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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>