80GB: 01/04/1999-VP3-586B-W877-2A5LEPA9C

BIOS update, EIDE card, or overlay software? (FAQ Hard disk recognition)
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notputerwiz
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Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 5:55 am

there are two HD on my system. a 20Gig main drive & 80Gig.

On my desktop, it shows the correct capacities of both drive, but here is the problem.
When I startup the computer, when it lists Memory & drives etc , it lists incorrect capacity for the 80gig drive...it shows only 10gig. also writing to it, and accessing files is always problematic. This is a brand new drive also.

I am thinking i need a Bios upgrade.


Herre is the info I have.

Bios Date: 01/04/1999
Bios Type: Award modular Bois v4.51PG
Bios ID: 01/04/1999-VP3-586B-W877-2A5LEPA9C
Bios Eval: 01/04/1999 for apollo VP3 AGP/PCIset
CHIPSET:VIA 82C598 REV 4
SUPERIO:Winbond 877TF (use87h) rev 0 found at port 3F0h

any help would be greatly appreciated

Thank you
Notputerwiz!!!
NickS
BIOS Bodhisattva
Posts: 3145
Joined: Fri May 03, 2002 10:34 am
Location: Thames Valley, UK

Google search shows that listed at Plasma-Online as Epox P55-VP3 - looking for a BIOS....the patched version is at the link in my signature, under
(Epox EP-58MVP3C-M EP-51MVP3E-M EP-51MVP3F-A EP-58VP3A 128kb).zip

BIOS ID string: 04/11/00-VP3-586B-W877-2A5LEPA9C-00
BIOS OEM string: 04/11/00 For Apollo VP3 AGP/PCIset

Model support: EP-58MVP3C-M, EP-51MVP3E-M, EP-51MVP3F-A, EP-58VP3A, EP-5BVP3A, P55-VP3

If you decide to use this, please remember:
- you flash at your own risk
- read and follow the flash utility instructions.
- we recommend you clear the CMOS ( take notes of how it is set up first if you want) after flashing - use /cc and /cd switches with the Award flasher.
- remember that you *may* need to run the HDD manufacturer's utility to reduce the transfer rate of a UDMA66 or UDMA100 drive to UDMA33. See the post "links to ATA mode setting utilities" in the "Collected Wisdom" forum at WIM's BIOS forums.
- if you have already used Disk Manager, EZ-Drive or similar, getting rid of it may be VERY hard. You will probably have to fdisk/mbr, repartition and reformat the disk and maybe run the manufacturer's utility to reset the disk size.
- remember that FAT32 does not allow single partitions over 32GB in size - an operating system which supports NTFS partitions is required.
- remember that for Windows 98 an updated FDISK is required from Microsoft to handle disks over 64GB in size.
Tested patched BIOSes. Untested patched BIOSes.
Emails *will* be ignored unless the subject line starts "Wim's BIOS forum"
notputerwiz
New visitors - please read the rules.
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 5:55 am

Thank you for the quick reply Nick
FAT32 does not allow single partitions over 32GB in size - an operating system which supports NTFS partitions is required.
That is the easy one, I am using w2k..so that is not a problem.

O f course I am really spooked about updating Bios, but I am not the first or last one to feel this way.


I will take my time & follow instructions, soi should have no problem.

thank you again. I will update you
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