HIGH CAPACITY DISK PATCH Version 2.1 12/11/2004 Copyright (C) 2003-2004 By Rudolph R. Loew The High Capacity Disk Patch Program patches Windows 98/98SE/ME to provide direct support for hard drives larger than 137GB without requiring a controller card or the Intel Application Accelerator which can only be used with an Intel chipset motherboard. The patch installs support for the 48-Bit addressing mode required for hard drives larger than 137GB. This patch updates the standard IDE controller (ESDI_506.PDR in the Windows SYSTEM\IOSUBSYS Directory). If you are using a controller card such as the Promise Card included with some Maxtor or Western Digital drives, this patch will not affect drives connected to the Card(s). If you have installed the Intel Application Accelerator, this driver may no longer be used and the Patch is not needed and may not have any effect. SATA drives may or may not be supported depending on configuration. REQUIREMENTS Windows 98, 98SE or ME. BIOS support for hard drives >137GB or A Windows Compatable Boot Manager that supports hard drives >137GB A Mini Boot Manager is now available from Rudolph R. Loew IMPORTANT: If you have installed the DEMO Version or an earlier Version of this Program you MUST Uninstall it using the DEMO Version or earlier Version of the Patch Program before attempting to Install this Version of the Patch. You can Uninstall the old Version and Install the new Version without risk of data loss as long as you do not Boot Windows while the Patch is not Installed. After you have successfully updated the Patch to your system you will need to replace the Patch program and update your AUTOEXEC.BAT if you are using the Automatic Installation/Verification feature described later. NOTE: The name of the Patch program in the Full Versions is PATCHATA.EXE while the Demo Versions are called PATCH137.EXE. BIOS SUPPORT VERIFICATION The 48BITLBA program tests your Computer's support for Large Hard Drives. You will need at least one Hard Drive larger than 137GB connected to either of the IDE connectors on your Motherboard. Run the Program from DOS, not a DOS Box, to verify BIOS, or Boot Manager, support for Large Hard Drives. A "48 BIT Support Verified" message should be displayed next to the Large Hard Drive's Number and Size Report. Otherwise your BIOS may not support Large Hard Drives. The 48BITLBA Program can be run from Windows 98 or 98SE, in a DOS Box, to verify proper operation of the Patch after you have installed it. It will not work in Windows ME. PATCH INSTALLATION 1. Download and UnZip the Program to a known location. Do not UnZip the Program to the C:\ Directory if you do not want the AUTOEXEC.BAT File to be replaced. 2. Open a MS-DOS Box or Boot into DOS. 3. Go to the Directory where the program is located. 4. Run PATCHATA to install the patch. 5. The Patch will take effect the next time Windows is Booted. AUTOMATIC PATCH INSTALLATION/VERIFICATION (Windows 98 and 98SE Only) This method can be used when installing Windows 98 or 98SE or after installation to Install or Verify the Patch on each Reboot. 1. Download and UnZip the Program to a known location. 2. Copy the PATCHATA.EXE to C:\PATCHATA.EXE 3. If there is no C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT file or it is empty, copy the supplied UnZipped AUTOEXEC.BAT to C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT. 4. If you already have a C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT file, add the following line to it: C:\PATCHATA.EXE -V Do not use LOADHIGH or LH with this program, it is not needed. See the AUTOMATIC VERIFICATION AND UPDATE Section below if you wish to put the PATCHATA.EXE Program in a different Folder. WARNING: If the Patch Program ever interrupts the Boot Sequence and reports an error. It is STRONGLY recommended that you do NOT press ENTER to Continue if you have already defined Partitions extending above the 137GB limit on any Drive. You should Press RESET to Reboot the Computer and either use a Boot Floppy or the "Command Prompt Only" from the Windows Startup Menu until the problem is resolved. UNINSTALL PATCH (See Warning Below) 1. Download and UnZip the Program to a known location (if necessary). 2. Open a MS-DOS Box or Boot into DOS. 3. Go to the Directory where the program is located. 