80GB: MS-6126

BIOS update, EIDE card, or overlay software? (FAQ Hard disk recognition)
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lukas
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Joined: Sat Mar 29, 2003 2:02 am

My microstar MS-6126 motherboard does not recognize 80GB Hard disk drives.
I need help to find an unofficial working AWARD bios, so I can use 80 GB or greater hard disks.

The bios signature is:

06/16/1998-i440EX-W977-2A69JM49C-00

The latest official version is W6126MS V1.3

Thanks.
ajzchips
El cheapo dude
Posts: 3048
Joined: Sat Mar 23, 2002 12:41 pm
Location: Madrid, Spain

I've uploaded the patched version to http://wims.rainbow-software.org/ajz/
Please provide feedback.
lukas
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Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Mar 29, 2003 2:02 am

Thank you very much ajzchips.
The BIOS that you post, work nice and clean. :P

The board recognize now all the capacity of the WD 80 GB Hard Disk, and can boot from the disk.

The messages on the Power On Self Test, tells that is UDMA5 80GB, and all run well.

I don't know if greater capacity disks (over 80 GB), are recognizes as well. If you know that, please post a message about. :)

After I flash the BIOS that you post, I make some tests anyway. And I think that there is some things to improve:

1- I follow the instructions from the page http://www.froggy.com.au/frogge/pepper/bmreport1.html

and find that the CPU microcode are old versions, I manage to get a more recente ones, (most of them from 1999). I use your patched BIOS, and add the new microcode, but I am afraid that the new BIOS does not work at all, and I have no possibility to recover a damage BIOS. Now I have something to lose, that I do not have before :):):):)

2- I enter the BIOS configuration, and when I enter the "Automatic Disk detection" (or somethink like this), the PC freeze. I don't know if this is normal.


I don't know if was you that make this patch to BIOS, but if you manage to make some more enhancements or find a new one (with a more recente CPU microcode, maybe), please let me know with a new reply to this post.

thanks again.
lukas
ajzchips
El cheapo dude
Posts: 3048
Joined: Sat Mar 23, 2002 12:41 pm
Location: Madrid, Spain

In theory, the patch supports HDDs upto 128GB.
Regarding the autodetect hang, try to avoid using it. Enter the specs manually.
Regarding the microcodes, that would require a bit more work. What particular CPU are you having problems with?
lukas
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Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Mar 29, 2003 2:02 am

Thanks for the information.
Well, I run the board with a Pentium II 333Mhz CPU, and seems that there is no problem with the CPU.

I guess, I am an update freek. :) Well, the other reason... If Intel release more recent microcodes, probably they want to correct some CPU bugs or enhance some features. I realy don't know.

Anyway, I get the new microcodes from the ASUS P3B-F Bios, file bx3f1006.zip. Then I compare the micro codes with the ones from the BIOS you post. I then estract the ones with the some name, from the ASUS bios and make a new one with the tools and procedures from the site above. Then I add the new microcode to the bios. But, as I said, I'm afraid to flash this one. It works with the one you provide. So it's not a big problem.

I want use the board to run linux and make a little server for some university works, so I do not want nothing powerfull.

Well, if you manage to get a new bios with the new CPU microcodes, let me know. :)

I apreciate your efforts. Thanks.
lukas
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