This message is from the T13 list server.
I think we're saying the same thing in different words, sorry.
I've never had any trouble specific to the last block when I run only my own code to
talk only to ship-quality true ATA HDD from DOS, like a BIOS does. I get issues only
otherwise e.g. when I try to speak thru BIOS, Linux, Windows, Mac, etc. The only BIOS
troubles I've seen are with BIOS designed without anticipating that HDD's grow larger
every year. Elsewhere the troubles are more complex e.g. Win flavours vary in how
easily addressed is the Scsi to Ata translation layer. Win NT/2K/XP is pretty good
here, Win life was not so good before.
Original post did not specify what kind of host would be used to upgrade HDD firmware.
Roll your own BIOS? Truly "Open Firmware"? Merely standard BIOS? Not a PC at all?
Pat LaVarre
-----Original Message-----
From: Hale Landis [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Wed 1/8/2003 1:43 PM
To: T13 List Server
Cc: Pat LaVarre
Subject: RE: [t13] Reading last block
On Wed, 8 Jan 2003 11:47:20 -0700, Pat LaVarre wrote:
>This message is from the T13 list server.
>Personally I find it difficult to read the last block of any ATA HDD. How I
do manage this in certain limited circumstances is recorded at:
>http://members.aol.com/plscsi/
I have never had a problem reading the last block on any ATA HDD
(that is the block with the sector address [number of LBA, aka the
value in ID words 60:61] minus 1). I suggest that your software is
seeing a bug in the lower level I/O drivers it may be using.
Hale
*** Hale Landis *** www.ata-atapi.com ***
