by Here is a updated workaround for the x86 gigabyte installation problem.
This workaround is much easier to apply.
John Stossel
==== installing Solaris 2.1 for x86 on a hard drive > 1023 cylinders ====
<Error Message>
After solaris installation, you'll receive the following sort of
error message:
"requested cylinder is beyond range of BIOS geometry."
<Problem Description>
This error message will be generated when your hard drive controller
does not support reading of sectors beyond 1023 cylinders via BIOS.
Initial stage of solaris booting is done via BIOS, which accesses
root file system (slice 0) and alternate slice (slice 9). So these
two slices should reside within the first 1023 cylinders.
Current solaris installation unconditionally creates slice 9 at
the end of solaris partition, which causes slice 9 to be created
beyond absolute cylinder 1023 on a large hard drive.
<Workaround>
A> IDE drive
On a IDE drive, use a CMOS user defined drive type to specify a
geometry as less than 1024 cylinders. This can be achieved by
doubling the number of heads or tracks. Then, re-install solaris.
B> SCSI drive
On a SCSI drive, solaris alternate sectors are not used in any way,
and we will remove them from the VTOC.
In summary, when installation is done, boot from boot floppy diskette
and CDROM, exit to the Shell, remove slice 9, then reboot.
Follow these steps, once solaris installation is done:
1. Reboot your system using solaris boot diskette and CDROM.
2. Select 'Exit to the shell' after you are asked to take the
diskette out by responding to the <OK> prompt.
3. Edit VTOC table to remove slice 9 (Tag 9 means ALTSCTR slice).
# fmthard -i -n "" /dev/rdsk/c0t0d0s2 > /tmp/out
# vi /tmp/out, and remove the last line in the file.
Last line should start something like this:
9 9 01 ... ... ...
# fmthard -s /tmp/out -n "newlabel" /dev/rdsk/c0t0d0s2
no error message should be displayed here.
4. Reboot.