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OS/2 - Technical => Setup & Installation => Topic started by: kslrr on 2008.08.30, 19:28:46

Title: Partitioning HD with OS2 Warp 4
Post by: kslrr on 2008.08.30, 19:28:46
First off, new guy here.  I have been working with computers in the Building Controls Industry since 1986.  I graduated with a BSEET from DeVry Phoenix in 1985.  Nice site you have here.

I have searched through this site and though I have found many issues regarding HD partitioning, I have not found my situation.

I am attempting to install OS2 Warp 4 on a Toshiba Satellite that's at least 7 years old.  It has a 5.7 GB HD and I had upgraded it to Win XP.  I want to have a PC with OS2 so that I can run some old BMS software.  I read through the OS2 manual several times and planned out the installation: Boot Manager on Pri 1, DOS 6.1 w/ DeskView on Pri 2, OS2 w/ DOS 6.1 on Pri 3 and then a logical drive on the extended partition.

When I first ran the OS2 install disks and got as far as Fdisk, I could see the partition that Win XP was on but when I choose to deleate it, the only free space was 63 MB.  After re-reading the bool again and re-running OS2 install with no change, I now have DOS 6.1 installed on a 2GB partition and 2 logical drives on the extended partition.  Now when I run OS2 install and get to Fdisk, I see only the 2GB DOS Pri partition.  My only action choice is Delete Partition and when I do, again only 63 MB free space.  Do I need to download some sort of fix from somewhere?
Title: Re: Partitioning HD with OS2 Warp 4
Post by: Glenn on 2008.08.30, 20:18:43
2 things... I would suggest putting the OS/2 boot partition before the DOS. Make it 512 Mb or so and then create an OS/2 partition in the logical partition for all the extra stuff. You might be reaching a partition limitation if the OS/2 warp installation has not been updated. Which leads me to the second thing...
The original OS/2 installation is very antiquated. Try applying the following to your boot floppies:

First, follow this: http://www.warpdoctor.org/lib/info/idehdd.html
Then your may need: http://service.software.ibm.com/os2dd/free/extpart/expartw4.exe

-Glenn
Title: Re: Partitioning HD with OS2 Warp 4
Post by: Fahrvenugen on 2008.08.30, 21:11:06
Yes, there are 2 difficulties.

First, the FDISK in the original release of Warp 4 isn't likely to recognize the full size of that hard disk.  Using the fdisk in extpartw4.exe will help

Second (and this is probably more important then FDISK) the ibm1s506.add driver won't recognize the full size of that hard disk.  My suggestion is to download and use DANIS506.ADD instead of the IBM driver.

Danis can be found at:

http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/cgi-bin/h-search?key=danis506

If on the other hand you'd like to use the latest IBM driver that also can be used to fix issues with OS/2 recognizing the full size of hard disks, you can find the latest ibm1s506.add driver at:

ftp://service.boulder.ibm.com/ps/products/os2/os2ddpak_cur/idedasd.exe

sometimes when doing an install OS/2 prefers to have the IBM driver instead of DANIS (well, it can be done with DANIS too, but this can take a bit of work to accomplish if you don't know what you're doing).

At a minimum you'll need to create updated install / boot disks.  Just make copies of the ones you're using and replace the files you need to replace.

Hope this helps!

Title: Re: Partitioning HD with OS2 Warp 4
Post by: kslrr on 2008.08.30, 21:38:56
Wow, thanks for the quick and concise responses!  You guys are as good as the folks on the SOHC4 forum.
Title: Re: Partitioning HD with OS2 Warp 4
Post by: Fahrvenugen on 2008.08.31, 00:07:24
Hi Kslrr,

Welcome to the forum!  I'm also guessing you may be new to OS/2

You may also find useful a post that I put together a number of years ago where someone had asked how get an up to date install of Warp 4.

http://www.os2world.com/cgi-bin/ultraboard/UltraBoard.cgi?action=Read&BID=62&TID=1102&P=1&SID=#ID4

Be sure to read the whole thread...

Also, a few things have been updated since then.

There's been an update to the TCP/IP stack, assuming you take the info on the post to update to the 32 bit stack.

After having installed the latest MPTS and MPTS fixpak, download the newstack.zip file at:

http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/cgi-bin/h-search?key=newstack

its got some updated files to the latest "mpts" fixpack.

Also, Scitech has released a free registration code for the latest SNAP video driver at:

http://www.scitechsoft.com/ftp/snap/os2/snap-os2-3.1.8.exe

http://www.scitechsoft.com/ftp/snap/os2/free-reg-code.txt

Hope this helps!
Title: Re: Partitioning HD with OS2 Warp 4
Post by: ddan on 2008.08.31, 06:24:03
This may be superfluous, but it's possible that you're now completely puzzled
by what SHOULD work but simply doesn't for no visible cause, nor with any
clue. I'm a little more pessimistic than others here because W4 FDISK has
beaten me up several times, perhaps because I rarely start with clean drives.

