user2@cgevs3.cem.msu.edu (Stephen Medlin) (06/22/91)
Hello, I wonder if someone can point out a problem for me. I recently upgraded my hard disk from an MFM to a 120 Microscience IDE drive. I called my computer manufacturer and got an upgraded BIOS (Phoenix 3.10) and was told that this Bios: 1. Was accessible thru key stroke combination, 2. Had user-definable disk types (my old 3.07 or whatever was accessed thru software and you were stuck with the default 48 or so types). Well, lo' and behold, I had been told wrong by the dealer--he admitted that I still had to access it thru software and that there are no user-definable disk types on this bios. I then was told to pick a drive similar to my hard disk capacity and do a high level format. I did so and have had good success with everything except: Norton's DirSort will not work anymore. DirSort (DS) will partially execute and then say (approximately) "No files or Directories found" and then quit. Nothing crashes, just no dir sort occurred. This ain't a major problem, but I would like to know why this occurs. I know that some of the Norton programs don't like IDE drives, could this be a problem. I have Norton 5.0 but I use the DS from 4.5 (SD doesn't allow me to use secondary, etc. keys to sort such as by Extension and Date). Second question: did my "informed" tech support person tell me correctly about using a close drive type? I am using drive type 41 (917 cyl, 15 heads, no pre-comp, 918 land zone, 17 sectors/track, 114 MB). My actual drive parameters are: 960 cyl, 7 heads, 35 sec/track, 960 land zone, and 960 pre-comp. Does formatting w/ incorrect parameters work because an IDE is an "intelligent" device. I know IDE's map logical sectors to physical sectors. Any information will be appreciated. Please send answers to either this forum or to: Medlin@cemvax.cem.msu.edu. If enough replies are given, I will post a synopsis. Thanks ahead of time. Stephen Medlin