Mod bios for LBA48 issue (HP e-pc 42, amibios)

[menshen]

Hi!

My motherboard (HP e-pc 42, amibios) does not support LBA48. It does not appear in the forum.

I have read sticky post, so I know that if I install windows XP I will no have problem with LBA48.

But I would like to mod my bios to add support LBA48. Is it possible? Could someone help me? I have MMTool and others tool to mod my bios, but I don't know how to recognize IDE driver on bios and if it could be replace.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advanced!

[cp]

But I would like to mod my bios to add support LBA48. Is it possible?

sure it is! disassemble the bios, find the harddisk detection routine and write down the registers in which it returns the LBA values. now take a look at the routine which calls it and check if the return values fit in (overflowing variables can be nasty, you know). fix the calling routine and maybe the display routine, too (optional). now write your own native LBA48 module to replace the old ide detection function. now find all the places where the ide dection routine is called and redirect the jumps to your new routine. patch in your new routine and you are done :)

I don't know how to recognize IDE driver on bios

oh, just forget about what i've written above...and just leave the bios as it is. it will be disabled after you've loaded the OS anyway.

[menshen]

It seems easy...

Seriously, CP, you are a guru, I'm only a beginner!!! I can understand what are you saying, but I'm not be able to do it!

Thanks anyway, at least I know how to difficult is!

And if you want a challenge , let me know and I will give you the rom

Thanks!