80GB: 06/25/98-SiS-5598-W877F-2A5IIG5CC-00

BIOS update, EIDE card, or overlay software? (FAQ Hard disk recognition)
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jbeiter1
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Hi, I've read through a bunch of posts here tying to find a fix for myself with no luck. So I'm posting here hoping you'll have an answer.

I have a new maxtor 80g hdd and and older packard bell desktop(1998). its a gvc board,(if the bios agent was correct). and a cyrix m-11 300 processor. I would like to update the hdd to the above.
Bios Date: 06/25/98
Bios Type: Award modular bios v4.51PG
Bios ID: 06/25/98-SiS-5598-W877F-2A5IIG5CC-00
Bios Eval: Packard Bell FR500 Bios Version v1.03
Chipset: SiS 5597 rev 16
Superio: Winbond 877TF (use 87h) rev 0 found at port 3F0h

I saw that there is an ly fix and a beta pz How does anyone know which matches what? Thanks for any help, it's much appreciated!

Joe.
ajzchips
El cheapo dude
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Have you tried the updates suggested here?

http://www.uktsupport.co.uk/pb/mb/850.htm
jbeiter1
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I think I had pretty much dismissed that cause the date, 16 Sept. 98 is not that far from the June 25 98 date the bios is at and nothing in the tech notes talkes mentions huge hdd handling. Plus I don't like the idea of just flashing the bios to find out if it will work. Do you / anyone know if either of th ebios updates (v2.00 or v2.06) would correct the huge hdd issue?
Anyway thanks ajzchips, this is a great document for me even without a bios that would resolve my current problem. Joe.
Rainbow
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Both BIOSes there are older and have different BIOS ID:
05/20/98-SiS-5598-W877F-2A5IIG5EC-00
Rev:00.02.00
and
06/15/98-SiS-5598-W877F-2A5IIG5EC-00
rev:00.02.06

Save your BIOS to a file and send it to my e-mail so I can patch it.
Patched and tested BIOSes are at http://wims.rainbow-software.org
UniFlash - Flash anything anywhere
ajzchips
El cheapo dude
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Location: Madrid, Spain

Or this BETA could be patched (slightly newer):
07/02/98-SiS-5598-W877F-2A5IIG5CC-00
FR500 BIOS Version V1.XX (#20631)

Rainbow, you might want to do a CBROM compare here (PB might have added stuff)... this is the only BETA I've seen with a true BIOS message.
Rainbow
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PBs usually have at least full screen logo.
Patched and tested BIOSes are at http://wims.rainbow-software.org
UniFlash - Flash anything anywhere
jbeiter1
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How to copy bios to diskette? I can't recall seeing that type of option is there an option in the setup screen ?
Joe.-
ajzchips
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Just use a decent version of AWDFLASH and at the DOS command prompt, type:

awdflash /pn backup.bin /sy
jbeiter1
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I grabbed AWd802 and Uniflash128 yday. But after reading some of of the notorious adventures useing awd flasher I thougt I'd at least check to make sure neither of these set off alarm bells w/folks here. with that I'll get the backup tonight.( I hope... last night boy scouts, tonight basketball, tomorrow soccer, etc...) thanks again for you help. Joe.
jbeiter1
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well I tried last night to copy thed bios to floppy sorry to have to report I didn't get one.
I did a win98 restart in dos mode, then
a:<enter>
awd802 /pn backup.bin/sy <enter>
util came back and said disk not ready retry (y/n) I retried and it returned to the dos prompt. I tried a couple variations on the extentions and launching the util from hdd rather than fdd, no difference... nothing written to the floppy or hdd bacmed backup.bin... Is it the awd program or my lack of education with the task ? Is there a util known to be 'good' and where can it be grabbed?

As always your help is very much appreciated, Joe
Rainbow
The UniFlasher
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You can use UniFlash too. Run it and select "Write backup BIOS image to file" from the menu.
Patched and tested BIOSes are at http://wims.rainbow-software.org
UniFlash - Flash anything anywhere
jbeiter1
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Finally, got a bios1351 pgm to copy a backup from my system. I've emailed a copy of that backup to you here. Looking forward to getting that hdd installed. Thanks for your help, joe.
Rainbow
The UniFlasher
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Looks like you sent me a wrong file - it's only 512 bytes long (maybe a CMOS backup?). The BIOS should be 256KB long.
You can try UniFlash. Run it and select "Write backup BIOS image to file" from the menu.
Patched and tested BIOSes are at http://wims.rainbow-software.org
UniFlash - Flash anything anywhere
ajzchips
El cheapo dude
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Location: Madrid, Spain

bios1351? Then it definitely is a CMOS backup.
jbeiter1
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ok, picked up uniflash 128 and got a 256k backup. I hope. I sent it over and and hoping I got it right this time. And to think this is the easy part... Well chalk it up to my slow learing curve. Thanks!
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