Re: Big IDE drive on old bios
David Frey wrote: > > Paul Christenson writes: > >On Fri, 15 Nov 1996, Stephen Fuqua wrote: > > > >> Will I be able to get lilo to boot off the 1gig drive when I > >> make a root partition smaller than 1023 cylinders? > > > [...] You only have to ensure that you > turn off any translation (put in the true sector/head values) and that the > boot partition lies < 1023 cylinders. > After booting linux doesn't need the BIOS anymore. Basically right, but large IDE disks don't have "true" values for sectors per track that the BIOS can use. There are generally different numbers of sectors on different tracks (there's more room on the outer tracks) and often too many sectors to address in the measly six bits allowed by the BIOS. All IDE drives translate internally from fairly arbitrary parameters to the physical location on the disk. The host system tells the drive how many heads and sectors it will use, and the drive's controller does the appropriate mapping. I know I've seen a FAQ, HOWTO or mini-HOWTO on this topic, but I can't seem to find it just now. -- Bill Roman ([EMAIL PROTECTED] / [EMAIL PROTECTED]) running linux -- This message was distributed manually by [EMAIL PROTECTED] after the list initially failed to distribute it.
Re: Big IDE drive on old bios
Paul Christenson writes: >On Fri, 15 Nov 1996, Stephen Fuqua wrote: > >> I am in the process of building a debian machine for my office >> from surplus parts. >> Will I be able to get lilo to boot off the 1gig drive when I >> make a root partition smaller than 1023 cylinders? Can I be >> pretty sure that I can at least boot the thing with a floppy? > >You will be able to boot from floppy. No problem. > >However, the way I recommend is NOT to use lilo, but loadlin. Create a >small (a few meg) DOS partition as the first partition, and have the >AUTOEXEC.BAT simply run loadlin. This is in this context complete rubbish. You only have to ensure that you turn off any translation (put in the true sector/head values) and that the boot partition lies < 1023 cylinders. After booting linux doesn't need the BIOS anymore. David -- This message was distributed manually by [EMAIL PROTECTED] after the list initially failed to distribute it.
Re: Big IDE drive on old bios
On Sat, 16 Nov 1996, Hamish Moffatt wrote: > Is this < 1024 cylinders only an issue if you don't have LBA mode? Yes it is. It is a problem on old PC BIOSes which did not support more than 1024 Cyl. It is also a problem of DOS Yours, -- martin // Martin Konold, Muenzgasse 7, 72070 Tuebingen, Germany // // Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] // Linux - because reboots are for hardware upgrades -- Edwin Huffstutler <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> -- Just go ahead and write your own multitasking multiuser os ! Worked for me all the times. -- Linus Torvalds -- -- TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] . Trouble? e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Big IDE drive on old bios
On Fri, 15 Nov 1996, Paul Christenson wrote: > On Fri, 15 Nov 1996, Stephen Fuqua wrote: > > However, the way I recommend is NOT to use lilo, but loadlin. Create a > small (a few meg) DOS partition as the first partition, and have the > AUTOEXEC.BAT simply run loadlin. Hmm, just try 'linear and compact' in /etc/lilo.conf loadlin in a linux only is a waste of space and gives B.G an other $ he does not deserve. If you really need loadlin (I doubt) then use a simple freedos solution. Just have a look at the well implemented Debian boot floppies. Yours, -- martin P.S. Will the upcoming Debian 1.2 support the SCSI NC810 for booting? // Martin Konold, Muenzgasse 7, 72070 Tuebingen, Germany // // Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] // Linux - because reboots are for hardware upgrades -- Edwin Huffstutler <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> -- Just go ahead and write your own multitasking multiuser os ! Worked for me all the times. -- Linus Torvalds -- -- TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] . Trouble? e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Big IDE drive on old bios
> On Fri, 15 Nov 1996, Stephen Fuqua wrote: > > [snip] > > Will I be able to get lilo to boot off the 1gig drive when I > > make a root partition smaller than 1023 cylinders? Can I be > > pretty sure that I can at least boot the thing with a floppy? > > I'm pretty sure you can do either and it will work. Even easier: make a > small (10Megs, say) partition for /boot, making sure it is below the 1023 > cylinder boundary. You then put your kernels there and lilo will be able > to find them. Works like a charm for me. Is this < 1024 cylinders only an issue if you don't have LBA mode? Today I installed Debian 1.1.14 on a 486 machine with LBA, with a 1.08gb Quantum drive. The root partition is about 600mb, which exceeds the 1024 cylinder limit. I couldn't see any problem with this? hamish -- TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] . Trouble? e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Big IDE drive on old bios
