Hard Drive limits was:Help a little Linux Geek

[Shadow]

> Hmmm.  Well, I have Linux running on a 1997-ventage Pentium 200 system
> equipped with a 20 GB hard drive.  I have no trouble with this arrangement.
> As I use the system as a small server, I do not have any multiboot
> configuration with any other operating systems, so this might make the
> difference.
> 
> As I understand it, especially with the 2.4.X or newer kernels, there's
> typically no problem with older systems when Linux is the only operating
> system installed.  If the Linux kernel can reside in a boot partition within
> the first 2 GB or whatever the limit happens to be for the computer's BIOS,
> then the kernel can take over to ensure access to the rest of the drive.  Of
> course, please advise if I am way off-base here...

You're dead on.  The kernel boot partition must reside within the first 
1024 cylinders.  The 2GB limit is derived from the common harddrive 
configuration of 16 heads and 63 sectors.  Watch out for the odd drive 
that differs from these settings since it will affect what size your 
boot partition can be.  (I have found hard drives that differ from the 
norm that could only hold ~512MB within the 1024 limit.)


-- 
Chris Lewis
shadow@digitalnirvana.com
----------------------------------------
If it compiles, it is good, if it boots up it is perfect.
      - Linus Torvalds
----------------------------------------