NOTE: Do not use IBMIDECD.FLT 24156 9-25-98, OS2DASD.CMD 40808
PRECAUTIONS: since you're dealing with HDD (Hard Disk Drive) partitioning and
Installation Diskettes which can fail, I suggest you do
the following ... it's better to be safe than sorry!
1) Just as soon as you get OS/2 installed, make a backup archive (Right click
anywhere on Desktop, click Properties, click Archive, click "Make archive at
each system startup".) Then if something goes wrong, you can always easily
restore your system. As you add OS/2 apps, continue to make updated archives.
2) Back up any important data you may already have on your system; if at all
possible, backup your entire HDD and if you have a Secondary HDD, back it up as
well. If something goes wrong, you'll feel good knowing you can always restore your
system with all its data!
3) Obtain a copy of the HDD manufacturer's disk manager program in case you totally
corrupt your drive and can't fix it with a partitioning app or FDisk and need to
reinstall it. Here are some websites where you can download these important utilities,
and remember, you must use the utility written for your specific HDD:
Western Digital's EZ-Drive,4) If you're already using OS/2 on another computer, update it with the latest FixPak and make a couple sets of OS/2 Utility Disks; if you're installing to >8.4GB HDD, make sure you've updated to FP9 and IBM1S506.ADD from IDEDASD.EXE. You can download the latest version of IDEDASD.EXE from ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/ps/products/os2/os2ddpak/.
http://www.Westerndigital.com/support/ftp/drives.html#ezdrive;
Quantum's Disk Manager,
http://support.quantum.com/software/diskman8.htm;
Seagate's Disc-Wizard,
http://www.seagate.com/disc/discwizard/discwiz.shtml;
Maxtor's utility,
http://www.maxtor.com/library/main.html.
[IDEDASD.EXE contains ONE important driver needed for HDDs greater than 8.4GB
capacity: IBM1S506.ADD 54098 10-8-98. You must obtain the other three device drivers
for HDDs >8.4GB HDD from FP9: IBMIDECD.FLT 24136 9-30-98, OS2DASD.CMD 40894 8-7-98
and IBMATAPI.FLT 30436 6-12-98. These updated files are important since some system's
CD-ROMs couldn't upload the setup and installation files using the original >8.4GB
HDD device drivers in IDEDASD.EXE Also, make sure to printout the readme.txt file.]
5) Make two copies of OS/2 Installation Disk, Disk 1 and Disk 2. One way to do
it is to open an OS/2 Window, insert OS/2 Operating System, Bonus Pak CD, go to
root directory of the CD and type CDINST.BAT. Then delete the four old device drivers
on Disk 1 and copy the updated device drivers to the floppy. Finally, modify config.sys
on Disk 1 by adding the line SET COPYFROMFLOPPY =1 at
the beginning and the line BASEDEV=IBMATAPI.FLT after
line BASEDEV=IBMIDECD.FLT . Be sure to write protect
your new disks by sliding up the protection tab on the upper left hand corner of
the floppy disk. One reason you may need two copies of the three Installation Disks
is if your system hangs on the first disk with error
OS/2!!! SYS 02025
OS/2!!! SYS 02027
Sometimes inserting the other Installation Disk allows your system to read
it ... but don't ask me why!
6) Download latest OS/2 drivers for your specific CD-ROM and sound card, as well
as software, if required, for your 56K modem (remember, you can't use a WinModem
with OS/2).
7) Download loaddskf.exe (the expanding utility) and the latest versions of IBM's
GRADD video display drivers from
http://www.service5.boulder.ibm.com/pspfixpk.nsf/3f5d9c073e8a66718625662
800691e9b?OpenView&Start=1&Count=300&Expand=195#195 . You'll need
these if your video display card doesn't have drivers for OS/2. After you've installed
OS/2, use loaddskf.exe to expand GRADD, then copy to [OS/2 Boot Drive:\GRADD]. Then,
from OS/2 window, type SETUP [and the code letters for your video display card or
GEN if no specific GRADD drivers exist] and press Enter. (You can find the code
letters in the readme file). If you install a display card specific GRADD driver,
then make sure you've installed at least FP5 (the minimum required for all the new
GRADD drivers). The original GENGRADD, included with OS/2 Warp 4.0, should be able
to run any card without a FP installed, but you should upgrade to the new GRADD
drivers a.s.a.p. since the original version may lack WIN/OS2 support on some systems.
