REFERENCE PARTITION SERVICE


WARNING: This is neither a joke nor is it intended for Beginners or Wanna-Bees.
All Tips given and all the described modifications are 'On Own Risk'
The Maintainer will give no warranty of any kind !

Read the entire article first, before you begin !

The Problem: You have a system with a reference partition on the harddisk and have problems with this:

  • Get an error beginning with I999xxxx
  • Cannot do 'Backup Reference Partition' anymore
  • Wanted to see what's on it anyway

The Solution: Follow the instructions and create a simple starter-disk to open the reference partition.

Get more infos about I999-Errors and the files to find on the reference partition.

List of I999-Errors 
---------------------+-----------------------------------------
 Symptom / Error     | Cause / -Action to take
---------------------+-----------------------------------------
I999 001X, I999 002X | The actions for these errors are
I999 003X, I999 004X | only valid when running the system
                     | from the hard disk:
X can be any number  | - Restore the System Partition
---------------------+-----------------------------------------
I999 0053, I999 0054 | The actions for these errors are
I999 0056, I999 0057 | only valid when running the system
I999 0059, I999 0063 | from System Diskette:
I999 0067, I999 0069 | - Restart the computer from the
                     |   Reference Diskette
                     | - If same error appears again:
                     |   try new System Diskettes
---------------------+-----------------------------------------
I999 006X            | - Power Off the computer
                     | - Toggle Password Override Jumper
                     | - Start with Reference Disk
                     | - Restore System Partition
---------------------+-----------------------------------------
I999 007X, I999 009X | The actions for these errors are
                     | only valid when running the system
                     | from the hard disk:
X can be any number  | - Restore the System Partition
---------------------+-----------------------------------------
I999 00X1, I999 00X2 | The actions for these errors are
I999 00X3, I999 00X4 | only valid when running the system
I999 00X6, I999 00X7 | from System Diskette:
I999 00X9            | - Restart the computer from the
                     |   Reference Diskette
                     | - If same error appears again:
                     |   try new System Diskettes
---------------------+-----------------------------------------
I999 00X5            | Reference Diskette recovery prevented
                     | - Power Off the computer
                     | - Toggle Password Override Jumper
                     | - Power On the computer
---------------------+-----------------------------------------



---------------------+-----------------------------------------
 Symptom / Error     | Cause / -Action to take
---------------------+-----------------------------------------
I999 0301            | Boot routine unable to read boot record
                     | This may be a hardware failure
                     | Check:
                     | - Cabling
                     | - Termination
                     | - Adapter / Controller
                     | - Harddrive
---------------------+-----------------------------------------
I999 0302            | No operation system found on the default
                     | default harddrive
                     | - Install an operating system
                     | - check for a valid startup sequence
                     | - check presence of all devices listed 
                     |   in startup-sequence
---------------------+-----------------------------------------
I999 0303            | The IML code did not load from the
                     | System Partition
                     | - Restore System Partition
---------------------+-----------------------------------------
I999 0304            | No startable device found
                     | (Only on ASCII-consoles !)
                     | Probably no operation system installed
                     | - Install operation system
                     | - Check selectable startup sequence
                     |   if it contains the default drive
---------------------+-----------------------------------------
I999 0305            | No startable device found
                     | Probably no operation system installed
                     | - Install operation system
                     | - Check selectable startup sequence
                     |   if it contains the default drive
---------------------+-----------------------------------------
I999 0306            | Invalid startup. Trying to start from
                     | a CD-ROM drive
                     | - Restart the computer from a startable
                     |   Diskette or Hard disk drive
---------------------+-----------------------------------------
I999 0401            | Unauthorized Access
                     | Type or erase the power-on Password
                     | before replacing any parts !
                     | - Replace Systemboard or Processorboard
                     |   (Whichever contains the ROM)
---------------------+-----------------------------------------
I999 0402, I999 0403 | - Replace Systemboard or Processorboard
                     |   (Whichever contains the ROM)
---------------------+-----------------------------------------
I999 0600, I999 0607 | Recovery prevented
I999 0609            | - Power Off the computer
                     | - Toggle Password Override Jumper
                     | - Insert Reference Disk
                     | - Power On the computer
                     | - Restore the System Partition
---------------------+-----------------------------------------

