Help with ESIX ESDI No-translation Mode

[Tom Neff]

In article <122 at bsts00.UUCP> gatech!sbmsg1!rlb at bsts00.UUCP (Ronald (Ron) L. Bolin) writes:
>Has anyone out there installed a Maxtor ESDI 4380E on ESIX with a WD1007SE2
>controller without using translation mode in the controller BIOS.  When
>I try to install it everything is ok (mkfs, fsck) but I cannot boot UNIX.
>I get the message "can't find /etc/default/boot".  Got any ideas of what may
>be wrong.  I understand that ESIX supports 1224 cyls.
>
>I selected special non-translation mode for the controller.  This allowed
>me to make file systems and install all UNIX.  But I could not boot. All
>works fine in translation mode, but I would like to go native, if I find
>out how to do-it-to-it.  Yes I checked, /etc/default/boot was installed.

I have been around and around and around this every way from Sunday.  I
have tried every configuration known to Elvis.  I have been tenacious
and devious and hackerly about it.  And I tell you, give up and take
translation mode.  It should NOT impact performance.  Jumper the SE2 for
BIOS enabled (you ARE keeping a small DOS partition for those days when
Flight Simulator beckons, right?) and translation enabled.  Then boot
DOS, drop into DEBUG, G=c800:5, select the 1023x16x51 or whatever is
right for the 4380, then find a matching BIOS drive type or add one
yourself (my Phoenix BIOS allows user definable types 48 & 49), reboot,
build a DOS partition, format it and install DOS, test boot that, boot
the ESIX install floppy, add your big UNIX partition out to 1023 with
their FDISK, install ESIX on that, and have a nice day.

-- 
You are sunlight and I, moon     |
Joined by the gods of fortune    |
Midnight and high noon           |
Sharing the sky                  |  Tom Neff
We have been blessed, you and I  |  tneff at bfmny0.bfm.com