W4's FDISK varies between nice and deranged on various drives, with no pattern
that I ever managed to determine. With the odd wrong size you're getting, it
may be deranged. Above doesn't clearly state the problem is a 4.3G limit for
the boot partition with plain W4, a legacy of the 1024 cylinder limit, but
you're okay on another limit of total drive size under 8G before you actually
need the DANI driver, and if you haven't ever switched .ADDs on a boot floppy,
that can be hairy in itself, requires modifying CONFIG.SYS so that it copies
the DANI file from the floppy, or you accomplish nothing.

Either W4 or CP2 may even format and install but then fail to boot from HD,
wasting half an hour or so. Annoying. Sometimes "FDISK /NEWMBR" after again
booting OS/2 from floppy will get you going, but as I recall with W4, you must
track down FDISK first, because the commands paths aren't set.

I can tell you that after considerable flailing I never managed to get W4 onto
a partition (actually drive) larger than 4G, even with the DANI driver. So I
suggest skipping it at least for a first try. It's always much easier to
intall on smaller drives, though partitioning as you outline should work.

It's also possible to so HOSE your drive that W4's FDISK won't touch it again
unless you use DOS 6.22's (NOT 98) FDISK to restore it to a DOS-bootable
state. ── Yes, really, and a similar problem is that even the later LVM of CP2
won't get rid of previous Linux GRUB or Win NTFS, requires DOS 6.22.

Since your partitions are small, I'd use DOS 6.22 FIRST, in contrast to other
advice, get it booting to DOS, then switch to OS/2 on that same partition. If
it works with 6.22, you'll almost certainly be able to find it with OS/2, see
it properly sized, and successfully boot from it after installing.

And for sure use HPFS on the physically first partition to not wear out the
FAT tracks on an older drive, DOES happen, besides that you won't be able to
use some features of OS/2 without HPFS.
Title: Re: Partitioning HD with OS2 Warp 4
Post by: ModZilla on 2008.08.31, 19:39:09
yes, and further, getting to an HPFS on a HD larger than 4.3 GB is a run around as well, I would take the clean sweep approach before messing around with F_Disk.com thingys on floppies...
I am no expert so take this for what has been my experience though limited:
I would make the Lap behave itself:


Get a Bios fix so you can get rid of ACPI, flash as need be so your Toshiba will "see" non windows partitions, I did this on a Compaq and then on a Gateway lap(s) Using a VCom product, as I mentioned I am no expert and am writing this to you from recall which is not so clear at my age; if you need more succinct info I will do a step by step replay for you in real time and relate that, but as I remember I went into the bios and selected the advance menu and then changed partition type to "other" before anything else, I did this from the 'fly-out' list - so this option in my scenario berid me of XP and WINME, ie windoze boondoggles as it had "been OEM set to "XP/Y2K"


LOSE the hard drive partitions...ALL OF THEM AND LET THE OS INSTALL DISKS TRY TO WORK FROM A New clean HPFS partition you install as you may not need any drivers or other unknown workarounds to get the install partition on the 5gig HD.

to do this I used a partition app that allows you to delete all the partitions and in one operation as well as allows you to create an HPFS and then fix the MBR and "other" changes to the drive, like bad cylinders ALL AT ONCE, Partition Commander 10 app I found is not the way to go here, nor a PARAGON engine. However the "all at once" routine described can be done, I did it using VCOMs sister app which is a
"professional" version of system/disk utilities: "system suite 6" by V-com using the Manual partitioning feature with this app [this version is 3-4 yrs old already], which allows you to set up an os/2 install partition and an HPFS partition. Once a SID is defined with MBR repair and a proper cylinder start point is selected all done at once in the manual partitioning ops, you should not have any more workarounds or problems other than a clean install of the OS in question...I HOPE! as I said this has worked twice for me with the app I used, you may want to visit v-com.com and gather more info about manual partitioning. I even got rid of "grub" and repaired a boot.ini file with this "Suite" how sweet it is... :-*
   
Title: Re: Partitioning HD with OS2 Warp 4
Post by: kslrr on 2008.09.01, 03:46:42
Wow, now my head hurts and like Fahrvenugen says, I am new to OS/2.  I had created new disks 1 and 2 from Warpdoctor and used the newest IBM driver and FDISK.  Now my new Disk 1 hangs up.  I made a copy of the original Disk 1, copied the newer driver and am able to get through the install with the new Disk 2 with the updated FDISK.  I see the DOS 6.1 partition that I had created, but not the extended partition (and drives) and still see only 63 MB when I delete the Primary.  This last try, I wasn't watching what I was doing and chose "Easy Installation".  OS/2 installed just fine this way, but I do not have the end result that I want.  I want to use Boot Manager to be able to choose between OS/2 with DOS, or DOS boot with Deskview and then a Logical D: drive.  I will keep trying, I know I can figure it out over time.  Thanks for all the guidance.
Title: Re: Partitioning HD with OS2 Warp 4
Post by: ModZilla on 2008.09.01, 05:26:19
I wish I had a straight ans for that, I know OS2 uses older windows apps and works with PC DOS well, but you may be alluding to a dual boot system, which to me would not be a clean install on a single partition. But good luck, someone here more technically saavy here will be able to help you out...welcome to the best forum online :)

MZ
if all the greenies were really Blue... we'd all be facing global cooling and wouldnt that be, uh, just truly devine and "warped" out! 
Title: Re: Partitioning HD with OS2 Warp 4
Post by: Andi on 2008.09.01, 15:42:20
I would recommend for all disk partitioning activities DFSee. From the bootable CD (maybe there's a boot disk for download available too) create all partition and install the boot manager within DFSee. Create your DOS partitions at the begining right after the boot manager and behind that a logical for OS/2. 650MB is more than enough for the OS. Mark this partition as installable (within DFSee) and start the Warp installation afterwards.

