save my partition table!!!!

[Master of Reality]

quote:Originally posted by VoidMain:
If Linux is having problems with your partition table then you probably have something set up wrong.  Is it set properly in the BIOS?  Or you didn't run the EZ-BIOS utility to wipe out the boot sector and partition table.

[ May 13, 2002: Message edited by: VoidMain ]

run EZ-BIOS utility to wipe out boot sector and partition table?.. huh?
I'm not sure how it could be set wrong in the bios, but i checked it out and everything in there looked fine.

[voidmain]

What drive do you have (make/model) and what are your BIOS settings? I.E. Cylinders/Sectors Per Track/Heads/LBA/etc. Also, who makes your BIOS and what is the release date?

[ May 13, 2002: Message edited by: VoidMain ]

[Master of Reality]

my 40GB hd (hdb) is a Maxtor D540X:
actual cyls: 79,408
max cyls: 16,383
sect: 63
heads: 16

My other HD (hda) is an older Maxtor Fireball 2.55GB.

I tried having installing completely on one hard drive and then the other, to see if anythin was wrong with specifically one of them.

[ May 14, 2002: Message edited by: Master of Reality ]

[Master of Reality]

BIOS: amibios version 1.21.06
http://www.ami.com/products/specsheet.cfm?DLFILE=amibiosdesktop.txt&CatID=6&ProdID=54

[ May 14, 2002: Message edited by: Master of Reality ]

[voidmain]

Take a look at this:

http://www.win.tue.nl/~aeb/linux/Large-Disk-11.html#ss11.3

There is a section on the D540X specifically.  Don't know if it will help.  Also I am curious if the number of cylinders is causing a problem.  With the new IDE drives you can change the drive type in your BIOS to "User Defined", then reduce the number of cylinders and increase other params. I did this on my new machine and it worked like a champ.  As long as the total drive size comes out the same that's all that matters. i.e. your current settings are:

79,408cyl * 63sectors * 16heads * 512 / 1024 = 40021632k

In the user defined section if you can increase the sectors and heads and reduce the number of cylinders to come out with the same 40021632k this may solve your problem. It did for me on a large drive. BTW, in the BIOS you can use whatever numbers you want as long as you don't go over the total capacity of the drive. The drive will translate everything properly to the physical geometry (IDE only).

[Master of Reality]

my BIOS is autodetecting the cylinders wrong, i will have to fix that by using the method you suggested

[Master of Reality]

just to follow up....
I tried changing the settings on my hard drive in the BIOS, but my BIOS is very odd and wouldnt let me change the values (no matter what i did). I used the EZ-BIOS utility to get the backup of my MBR before i installed EZ-BIOS and it worked. It now works fine.

[voidmain]

Ahhh, it *was* EZ-BIOS.  Yes, you must wipe out any partition info (more than just boot sector) from an EZ-BIOS install.  And the EZ-BIOS utility is generally the best way to do that. I thought you had already done that. EZ-BIOS is evil.

[Gooseberry Clock]

PartitionMagic: a much better site to get free software  
[edit: i changed his link, so it would go to a helpful site full of free goodies]

[ May 21, 2002: Message edited by: Master of Reality ]

[voidmain]

You don't need partition magic to wipe out the EZ-BIOS data. EZ-BIOS software is all that is necessary.  And the Linux section is not the place to be selling your crazies and peddling your warez. Scram..

P.S. Could some semi-responsible moderator wipe out LooseCherry Bottocks warez link?

[ May 21, 2002: Message edited by: VoidMain ]

[Calum]

quote:posted by VoidMain:
You don't need partition magic to wipe out the EZ-BIOS data. EZ-BIOS software is all that is necessary.  And the Linux section is not the place to be selling your crazies and peddling your warez. Scram..
P.S. Could some semi-responsible moderator wipe out LooseCherry Bottocks warez link?

i was about to but master of reality got there first! (too damn slow!!! maybe next time...)

As an aside, i saw the full install version of partition magic five on the cover CD of some magazine last week, as a free abandonware giveaway. Makes me feel odd about having this proprietary copy of partmagic 4 that i supposedly am not allowed to copy for anybody... eg: what if i got that free cover CD, would i be able to copy it for people, but not four? just idle musings.....

[ May 22, 2002: Message edited by: Calum ]