Linux

Hi

I am running suse 8.2, I have two large hard disks, 1 x 160GB,and 1 x 120GB.
If I do cat /proc/ide/hdc/settings I get (it's the cylinder setting i'm
interested in)
(Maxor 4G160J8)
name value min max mode
---- ----- --- --- ----
...
bios_cyl 19929 0 65535 rw
bios_head 255 0 255 rw
bios_sect 63 0 63 rw

yet my 120GB (maxtor 4R120L0) drive gives:

name value min max mode
---- ----- --- --- ----
...
bios_cyl 238216 0 65535 rw
bios_head 16 0 255 rw
bios_sect 63 0 63 rw

my question is why is the bios_cyl value greater than the permitted 65535,
is this a problem?, files appear to be written to the drive ok and the proc
system reports the geometry correctly as above.
I didn't have any problem with a previous 120GB drive (a maxtor 4G120J6)
reported correctly

any help would be appreciated
regards
Rob Carter

"rob carter" <> wrote in message
news:
> Hi
>
> I am running suse 8.2, I have two large hard disks, 1 x 160GB,and 1 x
120GB.
> If I do cat /proc/ide/hdc/settings I get (it's the cylinder setting i'm
> interested in)
> (Maxor 4G160J8)
> name value min max
mode
> ---- ----- --- --- --
--
> ..
> bios_cyl 19929 0 65535 rw
> bios_head 255 0 255 rw
> bios_sect 63 0 63 rw
>
> yet my 120GB (maxtor 4R120L0) drive gives:
>
> name value min max
mode
> ---- ----- --- --- --
--
> ..
> bios_cyl 238216 0 65535 rw
> bios_head 16 0 255 rw
> bios_sect 63 0 63 rw
>
> my question is why is the bios_cyl value greater than the permitted 65535,

Because of the bios... maybe its because the drive isnt in bios.
Maybe its because you set "normal" in bios, instead of lba or large.
Maybe its because the parhostinghostinghostingion table was created with such a geometry.



> is this a problem?, files appear to be written to the drive ok and the
proc
> system reports the geometry correctly as above.

No, no problem

Linux doesnt use bios.
Except to boot. but you can change the bios settings and so get a different
bios geometry, and boot the drive still. The mismatch between actual bios
geometry and what geometry the parhostinghostinghostingion table is written in wont matter .
To linux, bios geometry is quite flexible..

> I didn't have any problem with a previous 120GB drive (a maxtor 4G120J6)
> reported correctly
>
> any help would be appreciated
> regards
> Rob Carter
>
>
>
>