8) Finally, it's always a good idea to make a step-by-step log of your install
just in case something goes wrong.
FAT32 format, be aware of the fact that OS/2 FDisk may not be able to read the
partitions, in which case you must let OS/2 FDisk delete the partition(s) and create
new ones. Then install Windows on the first Primary partition using "Custom"
install which allows you to select the features you like, i.e. "Desktop Themes".
If you're adding OS/2 Warp 4.0 to a preloaded Windows system, it probably only
has one huge partition. Depending on your system, you may or may not be able to
use Partition Magic 4.0 to successfully create and format additional partitions,
although a later version may work just fine. You can always use OS/2 Advanced Install
and let OS/2's FDisk resize the single WIN98 partition, then create a new Primary
partition for OS/2_SYS and an EXTENDED partition for your Logical partitions for
OS2_APPS, OS2_DATA, OS2_BACKUP, WIN98_APPS, WIN98_DATA, WIN98_BACKUP, etc. If OS/2
FDisk doesn't offer the Resize/Move option, then you'll have to use a partitioning
utility like Partition Magic 4.0 to resize the single Windows partition (remember,
Partition Magic 3.0 does not support >8.4GB HDDs). Since Partition Magic 4.0
may not create and format valid partitions for OS/2 on a >8.4GB HDD, I would
recommend you only resize the partition and let OS/2's Advanced Install FDisk create
the Boot Manager, OS/2 Primary partition, Add Partition to Boot Manager and create
an EXTENDED partition for your additional Logical partitions. Now, here's the step-by-step
process for installing OS/2 to a >8.4GB HDD with Windows preloaded:
1) After loading OS/2 Installation Disk, Diskette 1 and Diskette 2, OS/2 Setup
will offer you two options: Easy Install and Advanced Install. Select Advanced Install.
a) If OS/2's FDisk option "Add Boot Manager" is active, then add the Boot Manager now (you don't have to create a partition for Boot Manager as OS/2 FDisk will do this for you).2) Now you're entering OS/2 Install with a resized Primary partition preloaded with Windows.
b) If the "Add Boot Manager" option is not active, then "Resize/Move Partition" your Win98's partition first (it's probably taking up the entire HDD) to something like 350MB.
c) If the "Resize/Move Partition" option wasn't active, then abort setup and resize the Windows partition with a partitioning utility like Partition Magic 4.0 and begin the install process again.
a) After loading OS/2 Installation Disk, Diskette 1 and Diskette 2, OS/2 Setup will offer you two options: Easy Install and Advanced Install. Select Advanced Install.
b) Your task is now to add IBM's Boot Manager and create an OS/2 Primary partition. If "Add Boot Manager" option is active, do it now. If it isn't, then "Create Partition" first (type Primary, format HPFS, size 350MB and label OS2_SYS or whatever), then "Add Boot Manager" and finally highlight the OS/2 partition and "Add Partition to Boot Manager". You can also highlight the Windows partition and "Add Partition to Boot Manager" as well ... but if you don't or can't, Boot Manager will usually do it for you when the Setup and Installation process is complete.
c) Now you'll have a Primary Boot Manager partition with Boot Manager installed, a Primary 350MB WIN98_SYS partition, a Primary OS2_SYS partition and a large Free Space. In this Free Space, you can now create an EXTENDED partition for all the Logical partitions you i.e. WIN98_APPS (FAT if you want OS/2 to "see" it or FAT32 if you don't), WIN98_DATA (FAT or FAT32), OS2_APPS (FAT if you want WIN98 to see it or HPFS if you want the advantages of HPFS or don't want WIN98 to see it), OS2_DATA (FAT or HPFS), OS2_SWAP (HPFS only - absolutely no need for WIN98 to see it!), etc. Create the FAT partitions first, then the HPFS partitions. Remember,
*** WIN98 can read FAT32 and FAT (but not HPFS).d) Finally, in preparation to adding OS/2 to your HDD, make your OS2_SYS partition "INSTALLABLE" (which automatically takes ACTIVE status away from your WIN98_SYS partition).
*** OS/2 can read FAT and HPFS (but not FAT32).
*** Therefore, by judiciously and expeditiously formatting your partitions, you can "hide" or "unhide" partitions at will :-)
*** However, some systems don't "see" FAT partitions which are located after HPFS partitions. If your system happens to be one of these, then make sure you locate all your HPFS partitions after your FAT or FAT32 partitions. My particular system "sees" HPFS partitions after FAT partitions OK so I didn't have to be concerned with this precaution.
e) F3 to exit FDisk and F3 to continue installation which should
continue just fine without any further difficulty.
