> > > > I had one RD54 in my VS2000. It developed some bad blocks and VMS refused
> > > > to startup and the disk made all sorts of weird noises. Then I just did a
> > > > format of the disk in the console, (T ??). And now it works just fine with
> > > > NetBSD.
> > > > 
> > > 
> > > Now how do you do that on a uVax-II?
> > 
> > I am lucky enough to have access to a TK-50 -tape that includes a
> > "customer disk drive formatter" from Digital.. that is what i use..
> > 
> > I have also formatted rd53:s and 54:s that had bad blocks, and got them
> > working under netbsd in a MVII. If i have understood the situation
> > correctly, the badblock management at this level is handled by the
> > intelligent drive interface, rather than the operating system, and that
> > the OS only has to deal with blocks that go bad AFTER the last drive
> > formatting..
> > 
> > Am i right or just lucky that i haven't happened to use any of the bad
> > blocks yet?
> 
> You are right. :-)
> (Or I don't know either...)
> 
The bad block management can be more or less magic. On a KDB50, the controller
may ask some sort of "replace question" if it finds a bad block. On RQDX
controllers you will get a bad block report but have to do the replacement 
initiation manually. On VS2000, there are no logic in the controller at 
all so you must do all replacement handling by hand.

-- Ragge