[97686] in RedHat Linux List
Re: Seagate 8.4 gig drive
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Jose M. Sanchez)
Wed Nov 4 15:28:49 1998
From: "Jose M. Sanchez" <opjose@ex-pressnet.com>
To: <georges@voyager.net>, <redhat-list@redhat.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Nov 1998 14:24:09 -0500
Resent-From: redhat-list@redhat.com
Reply-To: redhat-list@redhat.com
Large drives report their "true" geometry to the BIOS, but in order to
maintain backward compatibility the bios must translate the "true" geometry
into something which falls within earlier cylinder limitations....
especially with "autoconfigure" bioses.
DOS writes out a parameter block onto the hard disk that is normally read by
the OS at bootup...
Linux gets erroneous initial information from the BIOS, as a result it ends
up placing the mbr and the boot blocks in the wrong place.
The next time you boot, the bios cannot find the MBR or the boot blocks...
DOS correctly places the parameter block info on the hard drive.
Once done it gets reported to Linux correctly... as a result from then on,
even if you reformat the drive, you do NOT have to perform this proceedure
again...
-JMS
-----Original Message-----
From: Michael George <georges@voyager.net>
To: redhat-list@redhat.com <redhat-list@redhat.com>
Date: Wednesday, November 04, 1998 7:37 AM
Subject: Re: Seagate 8.4 gig drive
>> Ah, the old partition problem...
>>
>> Ok...
>>
>> FIRST go into DOS (boot up any DOS disk) and create an ACTIVE dos
partition
>> on each of the drives...
>>
>> It can be a small partition, as you will delete it later...
>>
>> For safety sake, format the partition under dos...
>>
>> Delete it, then install Linux. The Master Boot Record will now correctly
>> reflect the drive geometry and Linux will correctly employ it from now
on...
>
>I've run into this before, but I didn't realize that I could delete the
>partitions after a successful boot.
>
>I'm sure this is a dumb question, but does anyone know why this problem
occurs
>and why does this "fix" it?
>
>-Michael
>
>--
>No, my friend, the way to have good and safe government, is not to trust it
>all to one, but to divide it among the many, distributing to every one
exactly
>the functions he is competent to. It is by dividing and subdividing these
>republics from the national one down through all its subordinations, until
it
>ends in the administration of every man's farm by himself; by placing under
>every one what his own eye may superintend, that all will be done for the
>best.
> -- Thomas Jefferson, to Joseph Cabell, 1816
>
>
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