Date: Wed, 27 Dec 2000 23:15:53 -0600
From: Gary
Gary --
Did you disable the Promise hard disk controller on the A7V? It seems to have taken about 4 KBytes of RAM for itself, and some software (both Linux and Windoze) rebels. I would like to get the RAM back, even if I have to add a hard-disk controller card in a slot. But I don't know how to disable the on-board Promise, which already provides two channels.
Hi Dick, As far as I know, there is no way to disable the ATA 100 Promise controller/connector. I did not use these for my 2 Hds, and did not load any of the Promise software for Windows. However, you may use, according to the manual, either connector, the 100 Promise or the Primary IDE connector and/or secondary connector, as they are backward compatible to either DMA/66 or 33 automatically. I was told that if I did not want to use it, just don't install the software for Promise. I put both my HDs on the regular IDE connector. I know of no other way of disabling it. I just tried to boot (for the first time since the new upgrade, as I have been working in SuSE all day) into W2K, and it will not do it. It locks me out with a GPF - initialization of the I/O system failed.. says to check the IDE port devices, etc. All is set up correctly. I even just reinstalled LILO using /sbin/lilo, and that would not do it. SuSE boots up fine on the slave HD, as always. Did I ever tell you how much I hate winders? ... with W2K, and this problem, I might just have to reinstall after I play around with the cables and maybe have to put them in the Promise connector. That's all that I can think of. -- Best regards, Gary Today's thought: Chaos, panic, pandemonium - my work here is done.