anix!c
|> >mcl2!is!rqo3606
|> >Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.help
|> >Subject: Linux and PCI IDE drives...:(
|> >Date: 21 Jun 1994 00:05:56 GMT
|> >Organization: New York University
|> >Lines: 34
|> >NNTP-Posting-Host: is.nyu.edu
|>
|>
|> >Hi all...
|>
|> >I tried to install the Slackware version of Linux on a
|> >Gateway P5-90 with the enhanced PCI bus and a Conner
|> >540meg drive. I re-partitioned the drive (200meg for
|> >DOS, the rest for Linux), and did not format the
|> >linux part (nor created logical or extended drive).
|> >I used both BASIC.GZ and SCSI.GZ bootdisks, but neither
|> >one of them liked the ide drive. They both reported:
|> >"Drive has more than 16 heads. Giving up". It then
|> >reported the actual geometry to me (32 heads). I tried
|> >to re-enter this at the "BOOT:" line (for the various
|> >PS/1 problems, it mentioned), but it too didn't work.
|>
|> >When I say it didn't work, I mean than I mount the
|> >rootdisk and try Linux's fdisk. I type:
|>
|> >#fdisk /dev/hda1
|>
|> >and it replies back with
|>
|> >"Can't access /dev/hda1".
|>
|> >I get this for every /hda device Linux has.
|>
|> >There's only one IDE drive (only one drive for that matter),
|> >and there are no other os's running (OS/2, NT, whatever).
|>
|> >Might there be a solution to this problem?
|>
|> >Thanks
|>
|> >Ron
|>
|> I have a P5-60 with a WD540 drive and had similar problems. Do you really
|> have a conner HD? Mine is a WD caviar. I am certainly no expert but...you
|> might try this: (WARNING THIS IS DANGEROUS, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A
|> FULL ON DOS BOOT DISK THAT HAS FDISK,FORMAT, etc..)
|>
|> 1) boot from the install disk ( I used the slackware distrib. v1.2)
|> 2) at the LILO prompt give it the parameters
|> "ramdisk hd=1024(1048 if this is what your CMOS says),16,63
Another solution that works here is by putting the hard disk parameters in a USERTYPE
entry in your BIOS instead of using the AUTOCONFIGURE option.
Then you don't have to provide LILO with the extra parameters.
|> 3) Insert the root disk when it asks (i.e. color144) hit enter
|> 4) If it boots and you get a prompt enter "root"
|> 5) run fdisk
|> 6) type "p"
|> 7) It is likely that it will report that your partition boundaries are not on
|> cylinder boundaries
|> 8) If this is the case, the way I fixed it was:
|> a) make a complete backup of any data you don't want to lose (you
|> WILL LOSE IT) from all partitions
Up till now this is necessary, but you don't have to lose all your data!
First you can use fips (from fips11.zip) to decrease your dos partition (at least if it is
the first partition) to end on a cylinder boundary. You can check this with Linux fdisk.
Then you must note the BEGIN of data in this DOS partition as DOS doesn't write the data at
the beginning of the partition. It usually BEGINS at the last sector of the first track.
Again you can look up this value using linux fdisk, turning into sector addresing mode (I believe
you must press u) and looking at the begin field of the DOS partition (press p).
Now, you delete all partitions, recreate the first --- make sure you have pressed u another time
to get back into cylinder addressing mode --- using the same start and end cylinders as it had
before, and set the begin of the data to the one you had just read. (Maybe you must get into
(x)pert mode in order to do this). IMPORTANT: set the type of the partition to the one it had
before (FAT 16, I believe type 5 or 6).
Finally, create all other partitions. At least now you have saved your first Dos partition.
The effect of all this is creating a partitiontable which uses the logical addresses, so fdisk
and more important: LILO don't start warning or refuse to do anything (LILO install).
|> b) get the wdx utility from western digital's BBS (714-753-1234). If you
|> have a conner disk see if they have a similar utility
|> c) boot DOS
|> d) use wdx to change your drive to 1024 cylinders. Your disk will now be
|> a 504 MB drive instead of 514 MB.
This is useless, though DOS can't use more than 1024 cylinders, Linux has no problem with it.
You only have to make sure that your bootable partition as well as all DOS partitions end before
cylinder 1024. There is one effect you see: when using DOS fdisk the last partion wraps around
and shows up as the first partition on the list. This is harmless as long as you know this.
|> e) reboot Linux as above
|> f) delete all your partitions using fdisk (ALL DATA WILL BE LOST!!!)
|> g) create your Linux partitions with Linux fdisk and make sure you
|> don't get any complaints about boundaries
|> h) create any DOS partitions with DOS's fdisk (you have to boot DOS
|> for this, which means you need a DOS boot disk with the necessary
|> utilities on it).
|> i) set the Linux partition active w/ DOS fdisk (or Linux fdisk)
|> j) Now reboot using the Linux boot disk. You should not have to give
|> it any hd=... parameters now. If you do, go back to f) till you get it
|> right...
Replace this with the aforementioned stuff.
|> k) insert the root disk when it asks
|> l) Install Linux
|> m) login as root and run setup
|> n) when setup asks about LILO, install LILO in the master boot record
|> (MBR) and add any Linux and DOS partitions you want to boot.
It is better to put LILO at the root partition of Linux. Do note however that you have to
make this the bootable partition (or activate it as it is sometimes called). Also make sure
no other partitions are bootable because some BIOSes start whining about incorrupt partition
tables...
|> o) When setup is complete, reboot.
|> p) If you've taken the disk out of A:, you should get a LILO prompt
|> q) Hit the left shift key and then TAB
|> r) LILO should print the names you gave it for the boot partitions you
|> gave it during setup.
|> s) type linux (or whatever you called it) and hit enter.
|> t) unless you have some other problem Linux should boot from your HD.
|>
|> 9) To reinstall DOS:
|> a) boot from you DOS boot disk
|> b) run fdisk and set the DOS partition to active
|> c) reboot again from the DOS disk
|> d) format c: /S /V
|> e) take the disk out of A; and reboot
|> f) at the LILO prompt type dos (or whatever you gave it during setup)
|> g) reinstall your backup
Yep, I also noticed the fact that DOS 6.2 refuses to install on an inactive partition.
|>
|> If Linux fdisk does not complain about your partitions, then I don't know
|> what is causing your problem and you should ignore everything I've said.
|>
|> This may not be the best or easiest way to make things work. But I was
|> successfull using this approach. I take no responsibility if you try this,
|> but like I said, it worked for me. Good luck!.
|>
|> Jim
I hope that this knowledge is being put into a FAQ, because a lot of people have
difficulty in setting up large IDE disks. Another thing that may solve the problems
is when linux recognises the Enhanced IDE drives and responds nicely, i.e., no complaining
about disks having more than 16 heads, which IDE forbids.
If nobody else does, I will write a large IDE dirves HOWTO, which will contain the recipe just
given.
--
=================================================
|Centre for Mathematics and Computer Science (CWI)|
|Kruislaan 413, 1098 SJ Amsterdam, The Netherlands|
=================================================
by