🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <u2WmqXB#9GA.273@uppssnewspub05.moswest.msn.net> "Ovidiu Popa"  
<opopa@imt.ro> writes:
> Helmut, good that you mentioned UNIX here. You probably know that generally
> UNIX doesn't use the BIOS INT13 (it implements his own INT13 routine).
> Moreover, many Linux systems can't be installed on HDD's using the BIOS LBA
> mode. Therefore, the 540Mb limit is not a problem for UNIX machines. The
> only request is that all the boot files should be in the CHS mode 540Mb
> space. Therefore, it's possible that "flashing" or replacing the BIOS to be
> unnecessary.

I am using NeXTSTEP (NS) and you are right and wrong:
it uses BIOS for things like NS-fdisk to partition the disk, and it is said  
that once the disk is formatted and all it can do without BIOS translation.  
However, I experimented for more than a week with different strategies and  
could not get it to work. The only thing that consistently works is using  
BIOS-LBA mode to partition the disk and to also use the disk, under WIN95 as  
well as under NeXTSTEP (UNIX).

Therefore I am still looking for the binary image of an LBA-able BIOS for my  
old 486-board with the SIS461 BIOS chip-set? Anyone willing to share?

> Anyway, if your BIOS is not flasheable, the chances to find an upgrade are
> small. 
True, true. That is why I ask here. Maybe s.o. has such a BIOS and can mail  
me a copy of his EPROM.

> I don't think that writing a new BIOS is worth of - it will probably
> more expensive than a new Pentium computer.
Well, burning a new EPROM doesn't cost me (close to) anything, and would sure  
be worth saving all the hassle of trying to make it work somehow with the old  
non-LBA bios.

So I am still searching for a kind soul sharing their LBA BIOS with me!

Helmut

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