Post by thread:[OT] (Totally, completely). Hard drives over 3GB?

Most older motherboards have an 8.4Gb limit on Hard Drives, the original LBA hard drive limitation is 16 times the 527 Mb older limitation of 1024 cylinders by 16 Heads by 63 Sectors/Track. Then each partition, under Dos, is limited to 2.1Gb in size. So, my guess is that you need a new Hard Drive controller (or perhaps a Momboard firmware upgrade, as the HDC is likely on the momboard?) to allow you to install that new Hard Drive and use it's entire size. One way to do it is to replace the momboard with a new momboard, and network the two machines together. I can find you a new 8.4 Gb HDD locally, if you cannot find one, for $109.00 USD (http://www.hdnw.com/all_drives.asp?) - plus shipping, pretty easy to get smaller used drives for cheaper, also. Mark Paul B. Webster VK2BZC wrote: {Quote hidden}> > My absence from the list (OK, so who noticed?) most of this week has > been due to the mind-bendingly challenging task of trying to replace my > uncomfortably-full 3 GB main drive with a brand spanking new 15 GB one. > > Do you think there's a good tutorial somewhere on the 3 GB or so DOS/ > Windoze95/ partition table limitation and how one overcomes it? M$ are > as helpful as ever. > > I am back to the 3 GB drive for now - I could get the larger one to > run under Windoze but not under DOS (which is of course required to boot > Windoze!). > -- > Cheers, > Paul B. -- I do small package shipping for small businesses, world-wide.

<x-flowed>At 08:50 AM 11/18/99 +1100, Paul wrote: >My absence from the list (OK, so who noticed?) most of this week has >been due to the mind-bendingly challenging task of trying to replace my >uncomfortably-full 3 GB main drive with a brand spanking new 15 GB one. > > Do you think there's a good tutorial somewhere on the 3 GB or so DOS/ >Windoze95/ partition table limitation and how one overcomes it? M$ are >as helpful as ever. > > I am back to the 3 GB drive for now - I could get the larger one to >run under Windoze but not under DOS (which is of course required to boot >Windoze!). 1. You can only have 2 GB under a FAT16 partition. You can partition the disk into volumes (using FDISK plus FORMAT) of 2 GB or less to get it working in DOS. 2. You can get it working in Win98, and then convert to FAT32, which works in both Windows and DOS. 3. You can buy Partition Magic, which makes changing partition sizes after the fact much easier. 4. Be aware that 2 GB FAT16 partitions are very wasteful, since they use 64kB cluster sizes, and therefore waste about 40% of the space. ================================================================ Robert A. LaBudde, PhD, PAS, Dpl. ACAFS e-mail: spam_OUTralTakeThisOuTlcfltd.com Least Cost Formulations, Ltd. URL: http://lcfltd.com/ 824 Timberlake Drive Tel: 757-467-0954 Virginia Beach, VA 23464-3239 Fax: 757-467-2947 "Vere scire est per causae scire" ================================================================ </x-flowed>

> > My absence from the list (OK, so who noticed?) most of this week has > been due to the mind-bendingly challenging task of trying to replace my > uncomfortably-full 3 GB main drive with a brand spanking new 15 GB one. > > Do you think there's a good tutorial somewhere on the 3 GB or so DOS/ > Windoze95/ partition table limitation and how one overcomes it? M$ are > as helpful as ever. > > I am back to the 3 GB drive for now - I could get the larger one to > run under Windoze but not under DOS (which is of course required to boot > Windoze!). > -- > Cheers, > Paul B. > If you find any solution to this I would appreciate it if You could share it with the rest of us (who have to use both DOS and W95). I have the same problem with a 10GHD. I also have a small HD (200M) which i thought I could set up as FAT16 and boot from a floppy when I need to run pure DOS. The primary drive is C: which is 10GB FAT32 and the secondary drive is D: which is 200M FAT16. The problem is that when I boot from my DOS6.22 diskette drive C: disappear and drive D: is now C:. This is a problem since I use DOS for programming and can mostly do this under W95 but sometime I need DOS 6.22 (No virtualized peripherials) and all my paths in the development environment is pointing to D: which now doesn't exist. Perhaps It works if I have the small HD as drive C: with FAT16 and the large one as drive D: with FAT32. Dos 6.22 is installed on C: and W95 boot files is installed over DOS in this drive but its main components (W95 dir) is installed on D:. This way I should be able to reboot to my old DOS with D: now invisible to DOS but with all paths for my DOS programs in C: the same as when run from W95. I didn't have time to try this out, instead I partitioned my HD as 4 2.1G blocks (loosing approx. 2G) and now it's too much trouble to try it. ============================== Ruben Jvnsson AB Liros Elektronik Box 9124, 200 39 Malmv, Sweden TEL INT +4640 142078 FAX INT +4640 947388 .....rubenKILLspam@spam@2.sbbs.se ==============================

