> What else (if not sector remapping) could make the "current" > size gradually smaller between reboots. And why is "native" > size still constant? And why does now even access to the but-last > native sector fail? The explanation with block-reads no longer > works.
The presented size of an ATA disk is constant. It keeps additional space for error blocks. The HPA merely tells the disk to lie about its size. > > This is a matter for the partitioning tool. You don't know at boot time > > what you wish to do with the HPA so a boot option is inappropriate. > > If I boot linux (e.g. from CD) on some precious windows-machine, > I do know that at boot time. Ditto if I connect a foreign > windows-disk in my machine (ata is afaik not yet hot-pluggable), > I'm also bound to know that at boot time. Some ATA is hot pluggable. The new libata stuff very much so (although it at the moment doesn't handle HPA) > There are also user-land tools (using ioctl) to manipulate > this, in case I change my mind lateron. > > How should the partitioning tool know, if I want to ignore the > HPA, or respect it (knowing it contains stuff that I might need in > future). Does there exist any that asks me? I have no idea. If not perhaps one should be written. - To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/
