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From: kientzle@netcom.com
Subject: Re: FreeBSD MBR bootcode problem.
Message-ID: <kientzleD1opDy.KzJ@netcom.com>
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest)
References: <kientzleD1n5D9.MqL@netcom.com> <kientzleD1n8ts.GnB@netcom.com> <3e31aq$ja8@agate.berkeley.edu>
Date: Sat, 31 Dec 1994 16:49:10 GMT
Lines: 38
In article <3e31aq$ja8@agate.berkeley.edu>,
Jordan K. Hubbard <jkh@violet.berkeley.edu> wrote:
>In article <kientzleD1n8ts.GnB@netcom.com>, <kientzle@netcom.com> wrote:
>>Regarding my earlier problems with the MBR bootcode not letting
>>me boot any partition of my hard disk, I just figured out that
>>the MBR bootcode has somehow managed to propagate to all of my
>>bootable DOS and FreeBSD floppies!
>
>This is impossible..
>
> Jordan
Hmmm...
* Turn off computer
* Open case, DISCONNECT hard disk.
* Stick in previously bootable DOS floppy
* Turn on power
* MBR bootcode menu pops up.
I don't know how it happened. It may have been when the MBR bootcode
from the hard disk kept grinding the floppies: I tried sticking a floppy
in and then pressing F1 to see if that would help. (Didn't, of course.)
Or it may have been something else. But it got there.
- Tim Kientzle
P.S. Thanks to the many pointers people gave to DOS format's /mbr option.
Unfortunately, my DOS 6.22 system complains `invalid switch' when
I type `format /mbr'. Harumph.
P.P.S. Geometry translation was never the problem. BIOS, DOS, and
FreeBSD always agreed that my drive was 1024 cyls, 16 heads, 63 spt.
Also, I'm not certain I see how geometry translation would keep the
MBR bootcode from being able to boot a DOS partition. <scratching head>
(Though I'm admittedly no expert on DOS disk systems... ;-)
Sounds like the MBR bootcode may not work on all systems. <grin>