The following patch is for those people using an Adaptec 2322A or 2322B and a drive of less than 1024 cylinders and are receiving the error "Abend Invalid drive table for AT ROM BIOS". May be helpful for anyone else not able to access their drive for the full size.
Step 1
Make Sure the Adaptec BIOS is enabled (factory default). Use your PC AT or compatible setup program to select drive TYPE 1. This is important. If not set to TYPE 1 then the Adaptec BIOS will initialize drive improperly.
Step 2
When formatting the drive for the first time, the Adaptec disk preparation program must be used. This is mandatory for the autoconfiguration to work properly. The Adaptec disk preparation is started by the DOS debug program, then typing the command:
G=C800:5<CR>
Choose from the main menu option 1. This option starts the primary format and will run the autoconfiguration. When completed the option to <ESC> to DOS prompt will appear choose this and exit to DOS.
Step 3
Executing the patch on Novell 2.1 software or greater.
Novell 2.1 is delivered with a standard driver program called ATDISK.OBJ. That file must be patched before the generation of the utilities and the Operating System. This is done with the standard DOS debug program.
1)Make a back-up of the original diskette. Work from the back-up diskette.
2)Load the debugger and the ATDISK.OBJ file by entering the command
Debug ATDISK.OBJ
3)Search for the hexadecimal code B9 64 00 by entering the command:
S CS:0 FFFF B9 64 00<CR>
Note: This does not exist with 2.12 or greater Netware nor is it needed with Adaptec 2322B cards. It has to do with the controller response time.
4)The debugger should find one occurence and tell you the address of the first byte of the sequence with a display having the following format:
XXXX:YYYY where YYYY is the address of the first byte of the sequence
In the sequence of code B9 64 00, the value 64 must be replaced by the value 00 and the value 00 must be replaced by value 02.
This is done by entering the command:
E CS:YYYY<CR>
The debugger displays the value B9; press space bar once the debugger displays the value 64; type in 00, then press space bar. The debugger will now display the value 00; type in 02 and press the return key. To make sure that the patch was properly done, you may display the new code sequence by entering the command:
D CS:YYYY<CR>
You should now observe the sequence B9 00 02.
4)Search for hexadecimal sequence 3D 00 C8 72 by entering the command:
S CS:0 FFFF 3D 00 C8 72<CR>
The debugger should find TWO occurences of that sequence and tell you the address of the first byte of each sequence with a display having the following format:
AAAA:BBBB where BBBB and YYYY are the address XXXX:YYYY of each occurence
NOTE: With 2.15 there will be 4 such locations. Apply the patch to *ONLY* the first two occurences. This sequence patch will allow the Adaptec BIOS to set the drive head and cylinder count.
In the sequence of 3D 00 C8 72, the value C8 must be replaced by the value 00.
This is done by entering the command:
E CS:BBBB<CR>
The debugger displays the value 3D; press the space bar twice and the debugger displays the value C8; type in 00 and press the return key. The second occurence must also be modified by entering the command:
E CS:YYYY<CR>
To make sure that the patch was properly done, you may do a display by entering the command:
D CS:BBBB<CR>
You should now observe the sequence 3D 00 00 72.
You can follow the above procedure to check the YYYY occurence by typing the command:
D CS:YYYY<CR>
You should see the sequence 3D 00 00 72 here as well.
5)The patched file is now saved on the diskette by entering the command:
W<CR>
Step 4:
The standard Novell 2.1 software generation procedure can now be followed, i.e., the link of the utilities (compsurf.exe, disked.exe, vrepair.exe, etc...) and the Operating System.
Step 5:
Once the link and generation is finished, the newly generated compsurf.exe can be run. Compsurf is a program supplied by Novell to assess the disk data reliability. It has the ability to extensively verify the hard disk.
Step 6:
Once compsurf.exe is done (message "disk passed"), the Novell 2.1 software can be installed following the standard installation procedure described by Novell.