4. Run PATCHATA. 5. Type Yes to the Uninstall request to uninstall the patch. 6. Remove the C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT file or line in it that invokes the PATCHATA Program if you are using the Automatic Installation/Verification Mode of the Program. WARNING: THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR DATA LOSS TO OCCUR DUE TO ERRORS IN THE PATCH OR IF THE PATCHED DRIVER IS BYPASSED OR OVERWRITTEN. DO NOT USE IN CRITICAL SYSTEMS OR WHERE HUMAN SAFETY IS INVOLVED. Please E-Mail any Bug Reports to RLoew@hotmail.com. If you install a Windows update that replaces the ESDI_506.PDR file or uninstall the Patch and have Partitions defined that extend above the 137GB limit there is a possibilty of data loss anywhere on that drive. This is due to a flaw in the original version of the ESDI_506.PDR file that misinterprets sectors above the 137GB limit as being sectors below it. Since Microsoft has decided not to add large disk support to any Windows before XP, any updates are likely to have the same flaw. If in doubt, rerun the PATCHATA Program BEFORE allowing Windows to Reboot and Answer NO to the Uninstall Request if it appears. If the Computer Reboots before you can run the Program, make it boot in Safe Mode, apply the Patch and Reboot again. See the AUTOMATIC PATCH INSTALLATION/VERIFICATION Section above for instructions to setup Windows to have the Patch Verified and Reinstalled (if necessary) on each boot. Installing this Patch on a Computer without BIOS Support for large drives is not recommended. The Patch is bypassed if Windows disables the Driver or if Windows is in Safe Mode. In either case, the BIOS may cause data loss if it mishandles sectors above the 137GB limit as does the Microsoft Driver. Usage with a Disk Manager other than BOOTMAN (See Below) may or may not work. Proper operation in Windows Mode is uncertain and may corrupt your system. Installing this Patch on Windows NT, 2000, or XP has not been tested and may corrupt your Hard Drive. If you are installing Windows in a system which has partitions on any drive extending above the 137GB limit you must apply the Patch after Windows installs it's unpatched driver but before it tries to use it. If you are installing Windows 98 or 98SE, see the AUTOMATIC PATCH INSTALLATION/VERIFICATION Section Steps 1-3 above. If you are installing Windows ME, use the alternate method described in the NEW WINDOWS INSTALLATION section below for instructions. OPTIONS: The Programs automatically examines the Computer to located the Driver File. The Program can be redirected to Patch a specific File by specifying a FileName as follows: PATCHATA MYDRIVER.PDR A Backup file is created for the Default File or if you specify a FileName with a 3 letter suffix. The Backup has the same name but the suffix is changed to .bak provided the FileName itself doesn't have that suffix. The Backup File is erased if the Patch is Uninstalled. The INSTALL/VERIFY mode is specified by adding "-V" (ex. PATCHATA -V). The Program will verify if the patch is present or not. If present, the Program will print a report and exit. If not, the Program will attempt to Install the Patch. If successful, the Program will print a report and exit. If not, the Program will print a failure report and wait until you press ENTER or you RESET int Computer (Strongly recommened). HARD DRIVE SIZE LIMITS The High Capacity Disk Patch provides support for Hard Drives up to the 32 Bit Addressing Limit of 2048GB. Possible DOS, BIOS or Windows flaws may limit support to 1024GB or less. The Patch has been tested with Drives up to 400GB. Raw Disk access tools may have their own limits. Microsoft claims that FDISK is limited to 512GB. PARTITION SIZE LIMITS The size of individual Partitions are subject to additional limitations due to FileSystem design and Partition management tools. Microsoft specifies a maximum Partition size of 137GB. Third Party Partition Management tools may have other limits. DEFRAG and SCANDISK (in Windows Mode) are limited to less than 136.9GB Some people have reported limits as low as 127GB. DOS, WINDOWS and SCANDISK (in DOS Mode) can handle at least 400GB. It is recommended that you Partition your Large Hard