OOPS ... POSSIBLE ERRORS, WARNINGS AND OTHER CHALLENGES:
1) OS/2!!! SYS 02025 (disk read or boot record error) OS/2!!! SYS 02027 (must restart system). I've found no sure-fire way to workaround this challenge! Sometimes one method works, sometimes another. Anyway, try this:
a) Insert another Installation Disk and restart (remember, you made extra copies earlier).2) INSTALLATION DISK BOOTS UP BUT ABORTS. Solution: with Installation Disk in floppy drive, reboot. When you see the white square and OS/2 in the upper left hand corner of the screen, quickly click ALT/F1, then "Disable Hardware Detection".
b) Insert non-bootable disk and RESET computer, then when error message displayed, insert Installation Disk and restart.
c) Disable Power Management and reboot.
d) Disable BIOS level Anti-Virus and reboot.
e) Disable CACHE and reboot.
f) When you've tried everything else, concentrate on the upper left hand corner of your screen, wave your hand and loudly chant "OS/2" repeatedly while rebooting. This method works the best of them all :-) !!!
g) Any combination of the above but be sure to include (f).
3) DISK 1 ABORTS. Solution: with Installation Disk in floppy drive, reboot. When you see the white square and OS/2 in the upper left hand corner of the screen, quickly click ALT/F1, then F2. Watch to see which driver fails to load. Disable that driver in Disk 1 config.sys by putting a REM at the beginning of the line.
4) CD-ROM DOESN'T WORK. Chances are you're using the new device drivers for >8.4G HDD from IDEDASD.EXE which may refuse to activate the CD-ROM on some systems. Solution: use the updated device drivers from FP9 (IBMIDECD.FLT 24156 9-24-98, OS2DASD.CMD 40894 8-7-98 and IBMATAPI.FLT 6-12-98 30436) plus IBM1S506.ADD 54098 10-8-98 from IDEDASD.EXE
5) OS/2 FDISK ERROR MESSAGES AND WARNINGS:
"Your partitions may be corrupted"
"Warning: No Partition over 100MB set installable"
"No minimum partition size of 100MB. Currently no partition of at least this size on your HDD".
Solution Option #1: if OS/2 FDisk allows "Set Installable" for your OS2_SYS partition, then ignore the error messages and "Set Installable", then F3 & F3 again and continue installation.
Solution Option #2: if FDisk allows only "Delete Partition" for your OS2_SYS partition, then your partitions really are corrupted. You must delete the offending OS/2 partition and then, using only OS/2 FDisk, "Add Boot Manager" (if you haven't already), then "Create Partition" for OS2_SYS partition, then "Add Partition to Boot Manager", then "Set Installable" and F3 & F3 again.
6) WIN98 DESTROYS OS/2. This happens if you install OS/2 first, then Win98. The OEM version of Win98 sniffs around all existing HDDs, finds OS/2 or Linux or whatever on your Primary or Secondary HDD and offers to format it out of existence before continuing Win98 installation.
Solution #1: make sure you install Win98 first, then OS/2 or use the full retail version of Win98 rather than the OEM edition that came with your computer. Contrary to some reports, you cannot edit Win98 config.sys to prevent the formatting; neither can you edit autoexec.bat or any other file. To the best of my knowledge, the format command is contained within OEMSETUP.EXE.
Solution #2: from my point of view, the best option is to install Win98 to a Primary HDD and OS/2 to a Secondary HDD. On my system, I made the small 1.0GB HDD the Primary HDD for Win98 and the large 10.2GB HDD the Secondary HDD for OS/2. That way, if Win98 breaks, I can disconnect HDD #2, install Win98 to HDD #1, then reconnect HDD #2. (Note: don't try to disconnect HDD #1 with OS/2 and install Win98 to HDD #2, then reconnect HDD #1. Win98 won't work if you do!)
OOPS ... MORE POSSIBLE ERRORS, WARNINGS AND OTHER CHALLENGES INVOLVING PARTITION MAGIC 4.0:
1) OS/2 DOESN'T RECOGNIZE PARTITIONS ON >8.4GB HDD, ONLY <8.4 GB.
Depending on your system, this may happen if you're using Partition Magic 4.0 and created and formatted partitions while running under Win98. It will appear to successfully partition your Primary or Secondary >8.4GB HDD but after OS/2 is installed, OS/2 can recognize partitions only on your <8.4GB HDD and none on your >8.4GB HDD.
