Help! 32-bit disk access
Jim Zellers
no longer works. Can you help?
With my old drive (Quantum 240MB), I was able to use 32-bit
disk access when creating a permanent swap file in windows 3.1. With my
new 540 MB Quantum drive, if I check the 32-bit access box in
the 386 Enhanced/Virtual Memory section of Windows 3.1's control panel,
I get an error message when I run windows:
The Microsoft windows 32-bit disc driver (WDCTRL) validation
failed at phase 08, 02.
The new hard drive is formateed as one 540MB logical drive, with 16k
clusters. The same IDE controller card is used. I just copied all the
files from my old drive to the new one, rather than re-installing
windows.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Jim Zellers
email: ji...@sr.hp.com
Ken Ottinger
: I just upgraded my hard disk drive, and Windows 3.1 32-bit disk access
I've notice quite a few comments about 32bit access failing on the larger
Quantum drives. Have you asked Quantum or Microsoft about a compatability
problem?
I'm curious because I was looking at that drive myself.........
--
Ken Ottinger, Sui Juris
Red Rock Memorial Lodge #63 F&AM | Steps of Zion Universal Life Church
Arizona Research Lodge #1 | http://www.primenet.com/~ottinge/index.html
32',KT,MPS,QCCC,SRICF | ftp.primenet.com/users/o/ottinge/
Royal Order of Scotland | ott...@primenet.com
Marcio Watanabe
> Jim Zellers (ji...@sr.hp.com) wrote:
> : I just upgraded my hard disk drive, and Windows 3.1 32-bit disk access
> : no longer works. Can you help?
> : With my old drive (Quantum 240MB), I was able to use 32-bit
> : disk access when creating a permanent swap file in windows 3.1. With my
> : new 540 MB Quantum drive, if I check the 32-bit access box in
> : the 386 Enhanced/Virtual Memory section of Windows 3.1's control panel,
> : I get an error message when I run windows:
> : The Microsoft windows 32-bit disc driver (WDCTRL) validation
> : failed at phase 08, 02.
> : The new hard drive is formateed as one 540MB logical drive, with 16k
> : clusters. The same IDE controller card is used. I just copied all the
> : files from my old drive to the new one, rather than re-installing
> : windows.
> : Any help would be appreciated.
> : Thanks,
> : Jim Zellers
> : email: ji...@sr.hp.com
> I've notice quite a few comments about 32bit access failing on the larger
> Quantum drives. Have you asked Quantum or Microsoft about a compatability
> problem?
> I'm curious because I was looking at that drive myself.........
Microsoft acknowledges the problem. See below (from MS Knowledbase):
Using 32-Bit Disk Access on WD AC 2540 Hard Disk Drives
Article ID: Q113751
--------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.1, 3.11
- Microsoft Windows for Workgroups versions 3.1, 3.11
--------------------------------------------------------------------
The following article contains information about the use of Windows and
Windows for Workgroups with third-party products or configurations that
have not been tested and are not supported by Microsoft.
If the steps or procedures described in this article do not function
properly, contact the manufacturer of the third-party product for
more information or use a supported configuration.
SYMPTOMS
========
When you are using a system that includes a 516-megabyte (MB) Western
Digital Caviar AC 2540 hard disk drive, after you enable 32-bit disk
access, the system becomes unstable or stops responding (hangs) during
startup, or Windows displays one of the following error messages:
- The Microsoft Windows 32-bit disk driver (WDCTRL) validation
failed at phase 03, 3F.
-or-
- Windows: This application has tried to access your hard disk in a way
that is incompatible with the Windows 32-bit disk access feature
(WDCTRL). This may cause your system to become unstable.
-or-
- Insufficient memory or address space to run Windows in Enhanced mode.
Remove TSR programs to free memory.
NOTE: You may also receive these error messages when you use a Quantum
LPS540AT configured to its default specifications (1120 cylinders, 59
logical sectors/track, and 16 heads). According to Quantum Technical
Support, this drive can be configured with 1024 cylinders, 63 logical
sectors/track, and 16 heads to avoid the error message.
