Conformation: 06/09/1999-i440BX-NS351-UA69KS00C

BIOS update, EIDE card, or overlay software? (FAQ Hard disk recognition)
Post Reply
Azgarde
New visitors - please read the rules.
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2007 7:02 am

I would be grateful if you would please take the time to verify that my information, found on your site is accurate and in the correct order.

I wish to install a WD800JB Caviar SE. 80Gb.

Program: eSupport.com BIOS Agent Version 3.62
BIOS Date: 06/09/99
BIOS Type: Award Modular BIOS v4.51PG
BIOS ID: 06/09/1999-i440BX-NS351-UA69KS00C
OEM Sign-On: Seanix Columbia III BIOS rev. 1.1
Chipset: Intel 440BX/ZX rev 3
Superio: NSC 351 rev 2 found at port 2Eh
OS: WinXP SP2
CPU: Pentium III 500 Mhz MAX: 500 Mhz

I have read these threads.

http://www.wimsbios.com/phpBB2/topic6882.html

http://www.wimsbios.com/phpBB2/topic6255.html

I have downloaded:

UniFlash version 1.40 (By Rainbow Software) Many thanks.

BX3122DE.BIN (By ajzchips) Muchas gracias

Kiss, to the extreme.

1. Make boot disk. Win98 SE
2. Copy Uniflash and BX3122DE.BIN to boot disk
3. Boot with this disk
4. Execute Uniflash
5. Wait until the program has finished
6. Reboot/Shut down
7. Install HD
8. Reboot

As they say; In a perfect world...... Oh well, heres hopeing.

By the way I could not find my MOBO on your site. Nothing under S00. Wrong character set? Could you please tell me what it is?
edwin
The Hardware Archivist
Posts: 6286
Joined: Wed Mar 20, 2002 7:11 pm
Location: Netherlands
Contact:

Will look into this. You have the Columbia III for which I made a working patched version of the bios. See second thread.
edwin/evasive

Do not assume anything

System error, strike any user to continue...
Azgarde
New visitors - please read the rules.
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2007 7:02 am

Edwin thank you for the prompt reply.

In my preceding post I should have said Patched bios by Edwin and downloaded from ajzchips.

I will wait untill you are finished looking into this.

I will not assume that my instructions are correct.

This is my first flash job and i wouldnt want to fail.

Thanks again.
cp
BIOS Guru
Posts: 1914
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2002 9:07 pm
Location: Germany

to avoid flashing:
1. use the clip jumper on your 80GB hdd to clip if to 32GB (just for the bios)
2. autodetect the drive in the bios and exit saving the new settings
3. boot/install windows XP
4. use the full 80GB capacity of your drive

there will be no data loss if you cross the 32GB barrier, just proceed as if the bios would have detected the drive correctly. the reason is that Windows XP (SP2) queries the drive through the ide controller rather than using the bogous bios data (thank god!).
Azgarde
New visitors - please read the rules.
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2007 7:02 am

CP

Thank you for your response. "Quote"
1. use the clip jumper on your 80GB hdd to clip if to 32GB (just for the bios)

This drive offers me the following settings:

1. Single or master.
2. Master with slave present.
3. Slave.
4. Cable select.

With any of the above settings the computer hangs on the detect in the BIOS. I can not seem to find an alternate method of clip? Jumper settings. I t would be nice to know what the name of my Motherboard is. Maybe it has a jumper for the BIOS which has to be disabled before I can instigate changes.

Errata: Windows XP instalation disk can see the complete drive and install or partition. After partition and installation. Niet! Nada. Caput. Hangs on BIOS detect. (Press F4 to skip). It dosent skip! Any suggestions? I havent got the knowledge needed to operate uniflash. A step by step tutorial would be nice. I have 20 GB drive installed at the moment as master. Fujitsu.
cp
BIOS Guru
Posts: 1914
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2002 9:07 pm
Location: Germany

http://www.westerndigital.com/en/librar ... 001037.pdf

use the jumper settings in figure 6 and report back with the results.
btw. if you use autodetect in the bios always answer 2/Y if you're asked about the access method (2/Y would be LBA).

and one more thing: if you don't indend booting from the 80GB hdd you can just connect if and leave it unconfigured in the bios (e.g. not detect it and let the hdd setup item set to NONE). the drive will become visible with its full capacity after the OS queried the PATA bus. i used to do this on a settop box booting linux from a 16MB DOC module and letting the kernel (instead of the bios) detect the 320GB maxtor drive.
Azgarde
New visitors - please read the rules.
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2007 7:02 am

PC

Thank you for your suggestions, I had downoloaded this same document earlier. I did not try the alternate settings as they are for all the other types of Windows except XP

But then I said what the hey give it a shot.

