Newsgroups: comp.os.minix
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From: raduga@netcom.com
Subject: bios vs ps HD drivers
Message-ID: <radugaDB6HyH.761@netcom.com>
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest)
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Date: Tue, 4 Jul 1995 06:27:53 GMT
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Sender: raduga@netcom16.netcom.com

okay!
I've finally gotten it to boot my PS/2 model 50, 
with 'hd=bios' using the bios driver, and
'hd=ps' for the PS/2 driver, and on bootng it seems 
to recognise the *drive* at least.

However, when i try to mount /dev/hd2 (my minix partition)
it (the ps driver) claims that its an invalid filesystem on there.

when i try to mkfs with the ps driver, it fails too.

The BIOS drivers offer no trouble at all.

Is there any reason why i *should* be using the PS drivers anyway?

are they faster than the generic BIOS? (less ram intensive?)
Is there something about the 20meg drive in the old PS/2-50
that its geometry is nonstandard, and needs to be accounted for?

note: the BIOS driver apon boot sees 610 cylinders,
4 heads, 17 sectors;  the PS driver finds 611 cylinders
(and probably is guessing wrong)

is there a way to override the geometry sensing?

(sigh. i think im getting closer :)

also, regarding REAL vs PROTECTED mode,
are there any significant advantages to running
in 286 protected mode, over real?  
other than having the extra memory and all...

(i know wind0ze exhibits major system differences 
 between the two modes, but all the other intel multitasking
 OSes ive used were 386 based, which is an altogether different
 form of protected mode operation)

ha. i know there *should* be advantages, but what are they?

(thank you people for all your help)


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