CAUSE
=====
Western Digital has confirmed that the Caviar model 2540 hard disk drive
uses BIOS parameter settings that are incompatible with the 32-bit disk
access device driver included with Windows 3.1 and Windows for Workgroups
3.1 and 3.11 (WDCTRL). You can, however, use 32-bit file access (VFAT) in
Windows for Workgroups 3.11.
WORKAROUND
==========
To work around this problem, choose one of the following methods:
- Western Digital offers the following two workarounds on its bulletin
board service (BBS):
- Download a utility program called WD_X.COM. This program can stamp the
drive with a parameter translation brand so that it reports 1024
cylinders to Windows 32-bit disk access driver (WDCTRL).
-or-
- Download the self-extracting file WIN31.EXE. This file contains the
driver WDCDRV.386, which can be used to replace WDCTRL.
For more information about using WD_X.EXE or WDCDRV.386, contact
Western Digital Technical Support.
- Update your computer's ROM BIOS to a version that supports
logical block addressing (LBA) to automatically translate over
1024 cylinders.
Contact your computer manufacturer for more information about this
procedure.
- Disable 32-bit disk access in Control Panel. To access this
setting, choose the 386 Enhanced icon in Control Panel and
then choose the Virtual Memory button. You can still use 32-bit
file access (VFAT) in Windows for Workgroups 3.11, but VFAT
mounts using the real-mode mapper (RMM.D32) instead of 32-bit
disk access.
- Change the CMOS parameters for the drive to 1024 cylinders or
fewer and then run Fdisk and reformat the drive. This workaround
allows use of WDCTRL but does result in a loss of 11.8 MB of disk
space.
--
_
__ _ ___ _________(_)__ If you had half as much fun reading this
/ ' \/ _ `/ __/ __/ / _ \ as I had writing it
/_/_/_/\_,_/_/ \__/_/\___/ I had twice as much fun as you!! ,,,
(o o)
-- mar...@primenet.com --------------------------------------ooO-(_)-Ooo--
Paul Ewart's Group
> Jim Zellers (ji...@sr.hp.com) wrote:
> : I just upgraded my hard disk drive, and Windows 3.1 32-bit disk access
> : no longer works. Can you help?
>
> : With my old drive (Quantum 240MB), I was able to use 32-bit
> : disk access when creating a permanent swap file in windows 3.1. With my
> : new 540 MB Quantum drive, if I check the 32-bit access box in
> : the 386 Enhanced/Virtual Memory section of Windows 3.1's control panel,
> : I get an error message when I run windows:
>
> : The Microsoft windows 32-bit disc driver (WDCTRL) validation
> : failed at phase 08, 02.
>
>
> : Thanks,
> : Jim Zellers
> : email: ji...@sr.hp.com
>
> I've notice quite a few comments about 32bit access failing on the larger
> Quantum drives. Have you asked Quantum or Microsoft about a compatability
> problem?
>
> I'm curious because I was looking at that drive myself.........
>
> --
> Ken Ottinger, Sui Juris
You'll need to replace the WDCTRL driver, your h/disk
manufacturer should have supplied this on an install disk with
your new drive. The Microsoft WDCTRL driver is limited in the
same way as many a BIOS to accessing only 528Mb (decimal
million). Hence the failure.
The install software for my (recently purchased) Western Digital
Caviar 540Mb performed the installation automatically, and also
recognised that the BIOS on my 3 year old machine was limited to
1024 cylinders. It installed a BIOS patch that boots before DOS
(appearing to take 1K of memory from my 640K base ram) and I've
experienced no problems in accessing the full capacity of the
drive.
Hope this helps,
Ian Jefferies.
G.O. Jensen
>You'll need to replace the WDCTRL driver, your h/disk
>manufacturer should have supplied this on an install disk with
>your new drive. The Microsoft WDCTRL driver is limited in the
>same way as many a BIOS to accessing only 528Mb (decimal
>million). Hence the failure.
Conner HD everything went smooth as silk. No problems ANYWHERE! Especially NOT with
32 bit functionality... but then my friend bought the same make of drive and installed
in HIS computer... and WOOPS! There the error was...
Does anyone have a REAL solution to this problem?
Thanks...
