[lug] Cylinders and pertitioning

[D. Stimits]

John Starkey wrote:
> 
> > Long ago, before LBA mode existed (try LBA mode first), and the limit
> > was reached around 540 MB, once could lie to the bios by telling it you
> > had more heads (multiply in powers of 2) and fewer cylinders (divide in
> > powers of 2), but always keeping sector size the same. Then at bootup,
> > you had to pass the real geometry to the linux kernel. Lilo and the bios
> > were perfectly happy with lies, so long as cylinders x heads remained
> > approximately constant, and never higher. When the kernel takes over
> > after lilo, it needs its own, real knowledge of geometry.
> 
> The new 20 gig drive already in use is at 1024 cylinders and this one is
> at 2491 cylinders. The bios are the same for both. LILO boots without any
> special params. And the kernel is doing fine. So I guess this is what you
> are saying. But what's LBA?
> 

I know that LBA mode and manual lies to the BIOS don't work together. It
might be that LBA mode is a similar, but automated means of lying about
the geometry; unfortunately I don't know enough about it to say it is or
isn't.