On Tue, 17 Nov 1998, ivan wrote: > Hello, > > The reason I ask is because Linux reports: > Quantam Fireball SE2.1A, 2014MB w/80kB Cache, CHS=4092/16/63 > > which indicates a 2GB drive. CFDisk agrees and will let me partition to 2GB. > > DOS & BIOS on the other hand report only a 504MB H/D and so does the > Raneesh Partition Manager. > > The machine is an old 486 with AMI BIOS 1992 - is this the problem and if > so, by replacing the BIOS will I have access to the whole of the drive or > is the drive in fact only 504MB and Linux lies ??? >
Linux always tells the truth. The problem is that DOS and older BIOSs can only handle 1024 cylinders, which corresponds to 504MB. Newer BIOSs perform a translation, using a fictitious number of heads and sectors to handle the full size, while appearing to have 1024 or fewer cylinders. Many drives come with OnTrack Disk Manager, or an equivalent program which writes something into the master boot record to trick similarly trick DOS into thinking there are fewer than 1024 cylinders. You only need this if you are using DOS or Windows, however. Linux doesn't care, except in order to boot, the kernel must be within the first 1024 cylinders in order for the BIOS and LILO to find it. See the Large-Disk mini-HOWTO for more information. Bob
