Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2007 21:01:21 +0200 From: "Avi Cohen Stuart" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: RE: [LIB] Basic libretto 110 hard disk upgrade not working!!
I've tried to dissasseble the BIOS with IDA pro and figuring out where the hibernation stuff is. I got to admit that I didn't get far... Get a overlay or leave a gap of 100Mb after 8,<something> Gig is the second best solution (besides a bios rewrite...) Avi. > -----Original Message----- > From: David Chien [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Saturday, 06 October, 2007 7:48 > To: Libretto > Subject: RE: [LIB] Basic libretto 110 hard disk upgrade not working!! > > Date: Fri, 5 Oct 2007 22:47:05 -0700 (PDT) > From: David Chien <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: RE: [LIB] Basic libretto 110 hard disk upgrade not working!! > > > Looks like I went a bit too fast with that new hard > drive....I never > > for a second thought about the hybernation problem (of which I had > > read about already, but forgotten). > > So when does a Libretto hybernate? Could I simply switch > hybernation off? > > There are always two seperate issues upgrading the Libretto > HD with something larger than 8GB on the older models (the > U100 for example uses a modern BIOS that handles much larger > HDs w/o any problems - this problem would affect only older > models such as the L20-110, etc). > > 1) BIOS support for reporting the correct HD size for > partitioning and formatting it. As we've seen before, the > BIOS itself doesn't report the correct size (as I recall) - > as long as the OS (not DOS for example, which does this > incorrectly) is modern enough to calculate the HD size itself > and not depend on what's reported by the BIOS, then it can > format the HD and partition it correctly. > Modern OSs such as Linux and Windows XP have no problem > in this regard, older OSs will most likely do (such as DOS for sure). > You can get around this with older OSs by using modern > OSs or another computer for formatting and partitioning, > which is why doing so in a desktop PC often works fine for > most upgraders; or simply using Linux or WXP for this. > > Naturally, you can easily bypass the low-level problems > either by using a modern OS/partitioning tool, or simply > using a disk overlay program like EZDrive like I've done. > Both methods are reliable and work fine. > > 2) Allocating space for the hibernation data to be written > to the 8GB boundary. This again doesn't affect the U100, but > does affect the older models such as the L20-110. When the > older Librettos were designed, the had HDs only smaller than > about 10GB available, so noone thought of designing for a > larger HD at Toshiba. (In fact, when some L110's shipped > with larger HDs later on in its production life, they merely > set the BIOS to think it was a 8GB HD.) > As a result, they put the hibernation data at the end of > the HD if the HD was smaller than 8GB or so; at the 8GB > boundary if it was larger than 8GB. > They definitely had no idea that 2.5" HDs now come in 300GB models! > > If someone has BIOS modification knowledge, they can > edit it and get around both #1 and #2 problems, but this > naturally requires reverse engineering and low-level BIOS skills. > > As a result of this fixed hibernation location, the > Libretto, when hibernating to disk, will always save to the > 8GB boundary on HDs larger than 8GB -- thus destroying and > overwriting anything there!! > > The best way to get around this which has worked > reliably for many users is to create two partitions. One up > to the 8GB boundary where the hibernation data will begin. > One afterwards. (Naturally, avoid setting the partition > boundaries over or near the hibernation boundaries.) > > You can check where this is reliably on any libretto in > several ways. My way is simple. > a) create a small 2GB partition on the new drive, > install Windows. > b) run any zeroing program to zero out the rest of the drive. > c) open a text file and type in anything unique, such as > "Librettos are cool!". > d) hibernate, then wake up, and search the disk using a > hex disk editor for the string "Librettos are cool!". The > areas before and after the string will contain non-zeros -- > this is the hibernation area. Naturally, create partitions > with a few dozen MB unused as extra safety zones around both ends. > > If you have a reliable OS that doesn't move data around, > then you can also create a single file that occupies the > hibernation data area and a few MB around it as a safety > buffer with nothiing important inside. You can then leave > that single file there always so that hiberation of the > Libretto does not overwrite any important data by accident. > > > > adorable toshiba libretto > The latest news and information for the Toshiba Libretto owner. > http://www.silverace.com/libretto/ > > > > ______________________________________________________________ > ______________________ > Pinpoint customers who are looking for what you sell. > http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/ > >
