[robespierre]

The format command in fx is a so-called low-level format. The term is misleading because there isn't any "high level format": when you normally prepare a fixed disk, you do so by installing a disklabel, partitioning (these first two steps are part of fx), and creating filesystems (which is done using mkfs).

To check if the disk seems healthy after the format operation, you could use the following command:

Code:

fx> /bad/showbb -g

to display the GLIST. These are all the defects in the grown defect list (those that manifested since the drive was made). The fewer there are, the better. If this is fewer than 50 or so the drive is fine. Over 100 and it is probably worn out.