Restoring System Partition

On most systems you will need 2 or more Diskettes:

  • the Reference Diskette
  • the Diagnostic Diskette
  • probably Option Diskettes
    if you have not backed up your System Partition after adding files

To restore System Partition:

  • Start the machine from the Reference Disk.
  • Pass the IBM startup logo and displayed error messages.
  • From the main menu select 'Backup / Restore Systempartition'
  • Select 'Restore System Partition'
  • Follow the instructions on the screen
  • Restart the system

Opening the System Partition from DOS

Normally the System Partition is hidden and can only be accessed with the reference disk ("Copy An Option Disk") or by pressing [CTRL]+[ALT]+[INS] after a reboot, when the cursor jumps to the top right corner of the screen.

However: you cannot copy or delete anything directly from it anyway.

If you often change adapters and often do 'Copy An Option Disk' it may one day happen, that 'Backup System Partition' ends up with a 'Disk Full'-error and is aborted before the entire partition is saved to disks.

IBM recommends to restore the system partition from a set of original disks again - but if you do this all your additional ADFs and ADPs are lost and you will have to add them once again from the (hopefully existing) Option Disks.

Isn't there any way to open the System Partition under DOS ?

Yes it is. Here it goes.

  • Format a disk under DOS -any version above 4.00, MS-DOS or PC-DOS- with the parameter /S to make it bootable and have a system on it.

  • Start DEBUG
    You will get the DEBUG 'minus'-prompt
    Type the following - all behind the ';' is comment: 
    L 0,0,0,1 ; open drive A: and read boot-sector
D 0       ; display content of sector from adress 0 on
E 8       ; edit byte 08h
- E XX 20 ; content of 08h is displayed, enter only the 20 !
          ; press [SPACE]
    XX 33 ; content of 09h is displayed, enter only the 33 !
          ; press [SPACE]
    XX 79 ; content of 0Ah is displayed, enter only the 79 !
          ; press [ENTER]
D 0       ; display the content again: 3y must appear at 09h and 0Ah
W 0,0,0,1 ; write the sector back to drive A:
Q         ; quit DEBUG
    You're back at the DOS-prompt

  • Do Not perform a DIR-command or Explorer-View on this Disk from Win95 !
    Win95 overwrites the header and all modifications just made are changed again.

  • Copy editor, tools like CHKDSK on the disk as required
  • Insert the disk into your PS/2 and start it over
  • After the DOS-prompt reappears try a DIR C: /W
    You are now on your System Partition.
Attention: Watch out not to delete files the system will need later on !

You may -of course- delete ADFs and corresponding ADPs from cards which are no longer installed in the system. Download my QBMCA software to find out which one are already installed.

ADFs can be sorted into the following groups:

  • @xxxx.ADF are the Adapter Desription Files (ADF)
    They are ASCII-files and can be viewed and edited if neccessary.

  • @xxxx.DGS are Diagnostic Files for the corresponding Adapter
  • Cxxxx.ADF are the corresponding Adapter Description Programs (ADP)
  • Ixxxx.ADF are ADPs too, mostly Initialize Files for Memory Expansion Cards.
    These 3 types cannot be edited or viewed (Well: can, but give only garbled crap)

  • Dxxxx.ADF are Planar Description Files for the Systemboard
  • Pxxxx.ADF are Planar Option Files for the Systemboard
    ASCII-files, viewable

  • Sxxxx.ADF are Planar Setup Files for the Systemboard
  • Jxxxx.ADF are Planar Setup Files for the Systemboard
    EXE-files, not viewable

  • Exxxx.ADF are Description Files for Expansion Units (Thinkpads)
    ASCII-files, viewable
Basically: Leave all DGS-files untouched unless they can be definitely assigned to a card which is no longer in the system. Same recommendation to all Planar Files. Some may be deleted of course, because they belong to other machines, but it is hard to tell which ones.
You may find out, which Planar your machine uses with QCONFIG from PC-DOS 6.3 or later. Run it with the Option /D /O and edit the File QCONFIG.OUT. The Planar ID is given somewhere in this text.

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© 1997 by Peter H. Wendt / pw-software production