need bios update/patch

by **Amok2** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:39 pm

Have an old intel computer with 16gig HD, tried to add another maxtor diamondplus 45gig hd, but it is not recognised

details for bios & computer:
Award modular bios V 4.51PG
1/28/1999 i440BX-W977TF-2A69KJ1CC-00
V.7BXAN_2
Award Plug&Play Bios Extension v1.0A

any help (jetway website doesnt seem to have old motherboard bios?)
do I need a bios update?

by **Amok2** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 11:39 pm

actually after adjusting jumpers harddrive is recognised

still isthere a new bios and any benefit to using it

by **Amok2** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 7:39 pm

Hi

Couple of problems, re set up as my first post.

1) without using the cylinder limit jumper, computer hangs on boot
2) when use limit jumper as primary slave (and even when not using it e.g. using a usb enclosure) maximum capacity format seems to be 32gig rather than full 45gig

am using xp sp 3

by **edwin** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 9:01 pm

will check and see if more recent bios was ever released. Else we'll patch it up for you.

by cp » Sun Apr 12, 2009 6:03 pm

once Windows XP is loaded you can use the internal disc partitioning tool and use the full size of the HDD. no special drivers needed, this works out of the box since SP2. there are no drawbacks if you don't use a patched bios.

by **Amok2** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 7:19 pm

Problem has been circumvented - thanks

using xp 'control panel-admin tools-computer managment-disk management', it would only recognise 32 gig with the cylinder limit jumper in place

Removing cylinder limit jumper means BIOS hangs up
But by going into bios set-up, and putting primary slave as 'none' ('user' or 'auto' hangs), it allowed computer to boot - without hanging (but bios doesnt then 'acknowledge' presence of the maxtor 2nd hard disk)

After this, luckily, the 'disk' is still 'seen' by winXp using 'control-panel-admin tools-computer managment-disk managment' and the full size of 45isj Gig seen and can be assigned a drive letter, formatted & partitioned etc.

p.s. i thought OS would only handle drives if first recognised by bios, but seems xp can directly access the ide/controller also?

Thanks

by cp » Mon Apr 20, 2009 5:57 pm

yes, all somewhat newer OS don't rely on BIOS data any longer when it comes to HDDs. they rather query the controller itself.
the 32GB clip jumper only limits the CHS values. so if any tool or OS querys the drive for its LBA values it will get the correct size (number of 512byte LBA blocks) even if the 32GB clip jumper is installed. Windows 2000 SP4 or XP SP2 is at least required for this!