LinuxSA Mailing list archives

  From: Handy <handy@techie.com>
  To  : linuxsa@linuxsa.org.au
  Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2000 15:22:48 -0800

Re: BIOS Upgrade? - Nope :(

Okay, I dont know if this is nagging people, but its sure intriguing me ...
!

Box Specs:
- The hard disk is a Samsung 6.5 Gb SV0682D
- There are NO other devices in the box apart from 1 floppy disk drive
- The motherboard is a 02/06/96-i430FX-2A59CF3CC-00 manufactured by Full-Yes
industries at www.fyi.com.tw (which is always down due to DNS
non-resolution)
- box specs are :
    - PCI Cirrus Logic VGA card
    - PCI Ethernet card (NE2000 compat)
    - EISA SB16 card
    - 24 mb RAM
    - 120mhz CPU

Situation:
- hard disk, motherboard and cable are all working since i can write to it
with a dos boot disk (its a primary master and the jumpers are set to
reflect this)
- BIOS detects the hard disk perfectly
- tried partitioning
    - 1 huge partition
    - 1 small partition below 1024 boundary
    - FAT32/16
    - all partitions marked as active
- each time ive made a new partition and set it active, i have done either
    > format c: /s
    > sys a:\ c:
  As far as i am aware, the first is equivalent to the second, minus the
format procedure.
- I went to www.ping.be/bios and got the files required for flashing BIOS
and FLASHED IT!!!
  Unfortunately, I had the latest version it seems (4.50PG), and made no
difference.
    If the damn manufacturers would get their sites up, I could contact them
and download a possibly later version of the BIOS? Or do version numbers
prettey much stop after this version? (since my other box is a 466 and only
has 4.51b or something)

The only other theory is something low-level software/MBR ish ... since it
seems that (*this is just my clairvoyance speaking now*) control is passed
to the HD but it chooses not to respond???!

Im ready to give up.  lol there goes my dedicated linux box :(

AndrewH


----- Original Message -----
From: MWP <hirm@chariot.net.au>
To: Handy <handy@techie.com>
Cc: linuxsa <linuxsa@linuxsa.org.au>
Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2000 11:39 PM
Subject: Re: BIOS Upgrade?


> Hmmmm.....
>
> I imagine you have checked that the actual partition is actually marked as
> "bootable" in MS-DOS's fdisk???
> In the status column in the drive info should be the letter "A" if it is
set
> as bootable (and blank if its not).
> If its not set... this is your problem.
>
> If it is set... it sounds like everything should be running ok :(
>
> MWP
>
>
> > Okay, sorry ... heres more information:
> >
> > This is the only disk on the primary ide channel.
> > There only other drives in it is a floppy (nope no cdrom - network
> install).
> > I gather that everything is properly configured (jumper and all) since:
> > - BIOS detects perfectly
> > - I can read/write to the hard disk
> > And even if you can do those things, I have made sure the jumper is set
to
> > Primary Master.  Whatsmore, i have tried booting the drive on all jumper
> > settings.
> >
> > I have set the BIOS to boot A,C sequence (and yes ive tried the otherway
> > round too),
> > the system summary box comes up and then it just sits there with the
> cursor
> > blinking where
> > 'LILO:' or 'Starting Windows 98 ...' would appear.  It gives no errors,
no
> > beeps, nothing.
> >
> > The confusing part is of course that you would think that if it is
> detected
> > perfectly (which it is),
> > and you can read/write perfectly in dos, then the BIOS would boot it
after
> a
> > format c: /s (or
> > sys a:\ c:) ... which i have tried as FAT16 and FAT32 (just incase).
> >
> > I have also tried setting the entire hard disk up as one partition (as
> prev
> > suggested in another
> > email).
> >
> > Help!  I am becoming more and more sure its the BIOS every day!
> > So when were FlashROMs being used in motherboards?  Before '96 i hope ?
:)
> >
> > AndrewH
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: David Newall <davidn@rebel.net.au>
> > To: Handy <handy@techie.com>
> > Cc: <linuxsa@linuxsa.org.au>
> > Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2000 6:44 AM
> > Subject: Re: BIOS Upgrade?
> >
> >
> > > Andrew,
> > >
> > > More information is needed.
> > >
> > > What does happen?  Does the BIOS tell you that it is trying to boot
> > > from that drive?  I gather you are not sure whether the drive is
> > > correctly configured as a master.  Is there any other device on that
> > > IDE bus?  Are you sure it's on the first IDE bus?
> > >
> > > David
> > >
> > > --
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> > >
> > >
> >
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>
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