-> -=> WAYNE CHIRNSIDE wrote to MARTIN ATKINS <=-

-> -> For the time being ATAPI is the least of your problems. You said
-> -> some where that you have a ram based setup. Can't you make a Linux
-> -> boot floppy and fdisk from that? I mean of course after you have
-> -> moved the H/D to the /dev/hda position.

-> WC> Interesting idea but the motherboard BIOS won't see over 32 Gig.
-> WC> I already have a Tom's rootboot disk made up.

-> You said the original BIOS couldn't see beyond 8 gig. 32 looks closer 
-> to the mark. How much more mis-information do we have about this
-> celeron 433?

I *never* said it had a 8 Gig BIOS limit, that was Jim Holsonback.
32 Gig is accurate.

-> WC> In any case the Knoppix release already gives me that capability
-> WC> from ram drive but no longer sees the drive after the Windows
-> WC> installation attempt.

-> In order to run knoppix you need i think ATAPI. Get rid of all problems
-> between the BIOS and the master disk. If you don't put this H/D
-> master on the /dev/hda then put it master /dev/hdc. But why would
-> you want do that? The master is the first disk the bios sees and if that 
-> is screwed so is the rest of your system.

This is why I'm buying a BIOS'ed hardware ATAPI compliant I/O
card.

-> -> -> If it can see only 8gig then
-> -> -> so be it. Give the entire disk over to Windows after you
have destroyed
-> -> -> all partitions. Then split it in half using
"fips" and Linux the rest.

-> -> WC> Yeah, had I run FIPS even in it's -t option I could use restorrb
-> -> WC> and rewrite the MBR.

-> -> Oh well we all make mistakes. That is some times how we have to learn.

-> -> -> When or if it works then move it to /dev/hde and see if
it will boot.

-> -> -> By the way did it boot when you installed Linux the first time?

-> WC> On the previous drive a 6.4 Gig everything went fine, dual boot
-> WC> Linux - Win 98.

-> Win 98 and 95 will at least see 8 gig but 98 will almost certanly see 
-> 32bit and so you may get probably 32gig or 64. 

-> WC> It's that one lousy Gig over 64 that caused Windows defective fdisk to
-> WC> scramble the drive.

-> Over 64 gig becomes portions of the next cylinders so above 64 is 128
-> so the next boundery is 128 gig or there abouts. ;)
     
127 or 128 depending if you count the zero.

-> -> WC> Oh absolutely, Linux saw the drive perfectly and fdisk -l
-> -> WC> listed all partitions as I'd allocated them.
-> -> WC> Then came Windows :-(

-> -> You probably would have been better off with a direct lightning
-> -> strike. :)

-> WC> Feels about like that.

-> Your gonna have to back peddle if you want to recover from this 
-> one. :(

-> -> -> If that works then you can fdisk using Linux to get the
larger size.

-> -> WC> I don't think anything will work now as neither Linux fdisk -l
-> -> WC> or fdisk /dev/hde works failing to see a hard drive.
-> -> WC> This after Windows installation attempt.

-> -> Just thinking something won't work doesn't mean it won't. After
-> -> all what ever you try now can hardly do much more damage.

-> -> -> If you want to make the Linux partition larger then it shouldn't
-> -> -> be a
-> -> -> problem. You should also be able to use some space for another
-> -> -> Windows
-> -> -> partition. Don't forget once you have grabbed the lower
portion of the
-> -> -> disk (notional 1024) cylinders you can do as you please
with the rest.

-> -> WC> Nope, no more Windows for me thank you.

-> -> I always have a small Win on my machines encase Linux has trouble with
-> -> new hardware. If the manufacturer is being a pain in the arse and not
-> -> releasing information, you can at least find out what the interrupt and
-> -> io addresses are. Also my bank uses MS Java. :(

dmesg | less does that for me.

-> WC> My bank uses software compatible with Mozilla running in this
-> WC> ramdisk Linux.

-> I viewed the document and there is no place non MS java is catered 
-> for. It's a sore point with me. Why would anyone in there right mind
-> rely on MS for security?

-> If your problem was originaly ATAPI why not put it master on /dev/hde
-> and drop the new H/D disk to /dev/hda? You did say that /dev/hde was 
-> bootable. ;)
->   
-> -> I think you must put that disk IDE 0 master even though you must be
-> -> getting fed up with the whole thing by now.

-> WC> I am fed up and will wait until next month to purchase a BIOS'ed I/O
-> WC> card that supports ATAPI without drivers.

-> The hard disk is or should be priority. 

Not without that ATAPI compliant I/O card, both are priority.  

-> WC> I've little stamina in my present state of health and have to
-> WC> work on the computer laying down turning it as neccessary
-> WC> on the wheeled cart on which it sits.

-> I'm by no means old but i do know what it is like to have health 
-> problems. :(                                              

Hope you never have the sort I've got.

-> -> If you do then let me know
-> -> what you can see. What have got to lose? Maybe if that doesn't work
-> -> we throw our hats into the Linux echo and see what we get.

-> WC> Well I'm not going to make the trip to Comp USA for an I/O
-> WC> card alone to only find it doesn't work, instead I'll buy the card
-> WC> AND a hard drive.

-> What about you don't do either until you find out for sure if the H/D
-> you have is stuffed. 

-> WC> I'll see about the 65 Gig drive after that.

-> Put it on /dev/hda or blow another disk out of the water. :)

Nope, no more Windows for me.
Linux was never a problem.
--- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.0pr5