This time it recognized the drive, but in every case using all of the settings, it still hangs. Single with LBA, Master with LBA, Automatic with and without LBA, single with non entered. On secondary detected but boot disk failure. Its either a hang or a boot disk failure. Note: I hooked it up to an old HPand the drive is detected without a problem (including partitions). I guess that dosent leave me with many other options at this point. And I did try all combinations and even a few non documented. My own combinations. Includeing using alternate ide cable slots.

Any other suggestions? Other than flashing I can see none. And I notice nobody has written a tutorial for Uniflash.
cp
BIOS Guru
Posts: 1914
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2002 9:07 pm
Location: Germany

Azgarde wrote: I did not try the alternate settings as they are for all the other types of Windows except XP
i hoped that they wouldn't write such bullshht as it might confuse some users, but hey, they did it anyway. and there it is: confusion.
This time it recognized the drive, but in every case using all of the settings, it still hangs.
does it still hang on autodetection in the bios?
Any other suggestions? Other than flashing I can see none. And I notice nobody has written a tutorial for Uniflash.
read the docs that come with uniflash. it has a nice dos gui that will guide you anyway.
Azgarde
New visitors - please read the rules.
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2007 7:02 am

PC,
Canada calling once more. About a 4-5 hour time difference. (Quebec)
Thank you once again for your reply.
does it still hang on autodetection in the bios?
Yes.
I have these settings. Automatic, normal, large, LBA.
I turned off halt on errors, to halt on none. Just to be sure it wasnt blocking anything. It hangs either way. I also tried the jumper settings with Normal and large. Sometimes it did detect the drive sometimes not. In two cases it detected and continued but hung on the last check. Secondary slave. No slave connected and with slave connected. I did verify the jumpers in each case. Going through all different modes and jumper settings. It took quite a while. I made a check list so as not to repeat or cause confusion. I even tried with none as disk type.
read the docs that come with uniflash. it has a nice dos gui that will guide you anyway
I did read the txt. file that came with it. It was the part with using the switches that made me wait. It dosent say anything about spacing in the command line switches. So not to assume, as Edwin would say, I decided to ask for clairification. I was not aware of the gui. So the process is automated. Good! That takes a weight off my mind.

I will disconect everything not needed on the computer, Drives, adapter cards, Graphic card? cables. In the Bios turn off all shadow memory. Memory checks.
Error checks.

In a nut shell.. Uniflash automaticaly backs up my old Bios, boot block? then flashes the BIOS. I remove the boot disk, make another with my backed up files only. Reconnect the drives and cables. Boot normaly and hope. 10;30 AM Canada.

Thanks again PC.
cp
BIOS Guru
Posts: 1914
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2002 9:07 pm
Location: Germany

aehmm..there's an option in your bios that says 'IDE HDD AUTODETECTION'
like here: http://www.cyta.com.ar/kancha/informati ... s/menu.jpg
did you autodetect the drive there? btw.: never select normal or large.
and again: if you're not planning on booting the drive just connect it and leave it unconfigured in the BIOS (e.g. set to NONE). as soon as WiXP boots the drive will become available.

for UniFlash: just start it. it has a GUI. there you can backup your current bios and select a new to flash.
Azgarde
New visitors - please read the rules.
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2007 7:02 am

Helo PC,
aehmm..there's an option in your bios that says 'IDE HDD AUTODETECTION'
like here: http://www.cyta.com.ar/kancha/informati ... s/menu.jpg
did you autodetect the drive there?
Yes, and yes I did try it. Hangs. Same results as in setup. It detects the WD drive, drops down to detect the secondary slave, none connected, and hangs. Hooked up a Secondary slave, with and without jumpers. No change.
btw.: never select normal or large.
and again: if you're not planning on booting the drive just connect it and leave it unconfigured in the BIOS (e.g. set to NONE). as soon as WiXP boots the drive will become available.
I did connect it as per your instructions. In primary slave unconfifured, the secondary master, unconfigured. Secondary slave unconfigured. No luck I am afraid. It isnt even shown in the "my computer". Let it sit for 20 mins and rebooted with no detection. Maybe I should have waited longer?

I also have a new quantum fireball 40Gb that I connected to the computer. Same results. I wanted to make sure that it was not the WD that was at fault, some unknown quirk of western digital.

Ill get back to you with the flash results. (This thread) It wont be today, prior plans. Thank you very much for your time and effort. I do appreciate your help. 16:45 Canadian.
Post Reply