How to reformat HDD & SSD to 512B Sector Size

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Milos

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Feb 22, 2018
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Hello , just to be sure after reading this post
IBM 600GB 2.5“ 10K 6G SAS HDD 45W7734 for DS8000 Storage
can be used in Dell R520 an HP dl360 G6 server after you format them in 512 bytes using metods in first posts?
Sorry for asking,
I need to be sure before buying since there are 24 pieces in the package.

Thanks
 
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i386

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Mar 18, 2016
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I tried sg3_utils on windows and could succesfully format 4x HUSMM8020ASS200 (oem branded, probably netapp) from 512 to 4096 byte logical block size.

I put them in a hardware raid 10 and 5 for testing and so far they work without problems.
 
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BlackCrow

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May 18, 2020
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My server HPDL380p with 2 array controllers p420i and p420, the p420i came in the server and is hosting 6 drives, I had 2 available slots, then I added an additional drive bay for 8 more drives, and added the second controller. I got everything in, installed everything, the card is recognized, but when I go to the array controller during bootup, neither one sees any of the NETAPP drives.

I can't format what I can't see... Again, the original card is running 6 drives that came with my server, and when I add 2 additional drives, they are not recognized. and the second card, and all 8 drives are also not seen by the array controllers... Got new SAS cables, swapped drives around in different slots, tried additional card in different slot, etc. no joy.

***UPdate***
After Re-Reading this, am I to understand it is the RAID Cards that are restricting my ability to see the drives? I need to get a non-raid HBA card to do this format, then could go back to the HP cards if I desired?
 
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i386

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I used an adaptec raid controller (3162-8i) in hybrid mode under windows for formatting some oem hgst ssds.
 
T

Tourman

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Nov 24, 2016
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tomaash said:
You can switch one of the P420 controllers to HBA mode to reformat these disks. Depending on your OS, Smart Storage Administrator CLI (ssacli) is your friend.
Click to expand...
P420 has performance issues under HBA mode, and at least with HP firmware, you can't boot off drives attached to it if it's in HBA mode as well. It's a shitty limitations.
 
L

lte

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Apr 13, 2020
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it works nicely with the LSI2008 and LSI2308 Controllers, didn't had luck with my ASR71605.
Some drives after successfully completing the reformatting, automatically appear in the disks section with their capacity, other however report "No Media". Any idea what to change to fix this?
 
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_root

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Jun 7, 2020
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same problem with Micron P400m (EMC firmware) :(
I tried any tools that you guys mentioned in this topic, but no Success
any suggestion?
 
Fritz

Fritz

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And another thanks. I was able to root out the proper Windows command from this thread. Couldn't find it anywhere on the web via Google. Without the proper syntax, a command line utility is useless. :confused:
 
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_root

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Fritz said:
And another thanks. I was able to root out the proper Windows command from this thread. Couldn't find it anywhere on the web via Google. Without the proper syntax, a command line utility is useless. :confused:
Click to expand...
which one plz?
 
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lian

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Nov 14, 2016
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Hi, i have DKS5E-J600SS SAS 600GB 2.5 ST600MM006 - Seagate already formatted with 512b, but they drop from my array as soon as I try to format them... I wonder if they were 520b before.. Can't format under Windows with Disk Management I/O ERROR ? Do you have solutions?
 
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Fritz

Fritz

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lian said:
Hi, i have DKS5E-J600SS SAS 600GB 2.5 ST600MM006 - Seagate already formatted with 512b, but they drop from my array as soon as I try to format them... I wonder if they were 520b before.. Can't format under Windows with Disk Management I/O ERROR ? Do you have solutions?
Click to expand...
Sounds like it's not formatted to 512b.

Admin command prompt -

sg_scan.exe (Make not of the PD # of offending disk then)

sg_format.exe --format --size=512 PD# (# = whatever the PD of the disk is)
 
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lian

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Nov 14, 2016
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Hi, disk is reformatted to 512b, size is 600GB, can read, but the writes on the disk gives errors?
 
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itronin

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Nov 24, 2018
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lian said:
Hi, i have DKS5E-J600SS SAS 600GB 2.5 ST600MM006 - Seagate already formatted with 512b, but they drop from my array as soon as I try to format them... I wonder if they were 520b before.. Can't format under Windows with Disk Management I/O ERROR ? Do you have solutions?
Click to expand...
you may want to take a look at this thread and especially the last few posts. The drive model number smells suspiciously of Hitachi VSP'ness. The symptoms you describe are consistent with trying to reuse a drive loaded with VSP firmware.
 
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BuZa

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Feb 13, 2019
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lian said:
Hi, i have DKS5E-J600SS SAS 600GB 2.5 ST600MM006 - Seagate already formatted with 512b, but they drop from my array as soon as I try to format them... I wonder if they were 520b before.. Can't format under Windows with Disk Management I/O ERROR ? Do you have solutions?
Click to expand...
In these discs, you must change the firmware. You need a HBA controller.
 
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