80G: 06/24/1999-691-586B-W877-26LFPA9C-00 Epox EP-V370B

BIOS update, EIDE card, or overlay software? (FAQ Hard disk recognition)
Post Reply
Ravine
New visitors - please read the rules.
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2004 6:45 pm

Hi!

I'm in need of a new BIOS that supports big HDD-s (80/120G)
I've searched the forumz and BIOSes, no luck, so trying here.

Latest bios is at: http://www.epox.nl/BIOS/370a0831.exe (of course it doesn't allow 80G).
I don't have opsys on the pc, but if U need some other infos, I'll install some.

thx

Rav

ps: any idea which one gives better performance: this Epox with VIA chipset, or the Acorp with 440LX chipset?
NickS
BIOS Bodhisattva
Posts: 3145
Joined: Fri May 03, 2002 10:34 am
Location: Thames Valley, UK

Are you sure you've got the 2Mbit BIOS and not the 1Mbit ?
Try saving your BIOS and check the save file size.
Tested patched BIOSes. Untested patched BIOSes.
Emails *will* be ignored unless the subject line starts "Wim's BIOS forum"
NickS
BIOS Bodhisattva
Posts: 3145
Joined: Fri May 03, 2002 10:34 am
Location: Thames Valley, UK

Ravine wrote:Latest bios is at: http://www.epox.nl/BIOS/370a0831.exe (of course it doesn't allow 80G).
ID string: 08/31/2000-691-596-W877-2A6LFPADC-00
OEM string: 08/31/2000 For Apollo Pro AGP/PCIset

Interesting. 32GiB bug fixed but not the 64GiB bugs.
Tested patched BIOSes. Untested patched BIOSes.
Emails *will* be ignored unless the subject line starts "Wim's BIOS forum"
Ravine
New visitors - please read the rules.
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2004 6:45 pm

Uhuh, You are right... i saw that file's date is 2000, but i used the update.bat which was in the package. I thought that updated the bios...but looks like it's not.

And the file size is different... :(
The original is 131 072. This new is 262 144. Awdflash say's the part no. wrong.

What should i do now?

thx for the reply

Rav
NickS
BIOS Bodhisattva
Posts: 3145
Joined: Fri May 03, 2002 10:34 am
Location: Thames Valley, UK

You can try an untested patched BIOS:
(Epox 691+586B models 128KB).zip at the "untested" link in my signature.
As usual, you flash at your own risk. Clear CMOS/DMI/PCI table by using "/cc/cd/cp" options with the Award flasher.

There is always a small but finite risk when flashing, so it's best to have a fallback option if this board is currently in use and essential.
Tested patched BIOSes. Untested patched BIOSes.
Emails *will* be ignored unless the subject line starts "Wim's BIOS forum"
Ravine
New visitors - please read the rules.
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2004 6:45 pm

Looks like it's working, 80G recognised :)


thx a LOT!

Rav
NickS
BIOS Bodhisattva
Posts: 3145
Joined: Fri May 03, 2002 10:34 am
Location: Thames Valley, UK

Thanks for the feedback. What drive are you using ?
Watch out for potential UDMA mismatch problems which can cause the system to hang/blue screen, typically on loading Windows if this is the system drive. If this happens try using the HDD manufacturer's utility to reduce the drive's max DMA mode (see links thread in the Collected Wisom forum)
Tested patched BIOSes. Untested patched BIOSes.
Emails *will* be ignored unless the subject line starts "Wim's BIOS forum"
Ravine
New visitors - please read the rules.
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2004 6:45 pm

Okay, thx. It's a Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 80G hdd. The mobo supports UDMA2 (detected this as UDMA2 at least).

Rav
sulbert
Master Flasher
Posts: 204
Joined: Wed Jul 17, 2002 1:38 pm
Contact:

Ravine wrote:ps: any idea which one gives better performance: this Epox with VIA chipset, or the Acorp with 440LX chipset?
What processor are you using?
Ravine
New visitors - please read the rules.
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2004 6:45 pm

Celeron 333 :) I need better hdd performance, not sure which one is better of the 2.

Rav
Denniss
BIOS Guru
Posts: 3153
Joined: Thu Mar 21, 2002 8:16 pm
Location: Near Hannover (CEBIT) Germany
Contact:

i440LX should be faster than VIA 691 - crippled memory interface on VIA P3-chipsets up to 693A .
HDD performance is not very good,too
Only the 694 is really good
Ravine
New visitors - please read the rules.
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2004 6:45 pm

Hm, ok, thx. Maybe I will test this, but the Acorp mobo isn't patched right now.
I requested that here ( http://www.wimsbios.com/phpBB2/viewtopi ... highlight= ), but no answer yet :)

Rav
sulbert
Master Flasher
Posts: 204
Joined: Wed Jul 17, 2002 1:38 pm
Contact:

Denniss wrote:crippled memory interface on VIA P3-chipsets up to 693A .
Don't know about the IDE performance (I guess LX has slightly better one), but on 693A tests show doubled (BX-level) memory performance when certain tweaks are applied. Might also work with older VIA northbridges...
There's also 100 MHz FSB support so Ravine might get the Celeron 333 run at 500 MHz (the probability is not so high as with Cel300A which almost all ran stable at 450 MHz but still worth of trying, I guess).
NickS
BIOS Bodhisattva
Posts: 3145
Joined: Fri May 03, 2002 10:34 am
Location: Thames Valley, UK

Ravine wrote:Hm, ok, thx. Maybe I will test this, but the Acorp mobo isn't patched right now.
I requested that here ( http://www.wimsbios.com/phpBB2/viewtopi ... highlight= ), but no answer yet :)

Rav
That will be because we were expecting Rainbow to send you the one he patched as mentioned in that thread. I'll take a look...
Tested patched BIOSes. Untested patched BIOSes.
Emails *will* be ignored unless the subject line starts "Wim's BIOS forum"
Ravine
New visitors - please read the rules.
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2004 6:45 pm

Ok, i'll try the 100Mhz FSB :)

And...what tweak? :o

thx

Rav
Post Reply