[OT] Drive geometry question

[Bill Davidson]

On Thu, 10 Jul 2003 17:36:22 -0400 (EDT)
Net Llama! <netllama at linux-sxs.org> wrote:

> On Thu, 10 Jul 2003, Bill Davidson wrote:
> > On Thu, 10 Jul 2003 16:37:44 -0400 (EDT)
> > Net Llama! <netllama at linux-sxs.org> wrote:
> >
> > > On Thu, 10 Jul 2003, Bill Davidson wrote:
> > > > I decided to install FreeBSD and give it a try. My drive
> > > > geometry is set to 193821 cyls/63 sectors/16 heads. FreeBSD's
> > > > fdisk says that's
> > >
> > > Where are you reading that geometry?
> >
> > That's what FreeBSD reports to find. I also get that from linux
> > fdisk. I just don't understand what will happen if I partition the
> > drive using a different geometry, or if it even matters.
> 
> No, i meant the geometry that you think it should be compared to the
> gemoetry that FreeBSD thinks it should be.

Here are the recommended settings from the western digital website for
this drive model:
16383 cyls/63 sectors/16 heads

Hmm... That's odd. Only the cylinders are different from what I've got.

> > > > incorrect and wants to use 12161 cyls/63 sectors/ 255 heads. Is
> > > > it safe to go ahead and create a FreeBSD partition with this
> > > > drive geometry? I would prefer not to hose everything installing
> > > > this ;)
> > >
> > > Could be that FreeBSD is doing some kind of LBA32 equivalent.
> >
> > So this is harmless?
> 
> maybe.  i've never used *BSD, so i don't know how it determines the
> CSH numbers.  If no one else pipes up here, you'd be safest to ask on
> a FreeBSD list.

Alright. I thought this might be more of a generic pc question. I guess
not. 

Bill