HELP Please! - 486 w/new HDD Won't Boot
Stephen Kurzban
I've had an Austin 486 DX 25Mhz computer model PN325/DSTN bestowed
upon me. The HDD had been replaced with a 1.3 GB Toshiba manufactured
October 96 with the markings:
HDD2712 C ZE01 MK1301MAV SER 86035849P H60 EC. A
It had four OS files on it dated 5/31/94 6:22AM which I "traced" to
DOS 6.22 - from which I located on the internet a boot disk and
started the OS from floppy. Scandisk showed the OS files on the HDD
to be in the third or forth sector so I tried both sys and the format
/s commands with no luck, getting the message "MISSING OPERATING
SYSTEM" as before.
fdisk shows 504 MB as the total disk space but a 1272 MB partition.
Bios is AMI (c) 92, Rev. 2.10, S722.A04, DSTN 1M and when I let the
bios determine the HDD it comes up as on the drive, but has additional
fields labeled "WPcom" and "Lzone". Context help limits the WPcom
field to two values, 65535 or 0 and Lzone defaulted to 2633 (same as
the number of cylinders - head parking perhaps?). fdisk stated the
only partition is a primary dos partition - which I assumed makes it
bootable?
I have an old utility which, if memory serves, rewrites sector zero.
Using fdisk to attempt to partition the disk seems to indicate it will
only break down the 504MB into partitions. I have no lookup for the
bios or unknown HDD parameters or any way of knowing (without lots of
research?) what limitations are imposed by the mother board, bios, dos
version, etc. or if the limitations have anything to do with the FAT16
table(s) indicated by fdisk. If the FAT16 has anything to do with what
fdisk reports, which version of DOS or (yuck!) windows allows FAT32?
Please suggest some course of action and comment on system limitations
or possible OS upgrades to utilize the HDD either in part,
partitioned, or in whole?
Oops, forgot - some covers are missing if anybody knows a source for
Austin ... the HDD and (probably) memory add-on connector's chamber
(and of course the battery is shot).
TIA,
Steve
Arthur Sowers
Just some guesses....
On Sun, 28 Apr 2002, Stephen Kurzban wrote:
>
> I've had an Austin 486 DX 25Mhz computer model PN325/DSTN bestowed
> upon me. The HDD had been replaced with a 1.3 GB Toshiba manufactured
> October 96 with the markings:
>
> HDD2712 C ZE01 MK1301MAV SER 86035849P H60 EC. A
>
> It had four OS files on it dated 5/31/94 6:22AM which I "traced" to
> DOS 6.22 - from which I located on the internet a boot disk and
> started the OS from floppy. Scandisk showed the OS files on the HDD
> to be in the third or forth sector so I tried both sys and the format
> /s commands with no luck, getting the message "MISSING OPERATING
> SYSTEM" as before.
We had a post some time ago about someone getting a weird virus that
re-wrote part or all of the CMOS setup. May want to try to enter CMOS
fresh (no matter what the monitor says).
You also said above that when boot off floppy you could get c: and that it
had four OS files on it. Any other files there? Can you copy a: -> c: &
back? Is anything on c: executable?
Missing OS oftentimes means there is no "command.com" or that it is
defective or the FAT is messed up.
> fdisk shows 504 MB as the total disk space but a 1272 MB partition.
? what version of dos boot disk did you use?
> Bios is AMI (c) 92, Rev. 2.10, S722.A04, DSTN 1M and when I let the
> bios determine the HDD it comes up as on the drive, but has additional
> fields labeled "WPcom" and "Lzone". Context help limits the WPcom
> field to two values, 65535 or 0 and Lzone defaulted to 2633 (same as
> the number of cylinders - head parking perhaps?).
Don't worry about WPcom & Lzone, just worry about heads and tracks and if
the auto-detect calculates the heads & tracks to come out 1.3 GB. There is
another factor in the setup for HD type: LBA, and two other options (can't
think of them just now [I'm sleepy], did you try the website for details
on the HD?)
fdisk stated the
> only partition is a primary dos partition - which I assumed makes it
> bootable?
