"Parameter is incorrect" (continued from another thread)

Folkert Rienstra, worshipped by llamas the world over, wrote...
"Jeff Heikkinen" wrote in message . ..
Folkert Rienstra, worshipped by llamas the world over, wrote...
See what FindPart thinks of it.

Here's the output, but even after a look at the Partition Notes page on
their site I can't make heads or tails of most of it. Any ideas?

Disk: 3 Cylinders: 1240 Heads: 255 Sectors: 63 MB: 9727

-PCyl N ID -----Rel -----Num ---MB -Start CHS- --End CHS-- BS CHS
0 - 0C 63 19920537 9726 0 1 1 1239 254 63 BU OK

-----FAT CHS -Size Cl --Root -Good -Rep. Maybe --Bad YYMMDD DataMB
0 1 33 9723 8# 2# 9723 0 0 0 001215 3068

Partitions according to partition tables on third harddisk:

-PCyl N ID -----Rel -----Num ---MB -Start CHS- --End CHS-- BS CHS
0 1*0C 63 19920537 9726 0 1 1 1239*254 63 NB OK


Findpart reports the backup (BU) bootsector (BS) in the
first paragraph and reports a nota bene (NB) in the third.

Appears like the original bootsector is missing. It's possible that some
OSes make do with the backup bootsector without complaints and that
others play blindman and act like the drive hasn't been formatted at all.

XP apparently reacts with that extremely obvious (not!) "Parameter is incorrect".


Okay, so pretty much what I'd figured from the other troubleshooting I
did yesterday. So what do I *do* about it?

I don't need the data on the drive - I already copied it over while I
was running an OS that could read it. So formatting, FDISKing etc are
all options. I've got one vote for getting rid of the drive entirely -
any other suggestions? Right now I won't be able to afford to replace
it for a little while, but that's not a huge deal.

"Jeff Heikkinen" wrote in message
Folkert Rienstra, worshipped by llamas the world over, wrote...
"Jeff Heikkinen" wrote in message . ..
Folkert Rienstra, worshipped by llamas the world over, wrote...
See what FindPart thinks of it.

Here's the output, but even after a look at the Partition Notes page on
their site I can't make heads or tails of most of it. Any ideas?

Disk: 3 Cylinders: 1240 Heads: 255 Sectors: 63 MB: 9727

-PCyl N ID -----Rel -----Num ---MB -Start CHS- --End CHS-- BS CHS
0 - 0C 63 19920537 9726 0 1 1 1239 254 63 BU OK

-----FAT CHS -Size Cl --Root -Good -Rep. Maybe --Bad YYMMDD DataMB
0 1 33 9723 8# 2# 9723 0 0 0 001215 3068

Partitions according to partition tables on third harddisk:

-PCyl N ID -----Rel -----Num ---MB -Start CHS- --End CHS-- BS CHS
0 1*0C 63 19920537 9726 0 1 1 1239*254 63 NB OK


Findpart reports the backup (BU) bootsector (BS) in the
first paragraph and reports a nota bene (NB) in the third.

Appears like the original bootsector is missing. It's possible that some
OSes make do with the backup bootsector without complaints and that
others play blindman and act like the drive hasn't been formatted at all.

XP apparently reacts with that extremely obvious (not!) "Parameter is incorrect".


Okay, so pretty much what I'd figured from the other troubleshooting I
did yesterday.

If you mean to say that it is a software problem, sure.

So what do I *do* about it?

Copying the backup bootsector (bootsector+6=69) to the bootsector block ad-
dress (63) using a sector editor. Personally I use Hex Workshop in disk mode.


I don't need the data on the drive - I already copied it over while I was run
ning an OS that could read it. So formatting, FDISKing etc are all options.

Formatting preferably. If that doesn't solve it (FindPart check), then Fdisk.

I've got one vote for getting rid of the drive entirely -
any other suggestions?

Check it with Bart's Disktool. www.nu2.nu/utilities

You can also download Alex Mina's SMARTview
It has a sector editor build-in too.
http://www.upsystems.com.ua/support/alexmina

Right now I won't be able to afford to replace
it for a little while, but that's not a huge deal.