Bug 124301
Summary: | kernel reports odd disk geometry | ||
---|---|---|---|
Product: | [Fedora] Fedora | Reporter: | Louis CARNAPETE <louis.carnapete> |
Component: | kernel | Assignee: | Dave Jones <davej> |
Status: | CLOSED NEXTRELEASE | QA Contact: | |
Severity: | high | Docs Contact: | |
Priority: | medium | ||
Version: | 2 | CC: | pfrields |
Target Milestone: | --- | ||
Target Release: | --- | ||
Hardware: | i386 | ||
OS: | Linux | ||
Whiteboard: | |||
Fixed In Version: | Doc Type: | Bug Fix | |
Doc Text: | Story Points: | --- | |
Clone Of: | Environment: | ||
Last Closed: | 2005-04-16 05:54:28 UTC | Type: | --- |
Regression: | --- | Mount Type: | --- |
Documentation: | --- | CRM: | |
Verified Versions: | Category: | --- | |
oVirt Team: | --- | RHEL 7.3 requirements from Atomic Host: | |
Cloudforms Team: | --- | Target Upstream Version: | |
Embargoed: |
Description
Louis CARNAPETE
2004-05-25 15:03:15 UTC
I had this problem too - caught me completely by surprise. In reading the drive geometry the kernel appears to be translating the CHS numbers so they are in the form C,16,36. Since most large, modern drives report C,255,63 this mean multiplying the C value by 255/16=15.9375. But this is not an integer so it is rounded up or down. That makes the drive look like a small drive and the BIOS then does not report it using LBA. The linear cylinder index seems not to be messed with and the kernel refers only to that in addressing the drive, so data isn't lost. However, utilities such as Partition Magic find conflicting information and refuse to access the drive. It is a mystery to me why the coders for this version reverted to the old CHS geometry of obsolete drives - there are very few small drives still in use. Here is the workaround. First boot using the command "linux hda=C,H,S" where these are the values reported by your drive. Then the Druid will use these in setting up the partition. Next use the option "Force LBA32" when it comes up in the install. This will prevent the kernel from again translating the correct CHS values to C,16,63 and messing things up again. This isn't really a bug, but it is a really stupid bit of programming. Fedora Core 2 has now reached end of life, and no further updates will be provided by Red Hat. The Fedora legacy project will be producing further kernel updates for security problems only. If this bug has not been fixed in the latest Fedora Core 2 update kernel, please try to reproduce it under Fedora Core 3, and reopen if necessary, changing the product version accordingly. Thank you. |