This makes me think of another question: Sometimes people put a new HD
into a box and then use some weird "disk manager" software which puts code
somewhere on the HD but that location is not directly accessible from DOS.
If you can ask from the source if they know any details (maybe this is why
you got the computer bestowed on you) of whether they were trying to do
something that ended up making their HD useless (yes, this is possible).
> I have an old utility which, if memory serves, rewrites sector zero.
> Using fdisk to attempt to partition the disk seems to indicate it will
> only break down the 504MB into partitions.
Big guess/hint? -> use fdisk to blow away all existing partitions and
start over with new partitions, formating, etc.?
I have no lookup for the
> bios or unknown HDD parameters or any way of knowing (without lots of
> research?) what limitations are imposed by the mother board, bios, dos
> version, etc. or if the limitations have anything to do with the FAT16
> table(s) indicated by fdisk. If the FAT16 has anything to do with what
> fdisk reports, which version of DOS or (yuck!) windows allows FAT32?
When it boots up, can you get the copyright date off the BIOS version?
> Please suggest some course of action and comment on system limitations
> or possible OS upgrades to utilize the HDD either in part,
> partitioned, or in whole?
Any chance to find another HD from somewhere and swap it in to make sure
you don't have a controller problem? Again, is there a controller adapter
card present? I'd guess yes from the speed & cpu vintage.
> Oops, forgot - some covers are missing
Covers to the HD? or the case?
if anybody knows a source for
> Austin ... the HDD and (probably) memory add-on connector's chamber
> (and of course the battery is shot).
Battery shot? That powers the CMOS settings. If that is shot or weak, then
the box tries to boot and gets bad data from the CMOS memory. Did you
measure the battery voltage?
You did a good try with the description, but try some more. I'd want to
know if anything executable on the HD will execute.
> TIA,
>
> Steve
>
>
Marco van de Voort
>
> I've had an Austin 486 DX 25Mhz computer model PN325/DSTN bestowed
> upon me. The HDD had been replaced with a 1.3 GB Toshiba manufactured
> October 96 with the markings:
>
> HDD2712 C ZE01 MK1301MAV SER 86035849P H60 EC. A
>
> It had four OS files on it dated 5/31/94 6:22AM which I "traced" to
> DOS 6.22 - from which I located on the internet a boot disk and
> started the OS from floppy. Scandisk showed the OS files on the HDD
> to be in the third or forth sector so I tried both sys and the format
> /s commands with no luck, getting the message "MISSING OPERATING
> SYSTEM" as before.
Your system probably has the 504 MB problem. See very extensive info in the
faq's on the maxtor.com site. (I really love their support page, it is very
understandable and clear and yet thorough.)
You need to use a separate program like maxblast/ezdrive to prepare this system,
or upgrade the bios (which is probably not possible).
OR use less than 504 MB.
> fdisk shows 504 MB as the total disk space but a 1272 MB partition.
> Bios is AMI (c) 92, Rev. 2.10, S722.A04, DSTN 1M and when I let the
> bios determine the HDD it comes up as on the drive, but has additional
> fields labeled "WPcom" and "Lzone". Context help limits the WPcom
> field to two values, 65535 or 0 and Lzone defaulted to 2633 (same as
> the number of cylinders - head parking perhaps?).
Lzone is indeed landing zone. These don't matter since 1xx MB sized HDs,
since HDs ignore these settings anyway.
> fdisk stated the only partition is a primary dos partition - which I
> assumed makes it bootable?
IF it fits entirely inside the bootable range, which is only 504 MB.
> bios or unknown HDD parameters or any way of knowing (without lots of
> research?) what limitations are imposed by the mother board, bios, dos
> version, etc. or if the limitations have anything to do with the FAT16
> table(s) indicated by fdisk. If the FAT16 has anything to do with what
> fdisk reports, which version of DOS or (yuck!) windows allows FAT32?
No. This is a bios limit.
> Please suggest some course of action and comment on system limitations
> or possible OS upgrades to utilize the HDD either in part,
> partitioned, or in whole?
