120GB: 12/30/97-82430FX-PI-5XTP4C (ASUS-P55TP4N)

[roberpj]

HI,

Q1/
I just got a big Western Digital WD1200JB hard drive. However my machine (ASUS P55TP4N) does not recognize it on boot up. I just upgraded to the latest BIOS that I could find - as i understand it, this AWARD BIOS needs a patch. Can someone do this for me ? Here is where i got the BIOS i am using now
http://www.intercomp.it/supporto_downlo ... ponente=47 (See T15I3028.ZIP)

Q2/
Will a Promise Ultra100 TX2 controller card work on my board. Maybe this is a overall better path to go to take advantage of the capabilities of this new drive ???

Q3/
These Promise cards also require BIOS upgrades from time to time as described here http://www.promise.com/support/mix_dwn_ ... amily_id=3 Can you tell me, if i got this card, would i experience any troubles upgrading its BIOS if I ever wanted to in the future ie) to go over 137Gig barrier. I am uncertain if such a card BIOS upgrade would be compatible with my motherboard BIOS, if i understand all of this correctly EEK )

Thanks in advance! -DOug

[Denniss]

1) Bios is already patched to support 64GB but should be patchable up to 128GB .

2) It's better to use a Promise UDMA Controller as your motherboard's chipset is limited to ~13MB/sec real HDD transfer rate but your HDD should be able to deliver 40 or more .
I had a Promise Ultra 33 working on a 486 mainboard so I see no problem of a Ultra 100TX2 working in your system

3) Bios update for your Controller should be no problem - if you get it new it should have a Bios installed already supporting more then 128GB .

[roberpj]

Is there someone around who would be willing to do the 64 --> 128 Gb patch ? After some thought i would prefer this, since the promise cards require special drivers depending on the OS being used which i feel is a bit of a headache despite the performance gains. Nonetheless, some Promise drivers for ASUS MOBO's are now avail .... ftp://ftp.asuscom.de/pub/ASUSCOM/TREIBE ... E/PROMISE/

[Denniss]

No problems with Promise drivers .

I'm still using the Promise Ultra33 on a 233MHz socket-7 Dual-Boot system (DOS 6.22/Win311 and Win95C) and no problems in any OS .

For a patch wait for a moderator pick up this thread .

[edwin]

http://wims.rainbow-software.org/edwin/index.php

Use at your own risk

BIOS ID string: 12/30/97-82430FX-PI-5XTP4C-00
BIOS OEM string: #401A0-0302-8 128GB BETA
INT13h Extensions...Present: old-style
New-style code found at 12090
=> 32GB bug patched successfully
Searching for size calculation routine...Found at 35572
Searching for free space...Found at 48320
Patching code at 35571
Searching for SETUP size calculation routine...Found at 83964
Searching for another free space...Found at 93687
Searching for XGroup Block...Not found
Replacing Main Block...Compressed into 70407 bytes...Moved blocks by 93 bytes
Updating checksum...Located at 114686...Updated OK

[roberpj]

Thanks for the trying the patch.
Result is

1) Memory test on bootup runs non-stop until manually (ESC) stopped

2) Boot process continues, and big drive is now detected and recognized Very good news. Note i have not formatted this drive yet, just added it physically to the ide cabal.

3) Next, Lilo boot loader hangs This is where i usually choose between NT and linux. So this means, i can no longer go into windows. I boot disked into linux to run LILO to reset MBR - but it complains twice that "0x82 may not be accessible" (as i recall), but otherwise seems to finish ok.

So in short, the patch seems broken since LILO is typically very robust. If anyone thinks they can fix this patch, or has and ideas i would try them out. Else a ide pci card may be only alternative ..

thanks!-doug

[Denniss]

Loaded Seup Defaults in Bios to get rid of the long memory test ? > Check for "Quick Power On Self Test" > enabled

[NickS]

Cleared CMOS ?

[roberpj]

Yap, loading setup defaults stopped the memory cycling on bootup Lilo working now, i had some bug in the script. So i can boot into linux but not into NT yet, hangs up. SO i am very close to completion, will try to install win2k and hopefully that should do it ! Thanks everyone .... especially edwin for the patch, according to ASUS tech support this shouldn't have been possible ...

[Rainbow]

Do you have a recent Service Pack installed for Windows NT 4.0?

[roberpj]

Just a follow up to thank Edwin for the patch . My old pentium 200Mhz now happily supports a Promise TX2 Pci controller with a 120 Gig Western Digital disk, along side 2 other smaller disks as originally connected on myprimary and secondary on board ide controllers. Win2k and linux (2.4.20kernel) have no problems running (although i had to trash NT:). The best thing is a 52x cdrom connects directly to the TX2 now. This board is around 7 years old and never worked so good, chewing up any app i want to run. It comes to mind all the other computers out there that could be saved from going to landfill sites, and polluting the environment, just by getting a basic BIOS patch !!!!
Cheers from Canada, -Doug

[edwin]

It comes to mind all the other computers out there that could be saved from going to landfill sites, and polluting the environment, just by getting a basic BIOS patch !!!!

That and saving people on a small budget some money. Last but not least it is fun to do