On Fri, 15 Nov 1996, Stephen Fuqua wrote: [snip] > Will I be able to get lilo to boot off the 1gig drive when I > make a root partition smaller than 1023 cylinders? Can I be > pretty sure that I can at least boot the thing with a floppy? I'm pretty sure you can do either and it will work. Even easier: make a small (10Megs, say) partition for /boot, making sure it is below the 1023 cylinder boundary. You then put your kernels there and lilo will be able to find them. Works like a charm for me. Christian -- TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] . Trouble? e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Big IDE drive on old bios
On Fri, 15 Nov 1996, Stephen Fuqua wrote: > I am in the process of building a debian machine for my office > from surplus parts. > Will I be able to get lilo to boot off the 1gig drive when I > make a root partition smaller than 1023 cylinders? Can I be > pretty sure that I can at least boot the thing with a floppy? You will be able to boot from floppy. No problem. However, the way I recommend is NOT to use lilo, but loadlin. Create a small (a few meg) DOS partition as the first partition, and have the AUTOEXEC.BAT simply run loadlin. This works even if you have one of the really strange machines that lilo doesn't like. I had an Ambra that was that way. | This is OFFICIAL *WRITTEN* notification that I want to be *REMOVED* | | from *ALL* of your mailing lists. *EVERY* message sent from this | | account has had this request posted. ALL UNSOLICITED ADVERTISEMENTS | | SENT TO THIS ACCOUNT ARE IN VIOLATION OF FEDERAL (U.S.) LAW.| -- TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] . Trouble? e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Big IDE drive on old bios
On Fri, 15 Nov 1996, Stephen Fuqua wrote: > Will I be able to get lilo to boot off the 1gig drive when I > make a root partition smaller than 1023 cylinders? Can I be Yes. > pretty sure that I can at least boot the thing with a floppy? Yes. Unless there's some kind of crazy incompatibility (it's always possible...), create a 20Mb partition, setup the BIOS with the HD parameters except for the cylinders and it should boot from this partition. The floppy should definetely work. Get the bigger drive, it's probably faster too. Cya, Nelson [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] . Trouble? e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Big IDE drive on old bios
On Fri, 15 Nov 1996, Stephen Fuqua wrote: > Will I be able to get lilo to boot off the 1gig drive when I > make a root partition smaller than 1023 cylinders? Can I be > pretty sure that I can at least boot the thing with a floppy? YOu got the point already! Go for it. I do make a small root partition /dev/hda with less then 40MB. Switch of any maybe available BIOS translations etc. the kernel will handle the big drive happilly after booting. Yours, -- martin // Martin Konold, Muenzgasse 7, 72070 Tuebingen, Germany // // Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] // Linux - because reboots are for hardware upgrades -- Edwin Huffstutler <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> -- Just go ahead and write your own multitasking multiuser os ! Worked for me all the times. -- Linus Torvalds -- -- TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] . Trouble? e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Big IDE drive on old bios
In your email to me, Stephen Fuqua, you wrote: > > I have been using linux for a couple of years, but I have > always used machines with new bios and big drives, and I > have never had any problem with lilo. > I am in the process of building a debian machine for my office > from surplus parts. I have a five year old Dell 486 that I is > the base for the machine. I have an offer from my boss either > to buy a ~500 meg ide drive, which would be less than the old bios > restriction, or else to get his new, 1 gig ide drive, and he gets > a new 2gig drive. I've looked at the HOWTO's and I am not sure. take the new 1 gig.. :) > Will I be able to get lilo to boot off the 1gig drive when I > make a root partition smaller than 1023 cylinders? Can I be Sure.. just put in the BIOS 1024 cyl, and the correct head and sector values. It'll boot right up and the kernel will probe the right values. Just make sure to make your root partition 1023 or less. > pretty sure that I can at least boot the thing with a floppy? Floppy will work too, but follow the above, and it should work fine. Tim -- (work) [EMAIL PROTECTED] / (home) [EMAIL PROTECTED] - http://www.buoy.com/~tps "A desk is a dangerous place from which to view the world." -- John le Carre' ** Disclaimer: My views/comments/beliefs, as strange as they are, are my own.** -- TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] . Trouble? e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