Your options are:
1 Use Ezdrive or a similar program.
2 upgrade bios (hard giving that the mobo is before the flash age probably)
3 Use an OS that can handle such large HDs. In practice not possible due
to speed. Linux is possible but only in theory or for masochists.
> Oops, forgot - some covers are missing if anybody knows a source for
> Austin ... the HDD and (probably) memory add-on connector's chamber
> (and of course the battery is shot).
Search the web for 504 MB limit, there are tons of faqs about this.
Marco van de Voort
> > Don't worry about WPcom & Lzone, just worry about heads and tracks and if
> the auto-detect calculates the heads & tracks to come out 1.3 GB. There is
> another factor in the setup for HD type: LBA, and two other options (can't
> think of them just now [I'm sleepy], did you try the website for details
> on the HD?)
A 486-25 MHz doesn't know LBA. It probably doesn't even support Large model,
unless he has a separate much larger IDE controller.
To the original poster: a 4th option is to use a newer IDE controller with
an onboard BIOS that fixes this problem.
I've seen this kind of adapters on fairs for Euro 10-20, but the problem is to
find them, and if the machine is worth investing even that amount.
Stephen Kurzban
>
> Just some guesses....
>
> On Sun, 28 Apr 2002, Stephen Kurzban wrote:
>
> >
> > I've had an Austin 486 DX 25Mhz computer model PN325/DSTN bestowed
> > upon me. The HDD had been replaced with a 1.3 GB Toshiba manufactured
> > October 96 with the markings:
> >
> > HDD2712 C ZE01 MK1301MAV SER 86035849P H60 EC. A
> >
> > It had four OS files on it dated 5/31/94 6:22AM which I "traced" to
> > DOS 6.22 - from which I located on the internet a boot disk and
> > started the OS from floppy. Scandisk showed the OS files on the HDD
> > to be in the third or forth sector so I tried both sys and the format
> > /s commands with no luck, getting the message "MISSING OPERATING
> > SYSTEM" as before.
>
> We had a post some time ago about someone getting a weird virus that
> re-wrote part or all of the CMOS setup. May want to try to enter CMOS
> fresh (no matter what the monitor says).
it had an option to reload factory default from a rom table. Default
was basically unchanged.
> You also said above that when boot off floppy you could get c: and that it
> had four OS files on it. Any other files there? Can you copy a: -> c: &
> back? Is anything on c: executable?
Scandisk was crashing, but everything seemed functional - it just
won't boot. I tried partitioning the drive, splitting what it
reported (504MB) into 2 drives and scandisk stopped crashing. format
or sys still won't fix the boot problem though.
> Missing OS oftentimes means there is no "command.com" or that it is
> defective or the FAT is messed up.
since it's only booting from a: it will halt and wait for command.com
when finished running a program instance until it finds command.com in
the a: drive - but it does run programs. The hdd originally had only
system files which must have been copied as they did not occupy sector
0, as they do now.
> > fdisk shows 504 MB as the total disk space but a 1272 MB partition.
>
> ? what version of dos boot disk did you use?
>
> > Bios is AMI (c) 92, Rev. 2.10, S722.A04, DSTN 1M and when I let the
> > bios determine the HDD it comes up as on the drive, but has additional
> > fields labeled "WPcom" and "Lzone". Context help limits the WPcom
> > field to two values, 65535 or 0 and Lzone defaulted to 2633 (same as
> > the number of cylinders - head parking perhaps?).
>
> Don't worry about WPcom & Lzone, just worry about heads and tracks and if
> the auto-detect calculates the heads & tracks to come out 1.3 GB. There is
> another factor in the setup for HD type: LBA, and two other options (can't
> think of them just now [I'm sleepy], did you try the website for details
> on the HD?)
>
> fdisk stated the
> > only partition is a primary dos partition - which I assumed makes it
> > bootable?
>
> This makes me think of another question: Sometimes people put a new HD
> into a box and then use some weird "disk manager" software which puts code
> somewhere on the HD but that location is not directly accessible from DOS.
