Be careful when doing a low level format on an ATA hard drive. On some older hard drives if you performed a low level format using a utility other than the one provided by the hard drive manufacturer you could cause some problems with read/write errors because of the way the drive gets mapped by the format.
 
Why do you want to do a low level format anyway. Quantum has a good utility called Data Eraser which will overwite the entire drive. Its supposed to completely wipe out the drive. It completely wipes out even the boot sector and is recommended by Quantum if you have a virus you can't get rid. I have a Quantum drive also and have used it many times. I dont think it is on the Quantum/Maxtor website anymore. If you want it, let me know and I can email it to you. It was freeware from quantum. I'm sure Maxtor has one as well. It fits on a floppy and you boot from it to access the utility. Beware though it takes about 4 hours to do a complete wipe of the drive (60gb drive).

http://www.maxtor.com/en/support/downloads/powermax.htm
 
Like APK said, Maxtor seems to have what you're looking for

erm..sorry to bust in but....isn't a low-level format where the company writes all the tracks onto the cylinders? Im pretty sure Im right. It's not something you can do at home?
 
-Pat ;(

ha, I never knew! you learn somethin new everyday.... I figured you needed some big hardware thing to do that kinda stuff.
 
Thnx Alec

a friend of mine has give me a dos boot disk with a utility called ZAP.exe on it, it returns the hard drive to its factory default my formatting all the cylinders and heads etc. Have tried it on my 30GB hard disk and it took about 3 - 4 hours to format it, it even gets rid of all partitions etc

Real low level format can only be done at the manufacturer's factory, which involves writing physical hd info and defect mapping. The utility provided at their website (low level format utility) only do zero fill in reality....but sometimes problems such as screwed partition, virus can only be removed by zero fill

yeah but if you perform a low level format yourself it still erases the hard drive well doesnt it!??