75GB Hard Disk with Award Modular BIOS v4.51PG

[schlicky]

Hey guys - I thought I would post here as you seem to have fixed a problem another user, with a similar Award BIOS and a 40GB Drive.

I have the same problem, but with an IBM 75GB Deskstar drive. I just don't recognise it.

Details :

BIOS Date: 03/15/99
BIOS Type: Award Modular BIOS v4.51PG
BIOS ID: 03/15/99-i440BX-W977TF-2A69KB3EC-00
BIOS Eval: PENTIUM II/III AGP/PCI/ISA SYSTEM BIOS VER:2.03 (#20540)
Chipset: Intel 440BX/ZX rev 3
Superio: Winbond 977TF rev 0 found at port 3F0h

Any help would be appreciated greatly... I'm checking all available sites !

Schlicky

[soupy]

B3 = BCM, possibly QS440BX.

http://www.google.ca/search?q=cache:fKy ... B3EC&hl=en

[Rainbow]

True, it's BCM QS440BX with 2mbit (256KB) BIOS chip. The latest BIOS is "06/15/00-i440BX-W977TF-2A69KB3EC-00" and I uploaded it at http://rainbow.host.sk/myfiles/BCM%20QS ... bx-209.zip. BCM site http://www.bcmcom.com appears to be down again.

[schlicky]

Thanks guys - the bios flashed without any problems !

It now boots up with the Drive attached, but the Automatic HDD detection still can't find it... Yet, Windows ME finds something... Doesn't seem to handle the full 75Gig, but ME might see it a little better if I partition it.

Alternatively, I can use IBM's (My Employer !) Diskmanager 2000, as it seems to be a 33.8GB clipping limit of the Bios and DM will get around it.

Any ideas ?

Cheers

Schlicky

[a_user]

I think you have hit the wall with the bios... I would look at a EIDE card first. Check www.pricewatch.com.

[Rainbow]

F**K!!!! BCM site looks now really gone - Playboy instead!

[ajzchips]

The BIOS Rainbow linked is indeed the latest:
http://web.archive.org/web/200108021407 ... S440BX.htm

...although I indeed enjoyed browsing the "new" site...
Thanks, Rainbow

[schlicky]

Thanks to everyone for all your help ! I have the Hard Disk running at a clipped 33.8MB instead of the full 75GB (Better than nothing !).

I belive I can only run it at this level due to the BCM motherboard not supporting ATA-82.

Any comments ?

Schlicky

[Rainbow]

It's because of a bug in the BIOS. Download the latest one (from my link) and flash it.

[schlicky]

Hey there Rainbow...

...I've already flashed the BIOS with the file I downloaded from your link.

Should I re-flash ?

Schlicky

[Rainbow]

If you see the new date during POST, you have installed the new BIOS correctly. Does it still hang at HDD detection?

[schlicky]

Guys - I see the BCM site is now backup, but I'm a little confused. They are list a QS440BXP motherboard with a revision 4 bios update. Is this the same as my QS440BX ? and can I use this update ?

Thanks

Schlicky

[a_user]

I would say no.... The BXP shows bios version 4 andit is the release level version. The BX version (http://www.bcmcom.com/tech/QS440bx/qs440bxbios.asp) shows 2.10 is current and the the 32 meg problem was fixed in 2.6.1. Try an email to BCM tech support... they might even answer.