> If you can ask from the source if they know any details (maybe this is why
> you got the computer bestowed on you) of whether they were trying to do
> something that ended up making their HD useless (yes, this is possible).
It's possible. Power failure during critical operations can do this
too, no?
> > I have an old utility which, if memory serves, rewrites sector zero.
> > Using fdisk to attempt to partition the disk seems to indicate it will
> > only break down the 504MB into partitions.
>
> Big guess/hint? -> use fdisk to blow away all existing partitions and
> start over with new partitions, formating, etc.?
did, as above, per your suggestion. No help.
> I have no lookup for the
> > bios or unknown HDD parameters or any way of knowing (without lots of
> > research?) what limitations are imposed by the mother board, bios, dos
> > version, etc. or if the limitations have anything to do with the FAT16
> > table(s) indicated by fdisk. If the FAT16 has anything to do with what
> > fdisk reports, which version of DOS or (yuck!) windows allows FAT32?
>
> When it boots up, can you get the copyright date off the BIOS version?
it was in the original post. bios is older than the dos version which
is older than the HDD. I reckon that's a pretty good formula for
trouble :-)
> > Please suggest some course of action and comment on system limitations
> > or possible OS upgrades to utilize the HDD either in part,
> > partitioned, or in whole?
>
> Any chance to find another HD from somewhere and swap it in to make sure
> you don't have a controller problem? Again, is there a controller adapter
> card present? I'd guess yes from the speed & cpu vintage.
0 budget... I might seek out a swap if research on the 504MB barrier
as otherwise suggested doesn't suggest otherwise.
> > Oops, forgot - some covers are missing
>
> Covers to the HD? or the case?
>
> if anybody knows a source for
> > Austin ... the HDD and (probably) memory add-on connector's chamber
> > (and of course the battery is shot).
>
> Battery shot? That powers the CMOS settings. If that is shot or weak, then
> the box tries to boot and gets bad data from the CMOS memory. Did you
> measure the battery voltage?
Its running off the original adapter
> You did a good try with the description, but try some more. I'd want to
> know if anything executable on the HD will execute.
It's actually usable and almost tolerable when I'm not waiting for
command.com to reload ;-) I'm guessing sector 0 is corrupt or the old
bios can't handle the new drive. I'm also guessing it's not flash
upgradable due to vintage - and therefore probably not susceptible to
virus.
> > TIA,
> >
> > Steve
Stephen Kurzban
So true as to worth the time/money investment... . Per other reply
this thread - it works - it just won't boot, and since config.sys is a
one shot deal - I gotta keep command.com handy ... yuck.
Thanks,
Steve
Stephen Kurzban
Marco van de Voort wrote:
>
> In article <3CCC3C63...@hotmail.com>, Stephen Kurzban wrote:
> >
> > I've had an Austin 486 DX 25Mhz computer model PN325/DSTN bestowed
> > upon me. The HDD had been replaced with a 1.3 GB Toshiba manufactured
> > October 96 with the markings:
> >
> > HDD2712 C ZE01 MK1301MAV SER 86035849P H60 EC. A
> >
> > It had four OS files on it dated 5/31/94 6:22AM which I "traced" to
> > DOS 6.22 - from which I located on the internet a boot disk and
> > started the OS from floppy. Scandisk showed the OS files on the HDD
> > to be in the third or forth sector so I tried both sys and the format
> > /s commands with no luck, getting the message "MISSING OPERATING
> > SYSTEM" as before.
>
> Your system probably has the 504 MB problem. See very extensive info in the
> faq's on the maxtor.com site. (I really love their support page, it is very
> understandable and clear and yet thorough.)
>
> You need to use a separate program like maxblast/ezdrive to prepare this system,
> or upgrade the bios (which is probably not possible).
>
> OR use less than 504 MB.
Using the 504 doesn't seem workable (tried to partition it into 2
drives - same problem). Will have to print your suggestions at work
tomorrow and research that maxtor site - thank you.
