[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Weird Linux problem




> > 
> > The physical CHS is 6256/16/63, but it is reported as a "logical" 
> > geometry of 782/128/63.  See /usr/src/Linux-2.0/Document/ide.txt 
> > where it is stated that kernels 1.1.39 and higher "shift" two bits 
> > from the cylinder# field to the head# field automatically in order 
> > to avoid the INT13 BIOS limitation of 1024 cylinders.  (LILO uses the 
> > INT13 interface to load the kernel at boot.)
> > Could be that your BIOS doesn't support this kind of drive 
> > translation.  Or maybe try reinstalling the kernel.  The above 
> > mentioned document lists other solutions also.
> 
> Come on, Phoenix BIOS for an Atlanta Pentium II board really knows
> how to detect drives.
> 

I didn't mean to insult your BIOS  :^)

Actually, from what you said that the geometry appears as:
> hda: QUANTUM FIREBALL ST3.2A, 3079MB w/81kB Cache, CHS=782/128/63
> hdc: QUANTUM FIREBALL ST3.2A, 3079MB w/81kB Cache, CHS=6256/16/63
the BIOS couldn't be the problem, as the shift translation appears in 
hda.  I would try specifying the geometry explicitly in 
/etc/lilo.conf for hdb.  Something like:
disk=/dev/hdb
     bios=0x81
     sectors=63
     heads=128
     cylinders=782
Again, see the LILO guide for details.

> > I have a second HD (Seagate 1.6G) with three DOS6.22 partitions (was
> > once 1st HD).  This HD is now hdb.  I wanted to also be able to boot
> > this drive from LILO by adding to /etc/lilo.conf  :
> > other=/dev/hdb1
> > 	label=dos
> > 	loader=/boot/any_d.b
> > 	table=/dev/hdb
> > and updating  /sbin/lilo .  But when I try to boot dos through LILO, 
> > I get the friendly message:
> 
> I thought DOS can't boot and operate unless it boots from the 1st
> partition of the primary master drive, am I wrong ?

LILO can boot non-linux operating systems (including MSDOS) from hdb. 
The loader any_d.b tricks DOS into thinking that the first and second 
hard drives are switched (that D: is C: and that C: is D:).  

I just reread the fine print in the LILO guide, and lo and behold - 
it says that any_d.b installs a resident driver (in the MBR on hdb?) 
which will only work if the OS on hdb uses *only the BIOS to access 
that disk* !!!  OK, there's the source of my present problem!  I 
wonder if there is a workaround, given that I've got this EZ-Drive 
disk controller installed in hda.  

Any other suggestions how to boot MSDOS from hbd?

---
Moshe Davis
<davis@sefer.org>