5.1 & WD 80.0GB SE Drive Geometry

Jerry McAllister jerrymc at clunix.cl.msu.edu
Fri Sep 5 14:47:32 PDT 2003


> 
> Let me start by qualifying I am extremely new to FreeBSD (I have performed a
> whopping two installs thus far).
> 
> I am looking to fire up a machine with a single western digital special
> edition 80GB IDE drive for simple storage and testing.
> 
> The BIOS detects the correct geometry for the drive, and both Windows 2000
> and Linux (RedHat 9) correctly detect the geometry and install on the drive
> (each OS installed independently to verify the drive and BIOS were working -
> this is not a multi-boot setup).
> 
> FreeBSD version 5.1 however, pops up a message stating the geometry chosen
> by FreeBSD during installation is incorrect.
> 
> If I hit "G" when assigning the slices and drop in the correct geometry (as
> reported by the BIOS), I can assign slices (defaults) and the installation
> runs through, but it will fail on the next boot (won't even get to the boot
> manager).
> 
> If I select "G" when assigning slices, plug in the values, then force a
> write using the "W" option, I get a warning, then everything installs and
> fails on reboot.

Don't try to change the geometry from what it reports.
Leave it as it thinks it is.

////jerry

> 
> Note: This same machine will accept an installation and run beautifully
> using a different hard drive (anything I have other than a Western Digital
> 80GB Special Edition), and I have tried two of the 80GB special edition
> drives to ensure it is not a mechanical problem with just one of the drives.
> Both of the special edition drives performed identically (which is to say
> not at all).
> 
> Google is mute on the subject.
> 
> Any help would be appreciated.
> 
> Jim
> 


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