Date: Wed, 11 Mar 1998 11:09:59 -0600 (CST) From: "Roger P. Johnson" <rpj@fep.hirshfields.com> To: questions@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: HELP! on drive Geometry and I just can't get it! Just can't! Message-ID: <199803111709.LAA00595@fep.hirshfields.com>
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Hi,
I must say that I am frustrated as hell on this one. I have been
trying off and on for the last 6 months trying to install FreeBSD 2.2.2
onto a Seagate 1 GB SCSI-2 HD using Adaptec's 2940 or 2940AU card.
I have monitored the mailing lists over the years, I have read the
FAQ's, the *only* way I can get FreeBSD to boot off of a 1GB disk is
if I format using DOS, put a 1 MB DOS partion on it, do a shared disk
installation, make FreeBSD the active parition and go with that. I
don't what @$@#$ DOS on it.
Here is a brief summary of my "experiences" ...
1. FreeBSD,
Adaptec 1542 SCSI ISA,
Seagate 1GB HD, dedicated
installs AND WORKS FINE - alright!
(I have 12 machines using the 1542, I wish to upgrade them
to the 2940 PCI series controllers)
2. FreeBSD,
Adaptec 2940U FAST SCSI-2 PCI,
Seagate 1GB FAST SCSI-2 HD, dedicated FreeBSD partion
installs but cannot boot due to geometry problems and the
message 'Read error'.
3. FreeBSD,
Adaptec 2940AU Ultra SCSI-3 PCI,
Seagate 1GB SCSI-2 (w/card set for 10 MB max), dedicated
-or-
Seagate 1GB SCSI-3 Ultra (w/card set for 20 MB max), dedicated
installs but cannot boot due to geometry problems and the
message 'Read error'.
4. check this one out:
FreeBSD,
Adaptec 2940U FAST SCSI-2 PCI,
Seagate 2GB FAST SCSI-2 HD, dedicated FreeBSD partion,
installs AND WORKS FINE! ALRIGHT!
The ONLY difference is that the disk is 2 GB instead of 1 GB.
What the hell gives???
5. Being that the 2940AU is suppose to be backwards compatable with
SCSI-2 drives, why can I not boot FreeBSD installed via the 1542
with the 2940AU Ultra card ????
I have tried not setting geometries, setting geometries both according to
the FAQ on whether disk translation greater than 1 GB on and off.
I am using the "logical" drive, not the physical.
The floppies utility 'pfdisk' beleches about the geometry.
FreeBSD's 'fdisk', when booting via flopply, belches about the geomtry.
FreeBSD's 'disklabel -r /dev/rds0' dislplays not what I set in the
partion editor.
When I did a "shared" disk installation with DOS and FreeBSD, I wrote down
the output of 'fdisk' and 'pfdisk' so I could get the proper geometries. OK.
They report the drive as 1010/64/32 (translation turned off). Try setting
the geometry to this on the next install process in the partion editor,
dedicate the whole drive to FreeBSD and bam! back to square one again.
I would really, really, really, did I say really?, be appreciative if someone
would take the time to answer this, or give their own experiences, or give
pointer to who I could talk to so I can get this resolved, or any RTFM's!
I hate so say this, but I am thinking of buying Linux to see if Linux has
a problem with these cards.
I know, there are people out there using Adaptec 2940, 2940AU's on their
systems, but what makes it so dang hard with these 1 GB drives I don't know,
... I just don't know ...
I guess I will probably have to stay with FreeBSD, 1542, and the 1 GB drives
already installed. Doesn't matter whether the drives are brand spanking new or
2 years old. Same problem.
Thanks,
Roger
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