Try it a couple of times and see if you get further. The big issue is: do you need to do a Low Level Format that re-writes the track and sector markers as the SunRem controller expects. If you have to do this, you may be out of luck.
Here's an excerpt of the "Apple Lisa/Macintosh XL Do-it-Yourself Guide Sun Remarketing -- ca. 1990" with my comments in brackets:
Fix one involves double-reformatting the drive---first under Lisa OS, then under MacWorks
XL. Double-reformatting the drive is time-consuming and it only applies to unmodified
computers. You can't use this method with a Macintosh XL Screen Modification Kit unless
you pull the 3A ROMs and reinstall the old ROMs. Also, double-reformatting doesn't always
work.
(note: I have done this in the past with Widget/Profile drives but not with a SunRem internal MFM drive. Doing this alone may help).
Fix two involves reformatting the drive with MacWorks Plus version 1.0. 18 or later. Holding
down the Apple and the left Option keys while double clicking the MW Install icon opens the
program in the expert mode. Expert mode recognizes most unmountable drives and gives the
option to you to reinitialize them. Afterwards, the drive may or not be bootable.
(I have not tried this before but I have the tools to low level format the Profile/Widget drive and BLU is the software that does it. I looked at BLU and it doesn't appear to handle SunRem internal MFM drives.)
Fix three involves sending your drive to Sun Remarketing. Using a special machine, Sun
technicians can do a low level format, which rewrites the boot blocks, then a high level
format, which installs the latest version of whatever operating system you've been using
(Lisa OS, MacWorks XL, or MacWorks Plus). This method always works and it's a lot less
painful than having to buy a whole new drive. SCSI drives can be repaired by using utilities
such as Norton Utilities.
(Obviously, you can't do this and nobody, to my knowledge, has figured out how to low-level format these drives. People have taken apart the firmware but the low-level format routines are said to be unfinished and attempts of fixing these drives usually ends there).
At least you are seeing some life on the drive which means your controller is probably okay. Watch the light on the drive and see if you can see a series of flashes. This will sometimes indicate issues with the drive but it all depends on the drive manufacturer. You can then try to find information about specific drive errors (if this is the case).
Good luck!
Here's an excerpt of the "Apple Lisa/Macintosh XL Do-it-Yourself Guide Sun Remarketing -- ca. 1990" with my comments in brackets:
Fix one involves double-reformatting the drive---first under Lisa OS, then under MacWorks
XL. Double-reformatting the drive is time-consuming and it only applies to unmodified
computers. You can't use this method with a Macintosh XL Screen Modification Kit unless
you pull the 3A ROMs and reinstall the old ROMs. Also, double-reformatting doesn't always
work.
(note: I have done this in the past with Widget/Profile drives but not with a SunRem internal MFM drive. Doing this alone may help).
Fix two involves reformatting the drive with MacWorks Plus version 1.0. 18 or later. Holding
down the Apple and the left Option keys while double clicking the MW Install icon opens the
program in the expert mode. Expert mode recognizes most unmountable drives and gives the
option to you to reinitialize them. Afterwards, the drive may or not be bootable.
(I have not tried this before but I have the tools to low level format the Profile/Widget drive and BLU is the software that does it. I looked at BLU and it doesn't appear to handle SunRem internal MFM drives.)
Fix three involves sending your drive to Sun Remarketing. Using a special machine, Sun
technicians can do a low level format, which rewrites the boot blocks, then a high level
format, which installs the latest version of whatever operating system you've been using
(Lisa OS, MacWorks XL, or MacWorks Plus). This method always works and it's a lot less
painful than having to buy a whole new drive. SCSI drives can be repaired by using utilities
such as Norton Utilities.
(Obviously, you can't do this and nobody, to my knowledge, has figured out how to low-level format these drives. People have taken apart the firmware but the low-level format routines are said to be unfinished and attempts of fixing these drives usually ends there).
At least you are seeing some life on the drive which means your controller is probably okay. Watch the light on the drive and see if you can see a series of flashes. This will sometimes indicate issues with the drive but it all depends on the drive manufacturer. You can then try to find information about specific drive errors (if this is the case).
Good luck!