> > fdisk shows 504 MB as the total disk space but a 1272 MB partition.
>
> > Bios is AMI (c) 92, Rev. 2.10, S722.A04, DSTN 1M and when I let the
> > bios determine the HDD it comes up as on the drive, but has additional
> > fields labeled "WPcom" and "Lzone". Context help limits the WPcom
> > field to two values, 65535 or 0 and Lzone defaulted to 2633 (same as
> > the number of cylinders - head parking perhaps?).
>
> Lzone is indeed landing zone. These don't matter since 1xx MB sized HDs,
> since HDs ignore these settings anyway.
>
> > fdisk stated the only partition is a primary dos partition - which I
> > assumed makes it bootable?
>
> IF it fits entirely inside the bootable range, which is only 504 MB.
Tried. Perhaps sector 0 is corrupt or the bios doesn't like the newer
OS and even newer HDD? I am reluctant to use my track 0 utility as it
is vintage... but the program you suggested or similar seems
necessary.
> > bios or unknown HDD parameters or any way of knowing (without lots of
> > research?) what limitations are imposed by the mother board, bios, dos
> > version, etc. or if the limitations have anything to do with the FAT16
> > table(s) indicated by fdisk. If the FAT16 has anything to do with what
> > fdisk reports, which version of DOS or (yuck!) windows allows FAT32?
>
> No. This is a bios limit.
You mean the 16 bit tables are managed by the bios, eh? So FAT32 is
an OS work around? I'm confused - but still - If FAT16 means using
only 504MB I can live with that, just wish I could figure out how to
make the bios read sector 0 and start the boot process...
> > Please suggest some course of action and comment on system limitations
> > or possible OS upgrades to utilize the HDD either in part,
> > partitioned, or in whole?
>
> Your options are:
>
> 1 Use Ezdrive or a similar program.
> 2 upgrade bios (hard giving that the mobo is before the flash age probably)
> 3 Use an OS that can handle such large HDs. In practice not possible due
> to speed. Linux is possible but only in theory or for masochists.
Gotta agree - DOS 5 or 6.XX is the limit. I can't seem to find info
on the mfg. so option 1 seem to be it save for finding a small drive
(if the problem doesn't turn out to be a bad controller or cmos
setting).
> > Oops, forgot - some covers are missing if anybody knows a source for
> > Austin ... the HDD and (probably) memory add-on connector's chamber
> > (and of course the battery is shot).
>
> Search the web for 504 MB limit, there are tons of faqs about this.
Will do - thanks!
Best,
Steve
Arthur Sowers
Well, you've got me beat. You had one hint below..about some critical area
of the HD for boot info (like the two hidden files have to be in a certain
place and if its in a bad sector, maybe you'll never get it to work; I'm
not a whip in this stuff and I usually get stuff to work more by stumbling
than by stepping on the stones just beneath the water's surface).
Maybe look around for another oldie and freebie and swap parts?
Good luck.
Art
=== no change to below, included for reference and context ====
Joseph Fenn
as far as bios settings are concerned, if you can beg or borrow
a copy of DISKMANAGER V7 do so. Just run it from the floppy
and it will go analyze your HD determine what it really is
or has been, and restore it all to original settings.
Yes its an overlay but one that has rescued many of us
Joe (aka kilroy)
****************************************************
* Ham KH6JF AARS/MARS ABM6JF QCWA WW2 VET WD RADIO *
****************************************************
Marco van de Voort
>> or upgrade the bios (which is probably not possible).
>>
>> OR use less than 504 MB.
>
> Using the 504 doesn't seem workable (tried to partition it into 2
> drives - same problem). Will have to print your suggestions at work
> tomorrow and research that maxtor site - thank you.
That's odd, and then you have a _real_ problem, not solvable without an external
bios (read add on card, or exchange of mobo bios chip if possible)
>> Lzone is indeed landing zone. These don't matter since 1xx MB sized HDs,
>> since HDs ignore these settings anyway.
>>
>> > fdisk stated the only partition is a primary dos partition - which I
>> > assumed makes it bootable?
