HIGH CAPACITY DISK PATCH Version 2.0 (DEMO) 08/16/2004 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. IMPORTANT: SEE 145GB WARNING BELOW FOR DEMO VERSION. 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. REQUIREMENTS Windows 98, 98SE or ME. BIOS support for hard drives >137GB. 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 PATCH137 to install the patch. 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 PATCH137.EXE to C:\PATCH137.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:\PATCH137.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 PATCH137.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 PATCH137. 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 PATCH137 Program if you are using the Automatic Installation/Verification Mode of the Program. WARNING: THIS DEMO VERSION MUST NOT BE USED TO READ OR WRITE DATA ABOVE 145GB, OR IN A COMPUTER CONTAINING PARTITIONS THAT EXTEND BEYOND 145GB, AS CORRUPTION WILL OCCUR. 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 PATCH137 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 is not recommended. 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: PATCH137 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. PATCH137 -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). 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\PATCH137.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. 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)