If you find any solution to this I would appreciate it if You could share it with the rest of us (who have to use both DOS and W95). I have the same problem with a 10GHD. I also have a small HD (200M) which i thought I could set up as FAT16 and boot from a floppy when I need to run pure DOS. The primary drive is C: which is 10GB FAT32 and the secondary drive is D: which is 200M FAT16. The problem is that when I boot from my DOS6.22 diskette drive C: disappear and drive D: is now C:. This is a problem since I use DOS for programming and can mostly do this under W95 but sometime I need DOS 6.22 (No virtualized peripherials) and all my paths in the development environment is pointing to D: which now doesn't exist. Perhaps It works if I have the small HD as drive C: with FAT16 and the large one as drive D: with FAT32. Dos 6.22 is installed on C: and W95 boot files is installed over DOS in this drive but its main components (W95 dir) is installed on D:. This way I should be able to reboot to my old DOS with D: now invisible to DOS but with all paths for my DOS programs in C: the same as when run from W95. I didn't have time to try this out, instead I partitioned my HD as 4 2.1G blocks (loosing approx. 2G) and now it's too much trouble to try it. {Quote hidden}> > My absence from the list (OK, so who noticed?) most of this week has > been due to the mind-bendingly challenging task of trying to replace my > uncomfortably-full 3 GB main drive with a brand spanking new 15 GB one. > > Do you think there's a good tutorial somewhere on the 3 GB or so DOS/ > Windoze95/ partition table limitation and how one overcomes it? M$ are > as helpful as ever. > > I am back to the 3 GB drive for now - I could get the larger one to > run under Windoze but not under DOS (which is of course required to boot > Windoze!). -- > Cheers, > Paul B. > ============================== Ruben Jvnsson AB Liros Elektronik Box 9124, 200 39 Malmv, Sweden TEL INT +4640 142078 FAX INT +4640 947388 rubenKILLspam2.sbbs.se ==============================

