Baslinux mailing list

[baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org]

On Tue, 31 Jul 2007, baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org wrote:

> Today I fixed the computer where I had set up a linux logical partition
> hdb5 in a DOS extended partition hdb4.
>
> First I checked whether there were files in hda2 (D: originally) and there
> were not.  This must be the DOS extended partition now (hdb4).
>
> I assumed since hdb4 was D:, there would now be a G:.  There was not.
> This is not a usable setup.  I did not figure out which of my DOS
> partitions on hda was missing.

After changing the DOS extended partition to linux extended (and making 
linux logical partitions in it) I STILL have no usable D: partition.
Invalid media format.  D: is apparently the LINUX extended partition.

So I made a DOS logical partition hdb6.
Now that partition is D: (has no files on it yet but I could copy them 
there).

E: is invalid media format (hdb4 linux extended).  What used to be E: is 
F:, what was F: is G:. Apparently C: is the first DOS partition, D: is the 
first logical DOS partition on the second drive or if there is none then 
the extended partition (DOS or linux) on the second drive, followed by 
(E:) the extended partition on second drive if there was a logical DOS 
partition (I did not try two DOS logical partitions on that drive), 
followed by the THIRD DOS primary partition on the first drive (the second 
one evaporated somehow) and then the FOURTH DOS primary partition on the 
first drive.  So the DOS drive is C: (D disappeared) F: G:.

An absolute mess.  It might have worked better to use one drive, make one 
primary DOS partition, then an extended partition (DOS or linux) with 
three DOS partitions, but who knows which drive letter the extended 
partition would have received, perhaps E:, perhaps G:?

Umplugging hdb puts things right on hda.  If I ever need the programs in 
D: I can go into BIOS and tell it there is no primary slave drive (hdb).
I can put BL2 and BL3 into partitions on C:.

But:

On the other computer where I made a linux extended partition (without 
first making a DOS extended partition, deleting it, and making a linux 
extended partition instead) I have files in C: D: E: F: as expected.

The first computer is 1.4GHz, the second 1.1GHz (with one ISA slot).
The 1.1GHz is the one where busybox 1.3.2 fdisk messed up the partition 
table.

I will blame the BIOS for the messed up drive letters.

Expect problems if you mix DOS and linux and use extended partitions and 
have more than one DOS partition.

Sindi