Re: IDE on linux-2.4.18 (fwd)

[Andrzej Krzysztofowicz]

> 
> I tried to install Linux-2.4.18 on a machine with IDE drives.
> The machine ran fine with Linux-2.4.1. It won't mount the
> root file-system because:
> 
> hda:	Cannot handle device with more than 16 heads giving up.
> 
> That's a real nice help. The device has 1024 cylinders, 255 heads
> and 63 sectors. This is 6,422 MB. An attempt to set 16 heads in
> the BIOS will allow access to only 528 MB, which is wrong.

Old hd.o driver supports:
- 1 IDE channel
- only CHS mode (no LBA)

It can address disk up to 8 GB, but a kernel parameter hd=... is required
if in is > 512 MB
It can boot from 512 MB area at the disk beginning, i.e. the area that can
be addressed by BIOS in this mode. 
( /boot should be located there if using lilo )

> So what is the magic incantation necessary to get the IDE
> subsystem to work like it used to?

Are you sure you need / want to use the old (ancient) driver ?

-- 
=======================================================================
  Andrzej M. Krzysztofowicz               [e-mail]
  phone [phone]
Faculty of Applied Phys. & Math.,   Technical University of Gdansk