Subject: Re: 1.2 i386 bootstrap 'read error' problem (Help).
To: David Hopper <bard@gw.hopper.aa.net>
From: Phil Knaack <flipk@idea.exnet.iastate.edu>
List: port-i386
Date: 10/19/1996 12:45:04
>> [Read error, tho' everything seems fine with the setup]

>I just spent three days tearing my hair out over this one ('hair' being 
>singular, of course).

>You're using a Maxtor, aren't you?

>Maxtor (and perhaps other recent IDE drives) are trying to be funny with 
>the way they report the cylinders, heads, and sectors.  They seem to think
>that there are a lot of machines out there that still don't do LBA 
>addressing, and they provide a DOS-based resident loader that correctly 
>'reads' the hard drive, or translates, or some such garbage.  As a result, 
>your BIOS will say one thing, and pfdisk will say another.


	I installed a Seagate drive a few days ago (1.6G mode 4 EIDE) which required
the use of a program HP called the "OnTrack" disk manager.

	The scenario goes like this: machine boots. Boot sector loads a TSR or BIOS
substitute or some ugly somesuch which is the disk manager. THIS then loads the usual
boot blocks and loads the OS.  Icky Icky Icky *hack* *cough*.

	Luckily for me and my graying hair, I was only installing Win95, which didn't
seem to have a problem with the Mutant Drive.

Cheers,
Phil

(Off to say ten "Hail Grace-Hopper"'s in repentance, a la tsarna@endicor.com's
comment Tue, 26 Sep 1995 16:54:44 GMT concerning the naming of the next release of
NetBSD '95 ... "I don't even dare give details of the ultra-secret advanced NetBSD
projects underway (codenames are Punxsutawney, Walla Walla, Poughkeepsie,
and Sheboygan)...." :)
--
Phillip F Knaack
Database Programmer, Information Development for Extension Audiences (IDEA)
Iowa State University Extension