>>
>> IF it fits entirely inside the bootable range, which is only 504 MB.
>
> Tried. Perhaps sector 0 is corrupt or the bios doesn't like the newer
> OS and even newer HDD?
I suspect the latter. Be sure your testing is valid and that the first
partition is _clearly_ smaller than 504 MB. If you try to get to close to 504,
cylinder rounding might make it exceed it.
>> > bios or unknown HDD parameters or any way of knowing (without lots of
>> > research?) what limitations are imposed by the mother board, bios, dos
>> > version, etc. or if the limitations have anything to do with the FAT16
>> > table(s) indicated by fdisk. If the FAT16 has anything to do with what
>> > fdisk reports, which version of DOS or (yuck!) windows allows FAT32?
>>
>> No. This is a bios limit.
>
> You mean the 16 bit tables are managed by the bios, eh?
No. The problem is that the original Cylinder-Head-Sector notation maxed out
at 504 MB, because the number of cylinders got >1024, which is more than
the space originally reserved for it.
Fat-16/32 has nothing to do with it. This also applies to other OSes.
But due to the fact that most other OSes use own BIOS independant drivers, it
there only matters for booting. (the classic trick is to make a 5 MB boot partition
with the (e.g. Linux) kernel on it below 504 MB Once the kernel is loaded, the
kernel IDE drivers that don't have such limits take over.
> I'm confused - but still - If FAT16 means using only 504MB I can live with
> that, just wish I could figure out how to make the bios read sector 0 and
> start the boot process...
The FAT16 limit is actually at 2 GB, and NT can even make 4 GB partitions
(though that should be discouraged seriously).
This has purely to do with the parameters for disk size in the bios, expressed
in cylinders, heads and sectors.
Batchman
>
> (though that should be discouraged seriously).
I discourage DOS partitions larger than 254 MB. Too much wasted space
and too inefficient to operate.
--
Batchman
Richard Collins
"Stephen Kurzban" <mail...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:3CCE3074...@hotmail.com...
> You mean the 16 bit tables are managed by the bios, eh? So FAT32 is
> an OS work around? I'm confused - but still - If FAT16 means using
> only 504MB I can live with that, just wish I could figure out how to
> make the bios read sector 0 and start the boot process...
I forget the start of all of this, so bear with me a bit.
The BIOS always reads the first sector of the hard drive - that's
"hard-wired" in. What the BIOS is looking for is a master boot record - not
a "DOS boot", but a generic boot that will tell it what to do next. The MBR
is followed by the partition table, and that defines areas of the disk
(partitions). The FDISK program creates both a master boot and the partition
table.
The MBR will esentially point to the start of the first partition. What
should be found there is a DOS system boot - the program that loads IO.SYS
and MSDOS.SYS - the start of the DOS configuration process. At that point
the filesystem type (16 bit, 32bit, NTFS, etc) becomes important - not
before. The BIOS doesn't know anything about filesystems, and doesn't need
to.
Before you can use that partition you have to FORMAT it, with the FORMAT
command. FORMAT creates a disk structure that DOS will understand, and that
includes the FAT (where the type of FAT is determined) and the root
directory. Once that's done you have to write a DOS boot record to the
partition - and that's done with SYS. The SYS command creates a DOS boot
record in the first partition, and that boot loads IO.SYS which loads
MSDOS.SYS and, eventually COMMAND.COM.
When all of that is done, booting the system invokes the following process:
1) BIOS reads the first disk sector and executes the program it finds there
(the master boot).
2) The master boot locates the first partition and executes the program it
finds there (the DOS boot)
3) The DOS boot loads and executes IO.SYS which loads and executes
MSDOS.SYS, and, eventually COMMAND.COM.
For any of this to work the BIOS has to know something about the disk
itself - it's head, cylinder, and sector structure. That it gets from the
CMOS data - so the CMOS has to know about the disk size and its head,
cylinder, and sector structure. So the CMOS must provide support for the
disk you're using - and in your case, the CMOS doesn't have data for disks
larger than 504 M - and that's why you can't "see" all of your disk.
