the DiscWizard package. It includes two low-level format options, partitioning options, and high-level formatting options. Zero Fill writes zeros in each data sector up to the complete capacity of the drive and will clean up some file system defects. The Low Level option performs a track by track initialization for the entire capacity of the drive, but does not spare bad sectors. The download routine for DiscWizard Starter Edition creates a bootable diskette. Boot from the diskette to start DiscWizard Starter Edition. After startup, Select Advanced Options | Maintenance | Options | Utilities. Select the drive you want to erase, then select Zero Fill or Low Level. Note: The Zero Fill option runs more quickly and removes data just as thoroughly as the Low Level option. Note: Older versions of DiscWizard Starter Edition do not include the Advanced Options menu, but the Maintenance Options can be reached by pressing Alt+T at the Main Menu. When the process completes, reboot the system from a DOS diskette. Run FDISK to partition the drive, then format the drive and begin installing the new Operating System. -------------- Drive Fitness Test (version 3.01) DFT32-V301.exe is the file name . The Drive Fitness Test (DFT) provides a quick, reliable method to test IBM SCSI and IDE hard disk drives. The Drive Fitness Test analyze function performs read tests without overwriting customer data. (However, Drive Fitness Test is bundled with some restoration utilities that will overwrite data). The users guide PDF covers how to use Drive Fitness Test and the included utilities. http://www.storage.ibm.com/hdd/support/download.htm Additional Documentation: Users guide | White paper | Data sheet Features: Supports SCSI and IDE drives Note: Currently, the Drive Fitness Test does not support IBM Microdrives or Travelstar E drives. Analyzes drive fitness Three modes of operation: -- High confidence level Quick test (unmatched in the drive industry) -- Full media scan -- Exerciser Performs real-time analysis of IBM drives to quickly determine whether the drive has a problem. Identifies system problems such as cables, temperature, etc. Automatically logs significant drive parameters to track potential impacts to the operation of the drive. Restores drive fitness Note: these utilities will overwrite customer data and allow repair of bad sectors. Erase Bootsector utility (use DFT Utility option: Erase Boot Sector) Low-level format utility (use DFT Utility option: Erase Disk) Filesystem-based Corrupted Sector Repair (use DFT Utility option: Corrupted Sector Repair) Utilities Drive information S.M.A.R.T. Operations for IDE hard disk drives Download Drive Fitness Test Note: This download creates a self booting diskette to run the DFT utility. You can create the diskette under Windows or Linux but you must start your system with the bootable diskette to run DFT. DFT can only be used with x86 based processors. --- http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/L/low_level_format.html --------- Maxtor's is called MaxBlast , http://www.maxtor.com/en/support/downloads/maxblast_plus_ii.htm Seagate's are DiscWizard , DiscWizard Starter Edition & DiscWizard Online http://www.seagate.com/support/disc/drivers/discwiz_utilities.html http://www.seagate.com/support/disc/drivers/discwiz.html Quantum's is DiskManager , now owned by Maxtor . http://www.maxtor.com/Maxtorhome.htm IBM have a selection , such as Drive Fitness Test . http://www.storage.ibm.com/hdd/support/download.htm Fujitsu's is OnTrack DiskGo , http://www.fcpa.com/cgi-bin/goFrames.cgi/support/su_drivers.html Western Digital's is Data Lifeguard Tools , http://www.wdc.com/service/ftp/drives.html#dlgtools Samsung's is ClearHDD Program , http://www.samsungelectronics.com/support/hdd/utilities/utilities_03.html

You need to know the make of drive. It's either in info pack you got with your PC (if from Dell etc., or any 'decent' other make/supplier); and it's on the drive itself. Do NOT do a true LLF (Low Level Format); it is NOT advised (by the gurus/cognoscenti) - may render the drive useless... Usually what is currently called an LLF is an MLF (Mid Level Format). This writes zeros to the drive - setting it back to factory gate status (more or less). You use the one for your make of drive - not another's. So you visit the web-site and look for the util there. A High Level Format (HLF) is what 'you' do when you 'format' a drive prior to use. More on this whole issue of formatting (High- Level/Mid-Level/Low-Level) can be found at this site: http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/geom/format.htm Look in left column - it's all there - including the warnings about a 'true' LLF and modern drives... This site is probably 'the' best site for most (all) drive issues. How he keeps it up to date is beyond me - a true labour of love? It's the site from which I am quoting (briefy) above.

powermax from maxtor.com will tell you what your hard drive is, and can do a "low level format" it writes zeroes to the entire drive, then you'll need to fdisk and format, before you can install windows. for ide drives, you don't want to use a bios low level format, it can destroy an ide hard drive.preferably get the utility for your make of hard drive, from the support download site of their website.

Go to the HD manufacturer's site and see if it's still under warranty. If so don't do anything more that a zero-fill program on it. If that doesn't fix it, send it back.

So what do you do if you have a drive that is not listed above and still need a low level format? I have a laptop Toshiba hard drive and it needs one bad, but I can't find any utility made for a Toshiba. Will one of the other ones work?

Just an addon to W's warning. Do not use the BIOS Low Level Format feature as I have seen SEVERAL drives killed using this "feature"