40GB: i430TX-SMC669-2A59IV3FC-00

BIOS update, EIDE card, or overlay software? (FAQ Hard disk recognition)
edwin
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Backup if there is any important stuff in there and try this:
http://www.ranish.com/part/
edwin/evasive

Do not assume anything

System error, strike any user to continue...
Rob Fincher
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Thanks Edwin. I'm also embarassed to say I can't find the bp patch on Nick's untested page. Any advice?
Rob
Rob Fincher
edwin
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(MSI MS-6119 V1.2 PnP).zip
(MSI MS-6132).zip
(PC-Chips M573).zip
(PC-Partner LXA833D 1Mb).zip
(PC-Partner LXB855S & EXB854S 1 Mbit).zip
(PC-Partner i430TX SMC bp).zip
(PC-Partner i430TX SMC).zip
(Procomp B587 128GB).zip
(Procomp B587 64GB).zip
(Procomp B587 bp).zip
(Procomp B680 128KB).zip
(Procomp B680-B683 256KB).zip
(QDI Titanium IIB v2 64GB).zip
a bit hidden in there I guess ;)
edwin/evasive

Do not assume anything

System error, strike any user to continue...
Rob Fincher
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Errr well Edwin, yes I finally found it. Before installing this patch, I used the Ranish partition manager you suggested, with apparently no success. I added and deleted some FAT12 and FAT16 partitions, simply because they were the only type which were accepted. So using Ranish may or may not have modified the MBR - I couldn't fathom just what it was doing. Nevertheless, I then flashed the bp patch into the ROM chip, went into BIOS Set-Up and did a soft format, then did an IDE HDD auto-detect, and voila - the computer recognised the full 40 GB of the HDD and reported the correct capacity on the Windows start-up screens. I then used Power Quest's Partition Manager to inspect the drive - it had 2 unallocated partitions, one of 32 GB, the other of about 6 GB. I then merged them, allocated a drive letter, and PM was now reporting partitions on the drive that made sense. I then rebooted the machine, and all worked perfectly. The computer seemed a bit sluggish though, so I did a fresh installation of Win 98 then win 98SE. A few more hiccups, but finally the operation seems to have come good. I have one new problem - the machine hangs at the Windows 98 screen on shutdown. A hard power-down and restart does not evoke Scandisk or any other error messages relating to incorrect shutdown procedure, so the problem is not serious. It is probably not related to BIOS/System compatability, because the computer shuts down normally in Safe Mode. So a bit more detective work using the MS Knowledge Base and hopefully all will work.
Again, many thanks.
Rob
Rob Fincher
edwin
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there are at least three patches for shutdown problems that I know of. Happy hunting.
edwin/evasive

Do not assume anything

System error, strike any user to continue...
Rob Fincher
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Thanks Edwin - problem resolved by disabling ACPI in BIOS setup. Computer now shuts down perfectly. It's still a bit flaky when I try to open My Computer. This operation is more likely to be successful if IE or OE have been opened first, and always fails if it is the first after startup. So more happy hunting.
Cheers
Rob
Rob Fincher
Rainbow
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On my board, I don't get the "It's now safe to turn off your computer" screen too. Windows shuts down everything and then calls power off function from ACPI BIOS. But with AT power supply, this function does nothing and waits forever. So I power off after I hear that the HDDs stopped.
BTW.: I'm running Cyrix MII PR300 CPU at 1.8V. It should have 2.9V, but runs at 1.8V fine :D With ACPI enabled, it runs very cool.
Patched and tested BIOSes are at http://wims.rainbow-software.org
UniFlash - Flash anything anywhere
Rob Fincher
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Hi - you may have misinterpreted my last post, but when I disabled the ACPI in the BIOS setup, the computer does shut down correctly, and the notice "It is now safe to switch off your computer" appears.
Interesting to hear about your Cyrix 686 running at 1.9 volts. Apart from running cooler, are there any other effects - good or bad?
Cheers
Rob
Rob Fincher
Rainbow
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I've patched the BIOS using my patcher and it works fine using Samsung 120GB HDD (SpinPoint SP1213N). Only the UDMA-bug which prevents me from enabling the DMA in Windows... When I try to set the UDMA mode to UDMA33 using the utilities from Samsung, I always get "command not supported" error. Seems like this drive does not support changing max. UDMA mode.
I've tried the bp patcher too - unsuccessfully. I've seen the "www.rom.by" message only once and never appeared again... Then it hanged at POST when detecting the 120GB drive...
Patched and tested BIOSes are at http://wims.rainbow-software.org
UniFlash - Flash anything anywhere
Rainbow
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Today tested with 40GB WD400BB - no problems...
Patched and tested BIOSes are at http://wims.rainbow-software.org
UniFlash - Flash anything anywhere
NickS
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Location: Thames Valley, UK

Rainbow wrote:Today tested with 40GB WD400BB - no problems...
So shall I take my AWD64GB and bp versions down ?
Tested patched BIOSes. Untested patched BIOSes.
Emails *will* be ignored unless the subject line starts "Wim's BIOS forum"
Rainbow
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AWD64GB-patched version is OK - that's what I've tested.
Weird that the bp patch did not work correctly for me...
Patched and tested BIOSes are at http://wims.rainbow-software.org
UniFlash - Flash anything anywhere
edwin
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not really tested but a bp-patched version is running OK with a 6.4GB harddisk here. No problem whatsoever.
edwin/evasive

Do not assume anything

System error, strike any user to continue...
NickS
BIOS Bodhisattva
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Joined: Fri May 03, 2002 10:34 am
Location: Thames Valley, UK

Rainbow wrote:AWD64GB-patched version is OK - that's what I've tested.
Weird that the bp patch did not work correctly for me...
-32 or full 128GB ?
Tested patched BIOSes. Untested patched BIOSes.
Emails *will* be ignored unless the subject line starts "Wim's BIOS forum"
Rainbow
The UniFlasher
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Full 128GB. Tested OK with 40GB WD and 120GB Samsung.
The bp seems to have some problems with either my keyboard (around 10 years old Hyundai) or the keyboard controller on the board (VIA VT82C42N).
Patched and tested BIOSes are at http://wims.rainbow-software.org
UniFlash - Flash anything anywhere
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