Solution: using Partition Magic, delete all partitions except your WIN98_SYS partition. If necessary, Resize your Win98 partition to create Free Space. Restart computer and begin OS/2 install again. Select Advanced Install and use only OS/2 FDisk to create and format your partitions. Keep your partitions 2GB or less in size. [PM4.0 "IMPORTANT NOTICE" states, "2. To run Partition Magic 4.0 on systems with *only* OS/2, Linux or Windows NT 3.51 installed: For OS/2: Under OS/2, run MAKEDIST.BAT from the OS2INST subdirectory of the distribution CD-ROM. This will create a bootable floppy disk set. Partition Magic will run automatically when you reboot using this disk set." While you shouldn't have to make these disks if you can run Partition Magic 4.0 under Win98, you might be inclined to give it a try. However, while I was able to use these disks to successfully create and format partitions which OS/2 could see, when I rebooted OS/2, it refused to start and displayed a screen dump. If this happens to you, restart OS/2 and hit ALT/F1 when you see the white square and OS/2 and select a recent archive to load. If you don't have an archive or OS/2 continues to have problems with WarpCenter you may have to format the partition and reinstall OS/2.]
2) OS/2 FDISK CAN'T RESIZE WINDOWS PARTITION. If the Windows partition is your only partition and "Resize Partition" is grayed out, your only options are to use the "Delete Partition" and then "Create Partition" and continue setup and install per previous instructions in this article.
3) "CAN'T SET ACTIVE". Depending on your system, this may happen if you're using Partition Magic 4.0 running under Win98. It will appear to successfully partition your Primary or Secondary >8.4GB HDD, but can't "Set Active" any partition. In my opinion, that's because the partitions are corrupted and Partition Magic knows it.
Solution: using Partition Magic, delete all partitions except your WIN98_SYS partition. Restart computer and begin OS/2 install again. Select Advanced Install and use only OS/2 FDisk to create and format your partitions.
4) "A PARTITION OF AT LEAST 100MB MUST BE SET INSTALLABLE. PRESS ANY KEY" or "THE PARTITION MAPPING ON DRIVE 1 MAY BE CORRUPTED. PRESS ANY KEY". If you continue and select "Set Installable", then F3 & F3 again, and you see a second error message, "WARNING! NO PRIMARY PARTITION EXISTS. PRESS ANY KEY", you might as well abort your installation. Chances are excellent the OS/2 setup and installation will fail, displaying any number of error messages and warnings, and fonts, WPS and device and hardware drivers may fail to load.
Solution: using Partition Magic, delete all partitions except your WIN98_SYS partition. Restart computer and begin OS/2 install again. Select Advanced Install and use only OS/2 FDisk to create and format your partitions.
FINAL THOUGHTS: SEPARATING OS's FROM APPS AND APPS FROM DATA
You don't have to do it this way but I think it makes a lot of sense if you do.
1) have the WIN98_SYS and OS2_SYS Primary partitions contain your operating systems only (by the way, be sure to label your partitions). That way you can make easy OS upgrades without interfering with your programs or data.
2) have the WIN98_APPS and OS2_APPS partitions contain your applications. That way you can make easy application upgrades without interfering with your OS or data.
3) have the WIN98_DATA and OS2_DATA partitions contain your data files and you set your app preferences to save documents, databases, etc. to these partitions. That way you can make easy OS and application upgrades without interfering with your data.
4) consider creating a special partition at the end of all the others (i.e. OS2_SWAP and format it HPFS) if your OS allows you to specify where its swapfile is ... like OS/2 does.
5) If at all possible, install Win98 to a Primary partition on your Primary HDD and OS/2 to a Logical partition on your Secondary HDD.
Remember, my disclaimer: "I don't know everything about anything!!!".
This article represents what I have learned about installing OS/2 on a HDD greater than 8.4GB on MY system. Your system may, and probably will, react differently.
Please feel free to make comments and suggestions which would improve this article. Our common goal should be to help OS/2 users, both novice and experienced, to get the most out of their systems. Installing OS/2 on systems with single or multiple HDDs >8.4GB is a fairly new experience with a good number of potential challenges and I hope this article helps make that experience somewhat easier.
Aloha from Maui,
John Twelker
RaceManPro Windsurfing Software, Co-Developer
http://www.ultranet.com/~lefebvre/RaceManPro/
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