DM> I had one a week or so ago where a 1gig drive would not format over
DM> 30 megs, no matter what I deleted and changed around in FDISK. In
DM> the end, I zeroed out the first few sectors using a disk editing tool.

DM> I assume that was caused by the LBA switch -

More likely the usual confused state the system can get into when the
geometry stuff in the first physical sector doesnt match what you are
currently using. Its not necessarily LBA, even just a different CHS
set which still have the same total number of sectors can do that.

DM> of course I only get _partial_ information. The rest they don't tell you.

Sounds more like someone fucked around with the drive params.
@EOT:

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