The problem here is that the older versions of DOS do not read FAT32. However, the 'DOS' that comes with WIN98 does read FAT32, and will do anything that DOS 6.22 does. To create a win98 dos boot disk, boot into windows98, and use the command "SYS a:" at a command prompt, or right-click on the floppy drive in windows explorer and choose format, where it gives you the option "Copy system files only". You can then create your own config.sys and autoexec.bat files on the floppy, etc, etc. When you boot up with it it will leave you in DOS mode. Another option is upon bootpu of your system you may see the message "loading windows" right after your bios finishes its system checks. Press F8, and you will be given a menu with the option to boot into command line mode, which is effectively the same as booting to dos, except that config.sys and autoexec.bat on the hard drive will be run. I usually start pressing F8 once I know bios is done checking the hard drives and memory, and press it several times in case the bios empties the keyboard buffer before starting the boot process. Try f5 as well as f8. F5 skips the autoexec and config.sys files, I don't recall if it dumps you to dos though. -Adam Do not meddle in the affairs of sysadmins, for they are quick to anger and have not need for subtlety. Ruben Jvnsson wrote: {Quote hidden}> > If you find any solution to this I would appreciate it if You could > share it with the rest of us (who have to use both DOS and W95). > > I have the same problem with a 10GHD. I also have a small HD (200M) > which i thought I could set up as FAT16 and boot from a floppy when I need > to run pure DOS. The primary drive is C: which is 10GB FAT32 and the > secondary drive is D: which is 200M FAT16. The problem is that when I boot > from my DOS6.22 diskette drive C: disappear and drive D: is now C:. This > is a problem since I use DOS for programming and can mostly do this under > W95 but sometime I need DOS 6.22 (No virtualized peripherials) and all my > paths in the development environment is pointing to D: which now doesn't > exist. > > Perhaps It works if I have the small HD as drive C: with FAT16 and > the large one as drive D: with FAT32. Dos 6.22 is installed on C: and W95 > boot files is installed over DOS in this drive but its main components > (W95 dir) is installed on D:. This way I should be able to reboot to my > old DOS with D: now invisible to DOS but with all paths for my DOS > programs in C: the same as when run from W95. > > I didn't have time to try this out, instead I partitioned my HD as 4 2.1G > blocks (loosing approx. 2G) and now it's too much trouble to try it. > > > > > My absence from the list (OK, so who noticed?) most of this week has > > been due to the mind-bendingly challenging task of trying to replace my > > uncomfortably-full 3 GB main drive with a brand spanking new 15 GB one. > > > > Do you think there's a good tutorial somewhere on the 3 GB or so DOS/ > > Windoze95/ partition table limitation and how one overcomes it? M$ are > > as helpful as ever. > > > > I am back to the 3 GB drive for now - I could get the larger one to > > run under Windoze but not under DOS (which is of course required to boot > > Windoze!). -- > > Cheers, > > Paul B. > > > > ============================== > Ruben Jvnsson > AB Liros Elektronik > Box 9124, 200 39 Malmv, Sweden > TEL INT +4640 142078 > FAX INT +4640 947388 > .....rubenKILLspam.....2.sbbs.se > ==============================

<x-flowed>Ruben: I connected a DPDT switch to the master/slave jumpers on the drives. Switch up: drive 0 = master = boot, drive 1 = slave Switch down: drive 1 = master = boot, drive 0 = slave {Quote hidden}>If you find any solution to this I would appreciate it if You could >share it with the rest of us (who have to use both DOS and W95). > >I have the same problem with a 10GHD. I also have a small HD (200M) >which i thought I could set up as FAT16 and boot from a floppy when I >need to run pure DOS. The primary drive is C: which is 10GB FAT32 and >the secondary drive is D: which is 200M FAT16. The problem is that >when I boot from my DOS6.22 diskette drive C: disappear and drive D: >is now C:. This is a problem since I use DOS for programming and can >mostly do this under W95 but sometime I need DOS 6.22 (No virtualized >peripherials) and all my paths in the development environment is >pointing to D: which now doesn't exist. > >Perhaps It works if I have the small HD as drive C: with FAT16 and >the large one as drive D: with FAT32. Dos 6.22 is installed on C: and >W95 boot files is installed over DOS in this drive but its main >components (W95 dir) is installed on D:. This way I should be able to >reboot to my old DOS with D: now invisible to DOS but with all paths >for my DOS programs in C: the same as when run from W95. > >I didn't have time to try this out, instead I partitioned my HD as 4 >2.1G blocks (loosing approx. 2G) and now it's too much trouble to try >it. | Brent A. Crosby | Crystalfontz America, Incorporated | toll free (888) 206-9720 voice (509) 291-3514 facsimile (509) 291-3345 | http://www.crystalfontz.com EraseMEbrentspam_OUTTakeThisOuTcrystalfontz.com | Economical, feature packed, serial interface LCD modules. </x-flowed>