---
/> Alis Volat Propriis
/< G.O. Jensen
O[\\\\\\(O):::<===================================-
\< goje...@interlink.no
\>
Mitchell Regenbogen
>ewar...@vax.oxford.ac.uk (Paul Ewart's Group) wrote:
>>You'll need to replace the WDCTRL driver, your h/disk
>>manufacturer should have supplied this on an install disk with
>>your new drive. The Microsoft WDCTRL driver is limited in the
>>same way as many a BIOS to accessing only 528Mb (decimal
>>million). Hence the failure.
>So they say, but when I recently bought and installed a new 540Mb (decimal million)
>Conner HD everything went smooth as silk. No problems ANYWHERE! Especially NOT with
>32 bit functionality... but then my friend bought the same make of drive and installed
>in HIS computer... and WOOPS! There the error was...
>
>Does anyone have a REAL solution to this problem?
>
Depends what you mean by 'real.' The problem is that the Windows
32-bit driver is unable to do its thing if the drive is bigger than 528 meg.
You therefore need a substitute driver, which, for example, is supplied
by Western Digital for their drives. I'm not familiar with the policy of
other brands of drives.
------------------------------------------------------------------
| Mitch Regenbogen | |
| mr...@panix.com | "I like to watch." |
| Brooklyn, New York | --Chauncey Gardner |
Chris Quirke
go> So they say, but when I recently bought and installed a new 540Mb
go> (decimal million) Conner HD everything went smooth as silk. No problems
go> ANYWHERE! Especially NOT with 32 bit functionality... but then my
go> friend bought the same make of drive and installed in HIS computer...
go> and WOOPS! There the error was...
Does your friend have a second IDE drive? Not all IDE drives can co-exist.
Else, between yours and your friend's systems, swap data cables, retry, swap
IDE cards, retry, swap drives, retry. Check CMOS settings for differences.
Even try swapping your VGA (I've seen a Trident VGA card that makes IDE drives
dissappear wherever it's installed) but I think you will find the problem
stays with the motherboard. I know this isn't "the answer" but may help
in the absence thereof...
| FidoNet: Chris Quirke 5:7102/129
| Internet: Chris....@chameleon.alt.za
|
| Standard disclaimer: The views of this user are strictly his own.
| From Chameleon BBS +27-21-462-4580
Johnny IXE
>From: Chris....@chameleon.alt.za (Chris Quirke)
>Date: 17 Feb 95 20:07:50
>Subject: Re: Help! 32-bit disk access
> -=> Quoting goje...@interlink.no to All <=-
> go> So they say, but when I recently bought and installed a new 540Mb
> go> (decimal million) Conner HD everything went smooth as silk. No problems
> go> ANYWHERE! Especially NOT with 32 bit functionality... but then my
> go> friend bought the same make of drive and installed in HIS computer...
> go> and WOOPS! There the error was...
>Does your friend have a second IDE drive? Not all IDE drives can co-exist.
>Else, between yours and your friend's systems, swap data cables, retry, swap
>IDE cards, retry, swap drives, retry. Check CMOS settings for differences.
>Even try swapping your VGA (I've seen a Trident VGA card that makes IDE drives
>dissappear wherever it's installed) but I think you will find the problem
>stays with the motherboard. I know this isn't "the answer" but may help
>in the absence thereof...
I also have a incompatible WDCTRL driver and I can't have 32 bit disk access.
My HD is a Connner 420MB HD. Anyone know how to get a compatible driver?
Please help me. Thank you.
IXE. Drop me a mail.
"We must not cease from exploration
and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we began
and to know the place for the first time" - T.S. Eliot
Onboard the Voyager
i have a maxtor 540, at the first time, it won't work with 32 bit because
on the hard drive there's a jumper that i have to change the cylinder
size from 1046 to 1024. maybe the card can't handle more than 540
While responding to a distress call, Johnny IXE wrote:
--
----
Type mode enabled. Initiating auto-destruct sequence N@#$ÈOë|á{W...
----
Geek Code:
d++ H s g-- p? au- a-- w+ v+ c++ P? L--- !3 E---- N++ K-
W+ M-- po Y+ t+ !5 jx R G' tv b+ D++ B e u h! f+ !r -x