You have two options: replace the BIOS and CMOS with something that will
support larger disks (likely unavailable for a system as old as the one
you're using) or use a disk manager program like EZ-Drive that "intercepts"
the normal boot process (at the BIOS level) and properly interprets the disk
for you.
Hope this helps.
Marco van de Voort
But then I run out of partitions, and can't host several programs and their
working dirs on them.
BTW Efficience with respect to space is orthogonal to efficiency with
respect to speed.
bud
Hi Stephen:
Group: comp.os.msdos.misc Date: Tue, Apr 30, 2002, 12:34am From:
mail...@hotmail.com (Stephen Kurzban)
script:
>since it's only booting from a: it will
>halt and wait for command.com
>when finished running a program
>instance until it finds command.com
>in the a: drive - but it does run programs.
[snip]
>It's actually usable and almost tolerable
>when I'm not waiting for command.com
>to reload ;-)
In your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, insert:
SET COMSPEC=C:\
and copy COMMAND.COM to C:\.
HTH
salaam,
dowcom
--
http://community.webtv.net/dowcom/DOWCOMSAMSTRADGUIDE
DOShead Credo:
a) Try it! It might work.
b) GOTO a).
Charles Angelich
says...
You are confusing partition size with cluster sizes. Not the same thing at
all.
--
Take Care -
>
> __
> | / \ \ USA, MI // \\
> \_\\ //_/ Crawling on The Web _\\()//_
> .'/()\'. Charles Angelich / // \\ \
> \\ // | \__/ |
> www.undercoverdesign.com/dosghost
>
bud
>In your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, insert:
>SET COMSPEC=C:\
>and copy COMMAND.COM to C:\.
Ooops! Sorry. That should be:
SET COMSPEC=C:\COMMAND.COM
salaam,
dowcom
bud
I seem to recall that some HD's in the "transition period" got around
the "504 barrier" by claiming more heads than they actually had. You
could try telling the BIOS that the disk has twice as many heads as it
actually has.
Probably won't work, because your BIOS probably won't entertain more
than 16 heads.
The LZ is meaningless on newer HD's, but is still reported to the BIOS.
Suppose that the BIOS uses the LZ to determine where the boot sector is.
If it sees a meaningless number for the LZ, it might go to the wrong
sector for boot. You might try telling the BIOS that LZ is 1024.
LOOONG long shots. :))
Marco van de Voort
> In article <3CCFC480...@yahoo.com>, "Batchmannonvalid_email"@yahoo.com
> says...
>>
>>Marco van de Voort wrote:
>>>
>>> The FAT16 limit is actually at 2 GB, and NT can even make 4 GB partitions
>>> (though that should be discouraged seriously).
>>
>>I discourage DOS partitions larger than 254 MB. Too much wasted space
>>and too inefficient to operate.
>
> You are confusing partition size with cluster sizes. Not the same thing at
> all.
Even with a FAT16, clustersize is not always a problem. It depends on the size
distribution of your files.
E.g. a partition with DIVX movies and MP3's won't be a problem with a 32 kb
clustersize.
btw I used diskcompression for a while on some of my programming partitions
(source was only read as reference, hardly run/compiled, no speed problems).
I stopped that because problems mounting from other OSes and (more important)
vastly cheaper disk-space.
Marco van de Voort
> A couple of long shots:
>
> I seem to recall that some HD's in the "transition period" got around
> the "504 barrier" by claiming more heads than they actually had. You
> could try telling the BIOS that the disk has twice as many heads as it
> actually has.
Yes, the so called large model, AKA extended (x-)chs. I've a bios for a
P-III that even does this, depending on how the CHS info is queried, the
results are different.
Therefore, Linux startup reports different CHS info (16 hds) than FreeBSD.
(32hds)
> The LZ is meaningless on newer HD's, but is still reported to the BIOS.
> Suppose that the BIOS uses the LZ to determine where the boot sector is.
