Subject: netBSD 1.0 and Multi partitioned drives
To: None <port-i386@NetBSD.ORG>
From: William Fink <finkw@ditco.disa.mil>
List: port-i386
Date: 09/14/1995 09:57:29
     
     Fellow users of netBSD/i396 v1.0
     
     I am writing this message as a last resort.  I have been working at 
     installing v1.0 on my system for almost a month-and-a-half and am 
     making no progress what so ever.  I even posted several questions in 
     an attempt that perhaps someone else had the same problem, solved it, 
     and now is happily using netBSD.
     
     Based on the number of replies I received, nobody must be running 
     netBSD on a p.c. with a LARGE (1GB) IDE disk that is also running DOS. 
      While I understand that most people who would be interested in 
     running netBSD are UN*X guru's that would _never_ use a feeble OS such 
     as DOS, I need it because I use my PC for work.
     
     I also must state that I am no expert in hardware design or OS 
     internals, especially UN*X-type OS's.  I want to learn about UN*X and 
     have chosen netBSD because of its install base, development-direction, 
     and focus.  I could have chosen other ones...but I did not.
     
     I don't want anyone to hold my hand or do the work for me...but I am 
     totally stumped and and ready to reformat my install floppies.
     
     So, for those who have read my previous post and knew the answer, but 
     though someone else would reply, I will restate my initial question...
     
     ______________________________
     
     My PC
     
     ZEOS Pantera, Pentium 75
     1.08GB Seagate IDE drive
     16MB Ram
     Diamond Stealth 64 2MB vram
     
     I get the following message when I try to install netBSD/i386 1.0
     
        wd0: wdcontrol: geometry failed: status 0 error 0
     
     What is this error and why am I getting it?
     (based on the message I assume there is a problem with the information 
     I provided netBSD on my disk's geometry)
     
     PFDISK and the cmos values are different...I know why, but how do I 
     deal with it?
     
                        CMOS            PFDISK
                        -------         -------
        cylinders       2099            523
        Heads           16              64
        Tracks          63              63
     
     I have used pfdisk to create the following partition, based on the 
     information it is reporting to me.
     
     Drive      Type    Start   Finish
     -----      ------  -----   ------
     0          6       0       410             DOS
     1          165     411     522             netBSD
     
     I have used os-bs to create a boot selector.
     
     My netBSD install questions went as follows
     
     Disk type           IDE
     DISK               wd0
     Byte               512
     Cylinders          523
     Heads              64
     Tracks             63
     Measured in        Cylinders
     netBSD size        111
     offset             411
     Kernel             10
     Swap               16
     other              85
     Mount pt           /usr
     
     Then I get the error message 
       wd0: wdcontrol: geometry failed: status 0 error 0
     
     --------------------------------------------
     
     Given the size of today's PC's I do not think that my problem is 
     isolated. If others have had this problem in the past, then something 
     needs to be mentioned in the install docs.
     
     If someone can help me overcome this problem, then I will be more than 
     happy to rewrite the DOCS so that others can install netBSD without 
     the same headache that I have had!
     
     Bill :-)