Re: [Plug] A question about installing Linux

["Jason S." <jason@survival.net>]

> Andy Bradley wrote:
> 
> I have been pretty much just lurking for a few months and decided it
> was time to get a Linux box running.
> 
> I have a problem loading Red Hat. This is my first real attempt at
> Linux or any Unix OS.
> 
> I have a P133 with 48 meg ram, a 4.3 gig western digital HD
> partitioned into two ~2 gig partitions using Western Digital's EZ
> drive.  My bios does not support large drives.  I have Windows 95 on
> the first partition and have installed RH on the second partition.  I
> wish to dual boot the box.  The install seems to go smoothly. I set up
> the Linux native and swap partitions, choose the packages to install.
> Everything is fine until it is time to reboot.  I get the Ram Check,
> EZ Bios runs and then I just get "LI" and the box freezes up.  Now I
> can not get at the Win95.  Is Linux compatible with EZ Bios?  Is there
> something else I am missing?

Hi, I'll try and not get sidetracked. I have a couple ideas. If you're
using several operating systems on one disk, its very important for them
to agree on where partitions start and end. When you installed linux,
was the EZ Bios loaded? I think you should read the Large Disk mini
howto. It suprises me that your pentium doesnt support LBA mode. I had
to use drive management software on an OLD 486 a long time ago, its not
fun when you finally get a real bios and have to do everything over
again.

The Large Disk HOWTO has some mention of disk management software. It
should at least answer the "Is it compatible?" question.
ftp://metalab.unc.edu/pub/linux/docs/HOWTO/mini/Large-Disk

Section 8 says:

-- 8.  Kernel disk translation for IDE disks

  If the Linux kernel detects the presence of some disk manager on an
  IDE disk, it will try to remap the disk in the same way this disk
  manager would have done, so that Linux sees the same disk partitioning
  as for example DOS with OnTrack or EZ-Drive.  However, NO remapping is
  done when a geometry was specified on the command line - so a
  `hd=cyls,heads,secs' command line option might well kill compatibility
  with a disk manager.



Theres more info there. This should help you figure out the proper way
to get linux happy on older hardware where drive mangling is needed.
Personally, I would look into a bios upgrade. Moving an EZ drive to a
modern bios means a reformat. Anyways, hope that gets you started.

J.

When I grow up, I wanna be more like me.
I had a clue. I didn't like it. I took it back and exchanged it for an
attitude.

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