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-=[ Enable48BitLBA ]=-
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v1.1 2006-07-21 06:35


Enable48BitLBA MSFN forum:
http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=78592
Reference:
http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=46752

Install Fixed ESDI_506.PDR 4.10.2230 on ALL PCs/portables, including IBM
portables/laptops with removable disks!
This generic ESDI driver (ESDI_506.PDR) build should work properly with all
types of Personal Computers (PC) + portables.

NOTE
~~~~
This fix/update is cumulative. This means it includes ALL BUG fixes from all
previous official + unofficial patches/(hot)fixes/updates. Do NOT replace with
ANY other older file version(s) UNLESS having problems with current file
version(s).

INSTALL / BACKUP
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This update copies ESDI_506.PDR 4.10.2230 into %windir%\SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS
[%windir% = usually C:\WINDOWS].
Original file (if any) is backed up (renamed) as:
ESDI_506.ORI
into your %windir%\SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS folder.
CAUTION:
Installing more than ONCE will overwrite the renamed backup (ESDI_506.ORI)!

RESTORE / UNINSTALL
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How to restore original driver (if any):
Start button -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs -> select
"Unofficial 48-bit LBA > 137 GB Hard Disk ATA/IDE Improved Driver" -> click
Add/Remove button.
Or run this command from a DOS box/session/window:
RUNDLL32 ADVPACK.DLL,LaunchINFSection %windir%\INF\ATADRV98.INF,UNX
This restores original file (if any) from %windir%\SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS renamed
backup:
ESDI_506.ORI
back to its original name:
ESDI_506.PDR

Description
~~~~~~~~~~~
This generic ESDI driver has been improved to make use of the 48-bit LBA
command set introduced in the ATAPI-6 standard for access to devices which
contain more than 268,435,455 sectors.

NEW WINDOWS INSTALLATIONS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you are doing a clean install of Windows on a Computer where any of the
drives has a partition extending above the 137 GB limit, you must install the
patched ESDI_506.PDR before Windows has a chance to use its unpatched driver.
Corruption may occur before you can complete the installation otherwise.
If the Windows partition itself is above the 137 Gb limit, it will DEFINTELY
CRASH!

HARD DRIVE SIZE LIMITS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The patched ESDI_506.PDR provides support for Hard Drives up to the 32-bit
Addressing Limit of 2048 GB. Possibly DOS, BIOS or Windows flaws may limit
support to 1024 GB or less. Raw Disk access tools may have their own limits.

DRIVE/PARTITION SIZE LIMITS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The size of individual Drives/Partitions are subject to additional limitations
due to File System design and Partition management tools.

IN CASE THIS ESDI_506.PDR IS OVERWRITTEN
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you install a Windows update (MDCU, Unofficial Service Pack, update, hotfix
etc) that replaces this newer ESDI_506.PDR file, and have defined
Drives/Partitions that extend above the 137 GB limit, there is a possibility of
data loss anywhere on that drive/partition.
This is due to a flaw in the original version of the ESDI_506.PDR file that
misinterprets sectors above the 137 GB limit as being sectors below it.
If in doubt, rerun the patched ESDI_506.PDR driver installer executable
BEFORE allowing Windows to reboot. If the Computer reboots before you can run
that program, make it boot in Safe Mode, run the installer, and then Reboot
again.
Or add this line:

COPY/Y %winbootdir%\COMMAND\BIGHDD\ESDI_506.PDR %winbootdir%\SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS\ESDI_506.PDR>NUL

to your C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT file, using Notepad in Windows or (EDIT.COM in DOS).
Create a new text file using Notepad in Windows (or EDIT.COM in DOS), name it
AUTOEXEC.BAT and place it in C:\ root, if you have never used AUTOEXEC.BAT
before.
Then reboot.
Last step: delete [or comment out/remark with REM or a double colon (::)] the
line above, that is if you do use an AUTOEXEC.BAT on an every day basis.
If you do not use an AUTOEXEC.BAT file, just delete it altogether after the
reboot.

System Requirements
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Windows 98 Second Edition (SE).

Technical Information
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The extended commands that have been added are:
 - 25 READ DMA EXT
 - 24 READ SECTOR(S) EXT
 - 42 READ VERIFY SECTOR(S) EXT
 - 35 WRITE DMA EXT
 - 34 WRITE SECTOR(S) EXT
The code to use these commands is appended to the end of the existing LCOD
section along with a new register initialiser to accomodate the new doubly-
written registers. The new code duplicates the style of the existing code
where necessary.

FAQ
~~~
1. Can this driver be used with drives less than 128 Gb?
 > In most cases. The driver will switch over to extended commands past the
   268,435,200th sector. Drives between 268,435,201 and 268,435,455 sectors
   that do not implement the extended command set properly may malfunction at
   this boundary condition.

2. Can this driver be used with SATA devices?
 > "Though Serial ATA (SATA) will not be able to directly interface with
   legacy Ultra ATA (UATA) hardware, it is fully compliant with the ATA
   protocol and thus is software compatible." - SATA standard.

3. Differences between this and R.Loew's "High Capacity Disk Patch" (HCDP)?
 > a. HCDP is commercial software. Enable48BitLBA is freeware.
   b. HCDP does not implement a separate register initialiser and commands
      section (read,read_noDMA,write,write_noDMA,verify). This driver uses
      a separated execution flow resulting in slightly better performance.
   c. HCDP freeware only accesses up to 145 Gb. Enable48BitLBA concievably
      should work up to FAT32 addressing limit of 2048 Gb (less 1 byte).

4. What about limits on partition sizes?
 > This driver does not accept.

Disclaimer
~~~~~~~~~~
THE AUTHOR SHALL NOT BE LIABLE IN ANY WAY (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE) FOR DAMAGE
OR SUBSEQUENT DAMAGE ARISING FROM THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE. IT IS STRONGLY
RECOMMENDED TO BACKUP ALL DATA BEFORE INSTALLING THIS SOFTWARE. SOFTWARE IS
NOT APPROVED FOR USE IN MISSION-CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTS.
Provided 'as is', without any warranties, expressed or implied.
Use at your own risk!

License
~~~~~~~
Freeware, no restrictions.

Greetz to
~~~~~~~~~
Petr/MSFN (for the idea) Tihiy/MSFN (RPLite!) MDGx/MSFN (best site for 9x!)
Team DoKEMiLU (IOS docs) PrincessByte/Angelix86 (general help),
... and YOU, for using this release. :)

Author
~~~~~~
LittyX/Lixaanli [pncw_redir_7031@hotmail.com]
______________________________________________________________________________
This installer created using MS Iexpress/INF/SED tool [free]:
http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#IEA
More info:
http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#INF
MDGx
http://www.mdgx.com/