Drive with 2 or more Partitions so that no single Primary or Logical Partition is above 127GB. NEW WINDOWS INSTALLATIONS: If you are doing a clean install of Windows into a Computer where any of the drives has a partition extending above the 137GB limit you must install the Patch before Windows has a chance to use it's unpatched driver. Corruption may occur before you can complete the installation otherwise. If the Windows partition itself is above the 137GB limit it will DEFINTELY CRASH. The simplest way of installing the Patch on a new Installation of Windows 98 or 98SE is to place the instructions to patch the driver in the C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT startup Batch File. See the AUTOMATIC PATCH INSTALLATION/VERIFICATION Section Steps 1-3 above for instructions. If you do not wish to install the Patch using the C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT file, or you are installing Windows ME, you can install the Patch using the following steps: 1. Place the Patch Program on a Bootable DOS Floppy Disk. 2. Perform the Windows installation until the FIRST reboot. Do not leave the Computer unattended in case Windows reboots without prompting. 3. Insert the Floppy Disk before Windows Reboots. If Windows Reboots without warning, insert the Floppy Disk as soon as the Screen goes Blank. Ignore any instructions to remove any Floppy Disks. 4. Let Windows Reboot if it doesn't Reboot automatically. 5. When DOS finishes Booting, run the Patch Program. If the Program cannot find the driver skip to Step 9. 6. Remove the Floppy Disk. 7. Press the Reset Button or CTRL-ALT-DEL. 8. Continue the Windows Installation. 9. If the driver was not found in Step 5, perform Steps 6 and 7, then repeat steps 2 thru 5 at the Second Windows Reboot. If the Program still cannot find the driver, you will have to look for the ESDI_506.PDR and use the Specific File option described above. DO NOT allow Windows to startup after the Second Reboot until the Patch has been Installed successfully. If you have a CD Burner or you install Windows from files placed on the hard drive, you can purchase a pre-patched Installation Cabinet File for your version of Windows. By replacing the original Cabinet File in the Installation CD or Folder you can installs Windows without further patching. This will not protect you if an update replaces the Patched driver or it is corrupted. AUTOMATIC VERIFICATION AND UPDATE: (Windows 98 and 98SE Only) IMPORTANT: Do not use this method with Windows ME. The Program can be setup to automatically verify and repatch, if necessary, each time the computer is booted. This will prevent corruption if the Patch is overwritten by other software. Add the following line to your C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT file: X:\PATH\PATCHATA.EXE -V Where X:\PATH is the Drive and Folder where the Program is located. If an unrecognized or corrupt driver is found, the Program will prevent Bootup from progressing to prevent possible corruption. WARNING: If the Patch Program ever interrupts the Boot Sequence and reports an error. It is STRONGLY recommended that you do NOT press ENTER to Continue if you have already defined Partitions extending above the 137GB limit on any Drive. You should Press RESET to Reboot the Computer and either use a Boot Floppy or the "Command Prompt Only" from the Windows Startup Menu until the problem is resolved. BOOTMAN BOOTMAN is a Mini Boot Manager designed to provide Large Hard Drive support for BIOSes that only support 137GB. It is compatable with DOS, Windows and the High Capacity Disk Patch. Please contact Rudolph R. Loew (See Below) for more information on this Product. RELATED PRODUCTS: RFDISK Nondestructive partitioning Program with Large Disk support and support for multiple boot and selectable partition configurations. QFORMAT Quick formatter for FAT Partitions. PARTS Partition Mapper. WINXX.CAB Windows Cabinet File with Patch already applied. BIOS Large Disk Support Patches for Tyan S1590 Motherboard and others. DOS Patches to DOS 6.2 to access drives larger than 8GB. CONTACT INFORMATION: Rudolph R. Loew 506 Bieling Rd. Elmont, NY 11003 1-516-352-9078 RLoew@hotmail.com IP = conference.no-ip.org PORT = 8192 (Conference Console)