BTW, XT compatibles with the Xebec (and Xebec-like) hard disk controllers
would not give a "COMMAND ERROR" message for a Low-level-formatted/wiped
hard disk. Probably a "1701" error.
NOTE: for the 5170 (AT), IBM switched from the Xebec controller to a
Western Digital one.
There were many models of Xebec controller, and numerous other brands.
The specific model Xebec that IBM used had 4 pairs of solder pads near the
center of the board for selecting drive type for 2 drives. all open was
10MB. other supported sizes (could be over-ridden by loading software at
boot) were 5MB, 16M and 26MB?
And, even if it were somehow "compatible" with a completely different hard
disk controller, "COMMAND ERROR" doesn't sound like anybody's error
message for a wiped drive. More likely to be a generic "READ ERROR"
If DOS were booted from floppy, the MS-DOS error message for a wiped HDD
(address mark not found) would be "General Failure"
--
Grumpy Ol' Fred ci...@xenosoft.com