No it doesn't, since some old HD's had pretty odd LZ values. (e.g. in the
middle of the HD)
Charles Dye
>
> The LZ is meaningless on newer HD's, but is still reported to the BIOS.
> Suppose that the BIOS uses the LZ to determine where the boot sector is.
> If it sees a meaningless number for the LZ, it might go to the wrong
> sector for boot. You might try telling the BIOS that LZ is 1024.
LZ is "Landing Zone", the cylinder number where the heads should
be parked before shipping the drive. It's not used for booting.
--
Charles Dye ras...@highfiber.com
jf...@lava.net
to get your HD defined properly. I used Diskmanager V7 after
six months of trying via internet to get my 2 486 laptops back to
normal. I had tried FDISK and a myriad of other tools and suggestions
on setting cylinders,trks per sector, and all that stuff and got
no where. A friend suggested the overlay route and I followed
his suggestion. It took like 1 minute to restore both 486's
back totally to normal. One had a .5 gig drive, the other had
a 2.2 gig drive.
bud
DRIVPARM is a built-in Config.sys command, apparently intended for this
sort of problem. It allows (post-boot) modification of the BIOS to
run/access drives having new parameters. I've only used it for
floppies, but it allows for redefining parms for HD's, tapes, and
optical (CD) drives.
According to my DOS ref, the CONFIG.SYS command is:
drivparm=/d:(number)/f:5 [/h:(heads)] /n [/s:(sectors)] [/t:(tracks)]
d: = no. of the physical drive (first floppy is 0, second drive [floppy
or hard] is 1, next is 2, and so on.) With one flop and one hard, the
flop is 0, the hard is 1.
f: = factor. (5 for hard disk drive, 6 for tape, 8 for optical disk.)
h: = no. of heads.
/n = non-removable media.
s: = no. of sectors.
t: = no. of tracks (cylinders)
H, s, and t are optional when you use 'f'. There are default numbers if
you don't specify.
It won't help with the boot problem, but may allow to see the whole HD.
HTH
Stephen Kurzban
- once system boots from the hard drive it gets put there
automatically...
Thanks,
Steve
Stephen Kurzban
to be disk drive manufacturers. A version of this was what did the
trick though - after a 3rd party utility fixed the boot problem (which
I can only assume was the MBR).
THANKS!!!!!
Best,
Steve
Stephen Kurzban
First and foremost - a hearty THANK YOU to all so eager to assist! It
would have taken a lot longer to figure where to place the emphasis
(on diskmanager software vs. bios upgrade) without the help.
The first issue was addressed by several hours of searching for
MBR/PARTITION/FAT analysis tools - which netted three downloads:
1) Large Drive Tools - which wouldn't run in DOS
2) PTtool and MBRtool from Do It Yourself Recovery site, which had the
poorest/dumbfounding command line help I've ever seen (had to give up
after a few attempts - didn't have the pdf file printed or access at
the laptop, or it probably would have worked out fine)
3) Reboot, which checked, then seemed to just go bye-bye - but must
have rewritten the MBR somewhere in between, cause the computer booted
to c:> prompt when I CTRL-
ALT-Delete'd out... .
After Reboot I cleared out the 2nd partition with fdisk and had one
504 MB partition up and running, loaded the OS files and went
straight-away into running the disk manager software I found, which
was written as driver/install software for 3rd party HDD manufacturer
(poor, poor pitiful Toshiba had told me they had no solution and
pointed to the bios mfr. - who pointed to the board mfr. ...). I then
had access to whole HDD but autoexec.bat was not running - which I
traced to my bad command in config.sys trying to set up comspec... .
Now its all fixed and all I need is the rest of the OS files - oh
well...
So, as I said THANKS TO ALL. BTW though - if anyone knows a good
source for miscellaneous parts or battery for an Austin laptop
manufactured in 1992... (I wouldn't mind adding more ram too - and
will write the board manufacturer, Arima, this coming week)
> Oops, forgot - some covers are missing if anybody knows a source for
> Austin ... the HDD and (probably) memory add-on connector's chamber
> (and of course the battery is shot).
Thanks,
Steve