While "low-level formatting" generally refers to zero-filling a drive to erase data, this specific SMI tool goes deeper by communicating directly with the firmware to fix hardware-level errors like "No Media" or "Disk is Write Protected".
While the core version V2.03.47 is older, updated "repacks" and firmware libraries were circulated in 2021 to support newer flash memory chips paired with the SM3257ENAA controller. sm3257enaa low level format tool v20047 download 2021
Do not download the tool blindly. If you flash the wrong firmware, you will permanently kill the drive. you will permanently kill the drive.