Maybe it's wise to wipe off all partitions before with DFSee. But don't forget to reboot after that and create your partitions (inclusive boot manager) afterwards.




Title: Re: Partitioning HD with OS2 Warp 4
Post by: BigWarpGuy on 2008.09.01, 16:55:19
http://www.dfsee.com/ (http://www.dfsee.com/)
DFSee web site.
http://www.dfsee.com/download/pmtposd2.zip (ftp://http://www.dfsee.com/download/pmtposd2.zip)
Thinkpad On Screen Display utility (OS/2 32-bit, open source)
http://www.dfsee.com/download/repmod.zip (ftp://http://www.dfsee.com/download/repmod.zip)
Replace locked-modules (OS/2 32-bit, incl source)
http://www.dfsee.com/download/swlist.zip (ftp://http://www.dfsee.com/download/swlist.zip)
Dump window / switch-list (OS/2 32-bit, incl source)
http://www.dfsee.com/download/fhandles.zip (ftp://http://www.dfsee.com/download/fhandles.zip)
 Show available filehandles (OS/2 32-bit, incl source)
http://www.dfsee.com/download/shmemmon.zip (ftp://http://www.dfsee.com/download/shmemmon.zip)
Monitor shared memory (OS/2 32-bit, incl source)
http://www.dfsee.com/download/shmem.zip (ftp://http://www.dfsee.com/download/shmem.zip)
Display/Eat shared memory (OS/2 32-bit, incl source)

commercial
http://www.dfsee.com/dfsee/dfsee9xx.zip (ftp://http://www.dfsee.com/dfsee/dfsee9xx.zip)   http://www.dfsee.com/dfsee/dfsee912.zip
 (ftp://http://www.dfsee.com/dfsee/dfsee912.zip)  Latest DFSee complete ZIP archive using '9xx' filename or '912' filename (6 Mb ZIP, all 5 platforms)
http://www.dfsee.com/dfsee/dfsee9xx_warpin.exe (ftp://http://www.dfsee.com/dfsee/dfsee9xx_warpin.exe)  http://www.dfsee.com/dfsee/dfsee912_warpin.exe (ftp://http://www.dfsee.com/dfsee/dfsee912_warpin.exe)
Latest DFSee as WARPIN installer using '9xx' filename or '912' filename (4.5 Mb EXE, OS2/eCS only!)
(http://www.dfsee.com/dfsee/dfsee9-cd12-175.gif)
Title: Re: Partitioning HD with OS2 Warp 4
Post by: ddan on 2008.09.02, 11:46:51
kslrr:
Doubt that you're going to get BootManager on unless the disk is bootable from DOS as I mention above; OS/2's FDISK can be HIGHLY uncooperative, just grays out options, sometimes ALL of them.

As for the DFSEE route, that'll work but may be a long diversion to learn it.

Oh. I will correct one point I made above: it IS possible to PUT a W4 installation onto a partition larger than 4G, I used DFSEE and cloned, then expanded, but installing onto over 4G, well, HAVE FUN, and please let me know how to do it.
Title: Re: Partitioning HD with OS2 Warp 4
Post by: Fahrvenugen on 2008.09.05, 02:31:33
It all depends on the hard disk, it is certainly possible to get Warp 4 to install on a larger partition.  I have a Warp 4 installed on a 10 GB partition, and it works fine.

And Yes, if you grab the updated FDISK and use either the Danis506 driver or the updated IBM1S506 driver on the boot disk, it will generally work fine with larger hard disks and even successfully install boot manager.  I've done this quite a bit.  However it is also true that DFSee is able to handle a  lot more hard disks and situations then IBM's FDISK ever could handle.

The big thing with OS/2 3 or 4 is that it has to be installed on a partition that exists within the first 1024 cylinders of the hard disk.  Depending on the size of the hard disk, this could be a significant size partition for a boot partition.  The Warp 4 install that I have on a 10 GB partition has a 500 GB hard disk in the computer, and I did the entire install and all the partitioning (including installing Boot Manager) using IBM's FDISK (the updated one).  So yes, it will work.

The other thing to keep in mind is that HPFS partitions are limited to 64 GB.  So if you want to use HPFS on a large drive, you're going to have a lot of partitions / drive  letters.  On the other hand, JFS can go up to 2 Terrabytes per volume, so that is a better way to go (but for that you'll need to use eCS or MCP, or perhaps the openjfs port that was on Hobbes a while back, although I've never used that)