DOS ain't dead

Hi, I have general question to SATA drives support under DOS.
I still use PATA drives (hadn't reason for upgrade). If I switch to SATA and enable compatability mode in SETUP, will run all my OSes, DOS, and system apps like before? I mean e.g. apps dealing with HDD like Norton Ghost, PQ Magic, MHDD, various diag tools etc. Will it behave like standard IDE at IO port 170/ 1F0? And can I use it simultaneously with ICH7R IDE (for optical drives)?
Some perosonal experiences (write your compat. issuses if there are any)?

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DOS gives me freedom to unlimited HW access.

> I still use PATA drives (hadn't reason for upgrade). If I switch to SATA
> and enable compatability mode in SETUP, will run all my OSes, DOS, and
> system apps like before? I mean e.g. apps dealing with HDD like Norton

You shouldn't have any trouble even without "compatibility mode"; SATA was designed to be backwards compatible with regards to the OS, as far as I can tell.

The only issue is that you won't really be able to take advantage of the hardware. I think my best friend, Jack R. Ellis, has a driver covering most SATA implementations, though :)

You could search that out.

Do reply to me, at my E-Mail address listed for this posting, and we can
discuss your switching from PATA to SATA drives and using them with DOS.

I shall not even TRY to discuss facts on this forum, not any more.

> Do reply to me, at my E-Mail address listed for this posting, and we can
> discuss your switching from PATA to SATA drives and using them with DOS.
>
> I shall not even TRY to discuss facts on this forum, not any more.

Well, I "shall" try to.

The point of forums is that any person with a previously answered question may share in given answers.

Here's Jack's SATA driver, to save anyone reading this the trouble of having to attempt to communicate with him:

http://johnson.tmfc.net/dos/drivers.html

First my apologies to Martin Rayer, that I failed to remember having been in
contact with him a few weeks ago. No need for "Sol" to "State the Obvious"
again and send Martin the URL for my drivers, as Martin contacted ME about a
problem with them, and I replied.

Second, as UIDE is now somewhat smaller than when Martin addressed me, there
ARE ways it could accomodate Martin's ITE8211 controller, maybe a VIA VT6420
chip, and other "old" SATA controllers.

However, as our actor Cary Grant said in his "Pride and the Passion" [1957],
"His irresistible charm has won the day again!", and thus I will let my dear
friend "Sol" continue to assist Martin, in whatever ways "Sol" deems needed.

Shouldn't be very difficult, "Sol", as I already know. So YOU help Martin,
as your MOUTH always INSISTS on doing!!

I am TIRED of all this, and I will now take a rest.

> > I still use PATA drives (hadn't reason for upgrade). If I switch to SATA
> > and enable compatability mode in SETUP, will run all my OSes, DOS, and
> > system apps like before? I mean e.g. apps dealing with HDD like Norton
>
> You shouldn't have any trouble even without "compatibility mode"; SATA was
> designed to be backwards compatible with regards to the OS, as far as I can
> tell.

This is not necessarily true for old low-level tools, since the SATA device won't be found at port 1F0h/170h in "enhanced" or "native" mode.

A good example for troubles is Windows 95/98, which most likely won't run if "enhanced" is on and the SATA HD is the "first" HD.

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MS-DOS forever!

> This is not necessarily true for old low-level tools, since the SATA
> device won't be found at port 1F0h/170h in "enhanced" or "native" mode.

Uderstand, this is not problem for me because currently I use aditional onboard ITE8211 controller which also doesn't have ports at 1F0h/170h and all apps I use like Gost and PQM ar happy with it, probably they use INT13h BIOS access.

> A good example for troubles is Windows 95/98, which most likely won't run
> if "enhanced" is on and the SATA HD is the "first" HD.

I also like to run Win98SE, are there working drivers for ICH7R? As I know intel don't have official driver but there are modified drivers/infs for this ICH which could work.

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DOS gives me freedom to unlimited HW access.

Hey you both try to relax we are on DOS (probably most living) forum so try to keep here together.

I already know the link to UIDE drives (currently it doean't work on my ITE8211 without modification [yes we talked about it]). But I'm trying to obtain new mobo from Commell P4LA (core 2 with old good ISA slot). If it will be possible to deliver it in CZ rep. in reasonable postal pricing then I'll get it and upgrade also HDDs to SATA drives and I'll be happy to use UIDE driver.

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DOS gives me freedom to unlimited HW access.