Very Computer

> I purchased a 45 GB Maxtor EIDE UDMA66 drive the other night.  I want
> to install it as a single partition data sump on a machine which
> is already running RH6.2 (kernel 2.2.14), cpu K6-2/400 MHz, 128 MB,
> j-mark J-542B MB with Award BIOS 4.51PG (542B/542BS C02.1) - 3-23-1999.

> I installed RH6.2 on another machine which is currently running a
> 30 MB Maxtor as a single partition, so I know the RH6.2 works up to
> that size.  However, the BIOS on the working machine is  different -
> I think AMI.

> I have chased through the postings on this list, comp.os.linux.setup,
> through www.j-mark.com, www.award.com (now part of phoenix), and
> www.maxtor.com.  Maxtor lays the > 30 MB problem on the BIOS, the
> BIOS mfr says see the MB vendor, and the MB vendor has no clear
> definition that I have been able to access of the requisite fix,
> although they do have a BIOS upgrade - largely undefined.  The
> MB mfr recommends that mere mortals not try to flash the BIOS, that
> they provide the service only for their direct distributors.  Besides,
> I would never flash a BIOS ROM without some indication of what I am
> getting.

> I am not interested in the Award third party BIOS upgrader - I'd
> rather trash the MB and start over with a new one if that becomes
> necessary, rather than go down the path of yet another twist on
> an already flakey situation.

> I am fresh out of info on just what is going on that there is
> a > 30 GB limitation in the BIOS POST, how to get around it so
> that Linux can do its thing.

> I tried the Cylinder Limitation Option jumper shown on the Maxtor
> cheat sheet, and that gets past the POST hang-up, but then
> Maxtor says you MUST use MAXBLAST plus, which takes you to Windoze,
> and down into the murky mist.  There must be a better way....

> Gene Montgomery.

> > A little added info.  From the mini HOW-TO called Large-Disk, I
> > note that in addition to the BIOS limitation, there is a Linux
> > limitation in older kernels.  Does anyone know where the break
> > comes in?  That is, does 2.2.14 handle disks larger than the 33.8
> > GB limitation mentioned in the mini-HOWTO?

> I has able to attach/see/access two 75 GB drives using RedHat 6.2,
> which I beleive ships with kernel 2.2.14, without any modification
> on both the primary and secondary motherboard IDE channels.

> ASUS CUV4X motherboard
> IBM Deskstar 75 GB
> RedHat6.2

> I ened up upgrading the kernel to 2.4.0test5 to get it to
> work with a RAID controller card though.

> Jake

> > > A little added info.  From the mini HOW-TO called Large-Disk, I
> > > note that in addition to the BIOS limitation, there is a Linux
> > > limitation in older kernels.  Does anyone know where the break
> > > comes in?  That is, does 2.2.14 handle disks larger than the 33.8
> > > GB limitation mentioned in the mini-HOWTO?

> > I has able to attach/see/access two 75 GB drives using RedHat 6.2,
> > which I beleive ships with kernel 2.2.14, without any modification
> > on both the primary and secondary motherboard IDE channels.

> > ASUS CUV4X motherboard
> > IBM Deskstar 75 GB
> > RedHat6.2

> > I ened up upgrading the kernel to 2.4.0test5 to get it to
> > work with a RAID controller card though.

> > Jake

> Thanks, Jake.  I will concentrate on the BIOS limitation,
> under the assumption that RH6.2 (2.2.14) has solved the 33.8
> GB limitation.

> Gene

> > > > A little added info.  From the mini HOW-TO called Large-Disk, I
> > > > note that in addition to the BIOS limitation, there is a Linux
> > > > limitation in older kernels.  Does anyone know where the break
> > > > comes in?  That is, does 2.2.14 handle disks larger than the 33.8
> > > > GB limitation mentioned in the mini-HOWTO?

> > > I has able to attach/see/access two 75 GB drives using RedHat 6.2,
> > > which I beleive ships with kernel 2.2.14, without any modification
> > > on both the primary and secondary motherboard IDE channels.

> > > ASUS CUV4X motherboard
> > > IBM Deskstar 75 GB
> > > RedHat6.2

> > > I ened up upgrading the kernel to 2.4.0test5 to get it to
> > > work with a RAID controller card though.

> > > Jake

> > Thanks, Jake.  I will concentrate on the BIOS limitation,
> > under the assumption that RH6.2 (2.2.14) has solved the 33.8
> > GB limitation.

> > Gene

> Gene:

> The what the BIOS detects, and what Linux can use are two wholly
> different things... Linux goes straight to the drive to determine its'
> size and attributes, rather than using the BIOS, so you should be able to
> do exactly what you want to do with that 45G drive regardless of what the
> BIOS says.

> HTH

> -SSB