> Re: 16gB HDDs > > Another alternative (so I've been told, and will soon try and report) > is to bring it up as a Samba server under Linux, which (I'm told) > ignores BIOS after bootup. Also gives your files some protection > from the deadly "W9x" virus so prevalent still. My plan is > to keep most of my files on the Samba/Linux server so I have > less to reload when a trivial configuration change 'kills' my > W9x machines. Trivial = = PowerUp, for example. > > R.Martin I have got this running on my LAN, and it works great. The Linux server manages the PPP connection and acts as a firewall. I also have a Samba partition on which all of my main application programs reside. When I need to reinstall W93 ( I mean W95), I run all the applications over the net to the box. It also makes it alot easier to keep all my users at the same revision level. When I download one update to the Samba drive, I can then move it to all the PC's very quickly. John __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com

www.bootdisk.com/ has boot images available for boot floppies for MOST OS's, good site, folks! That'd be a good boot disk also. (I snagged the lot, as I keep getting asked for Win98 help etc. <G>) Mark M. Adam Davis wrote: {Quote hidden}> > The problem here is that the older versions of DOS do not read FAT32. > However, the 'DOS' that comes with WIN98 does read FAT32, and will do > anything that DOS 6.22 does. To create a win98 dos boot disk, boot into > windows98, and use the command "SYS a:" at a command prompt, or > right-click on the floppy drive in windows explorer and choose format, > where it gives you the option "Copy system files only". You can then > create your own config.sys and autoexec.bat files on the floppy, etc, > etc. When you boot up with it it will leave you in DOS mode. > > Another option is upon bootpu of your system you may see the message > "loading windows" right after your bios finishes its system checks. > Press F8, and you will be given a menu with the option to boot into > command line mode, which is effectively the same as booting to dos, > except that config.sys and autoexec.bat on the hard drive will be run. > I usually start pressing F8 once I know bios is done checking the hard > drives and memory, and press it several times in case the bios empties > the keyboard buffer before starting the boot process. > > Try f5 as well as f8. F5 skips the autoexec and config.sys files, I > don't recall if it dumps you to dos though. > > -Adam > > Do not meddle in the affairs of sysadmins, for they are quick to anger > and have not need for subtlety. > > Ruben Jvnsson wrote: > > > > If you find any solution to this I would appreciate it if You could > > share it with the rest of us (who have to use both DOS and W95). > > > > I have the same problem with a 10GHD. I also have a small HD (200M) > > which i thought I could set up as FAT16 and boot from a floppy when I need > > to run pure DOS. The primary drive is C: which is 10GB FAT32 and the > > secondary drive is D: which is 200M FAT16. The problem is that when I boot > > from my DOS6.22 diskette drive C: disappear and drive D: is now C:. This > > is a problem since I use DOS for programming and can mostly do this under > > W95 but sometime I need DOS 6.22 (No virtualized peripherials) and all my > > paths in the development environment is pointing to D: which now doesn't > > exist. > > > > Perhaps It works if I have the small HD as drive C: with FAT16 and > > the large one as drive D: with FAT32. Dos 6.22 is installed on C: and W95 > > boot files is installed over DOS in this drive but its main components > > (W95 dir) is installed on D:. This way I should be able to reboot to my > > old DOS with D: now invisible to DOS but with all paths for my DOS > > programs in C: the same as when run from W95. > > > > I didn't have time to try this out, instead I partitioned my HD as 4 2.1G > > blocks (loosing approx. 2G) and now it's too much trouble to try it. > > > > > > > > My absence from the list (OK, so who noticed?) most of this week has > > > been due to the mind-bendingly challenging task of trying to replace my > > > uncomfortably-full 3 GB main drive with a brand spanking new 15 GB one. > > > > > > Do you think there's a good tutorial somewhere on the 3 GB or so DOS/ > > > Windoze95/ partition table limitation and how one overcomes it? M$ are > > > as helpful as ever. > > > > > > I am back to the 3 GB drive for now - I could get the larger one to > > > run under Windoze but not under DOS (which is of course required to boot > > > Windoze!). -- > > > Cheers, > > > Paul B. > > > > > > > ============================== > > Ruben Jvnsson > > AB Liros Elektronik > > Box 9124, 200 39 Malmv, Sweden > > TEL INT +4640 142078 > > FAX INT +4640 947388 > > rubenspam_OUT2.sbbs.se > > ============================== -- I do small package shipping for small businesses, world-wide.