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80GB: 03/15/1999 i440ZX-W977EF-2A69KPWBC-00
Posted: Tue Sep 17, 2002 12:04 am
by fordddavis
hi,
Trying to replace my old IDE master drive with a 80gb maxtor. I have attempted to load Windows XP pro, from both cd-rom and floppy, but the boot hangs right after the "found: cd-rom..." I have tried every permutation of boot sequence, to no avail.
My mainboard is a Micro ATX FORM FACTOR Pentium III, running
Award Modular BIOS v. 4.51pg
It also says: "Award Plug n' Play BIOS Extension v. 1.08a
Any chance you can help?
Posted: Tue Sep 17, 2002 9:45 am
by NickS
A Google search turns up this at
http://y2k.nstl.com/ - "Protac MX320/322 Award Modular BIOS v4.51PG 03/15/1999-i440ZX-W977EF-2A69KPWBC-00".
Protac appears to be dead, so some digging may be necessary to find an archive with a BIOS which can be patched. If you would like to save your BIOS and email it to me, rainbow, or ajzchips we can look at patching it if we can't find anything newer.
how to save bios
Posted: Wed Sep 18, 2002 9:13 pm
by fordddavis
hi,
sorry for the most likely dumb question, but how do I "save" my BIOS?
Posted: Wed Sep 18, 2002 9:37 pm
by Rainbow
Use awdflash with /pn and /sy parameters (pn=program:no, sy=save:yes).
Saved bios sent
Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2002 2:49 am
by fordddavis
I've just emailed you my saved bios. Subject: Fordddavis bios03/15/1999 i440ZX-W977EF-2A69KPWBC-00.
I hope you can patch it. Let me know if I should send it to somebody else instead.
Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2002 10:37 am
by Rainbow
Patched BIOS sent.
thanks
Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2002 2:08 am
by fordddavis
I have received your patch and successfully updated my BIOS!
I am ever so grateful!! I doubt my expertise tops yours, but if you ever need help with Sonic Foundry audio products or sound software configs, DO NO HESITATE TO EMAIL!!!
Now, lets see if I can load 98 se (XP sucks! I'm going back to 98se, if my Bill G. lets me)
still in trouble
Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2002 5:16 pm
by fordddavis
Drive recognized. But auto-detect reads faulty parameters, or at least they don't correspond to Maxtor's specs. Only the size and sector seem to be correct, and I am unable to change them. When I run fdisk status, I get : "faulty parameters".
I formatted and partitioned the drive with Maxtor's software. I double-checked with fdisk and it told me that there was already an active partition.
When attempting to install 98SE, I am unable to create a directory in C, the ramdrive sets up in D. Okay, but then the computer hangs at the line:
"Windows needs xxxmemory....."
When I just restart without a floppy, my computer hangs at the line:
"Verifying DMI Pool Data"
Sorry if this isn't a BIos issue.
Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2002 5:26 pm
by NickS
Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2002 7:26 pm
by Rainbow
And do not even touch HDD installation software from HDD manufacturer. Run FDISK /MBR, then delete all partitions in FDISK, recreate and reformat.
closer, but not there yet
Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2002 7:17 pm
by fordddavis
I downloaded the Microsoft fix and reflashed my BIOS. Now, my BIOS recognizes an 80G drive, but MY COMPUTER and Explorer only see a little more than 10G. I read the link for the Seagate drive and it describes my problem completely. Their fix is to avoid FDISK and use their software. I know you discourage it, but I am tempted to use the Maxtor software.
jumpers?
Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2002 7:47 pm
by fordddavis
i haven't mentionned the jumpers. The jumpers on the back is set to "master" and there is a jumper in place on top. I didn't mess with this because my BIOS was recognizing 80g.
Re: closer, but not there yet
Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2002 9:34 pm
by NickS
fordddavis wrote:I downloaded the Microsoft fix and reflashed my BIOS. Now, my BIOS recognizes an 80G drive, but MY COMPUTER and Explorer only see a little more than 10G. I read the link for the Seagate drive and it describes my problem completely. Their fix is to avoid FDISK and use their software. I know you discourage it, but I am tempted to use the Maxtor software.
Well, if you're not doing anything fancy with multiple BIOSes, and you're capable of creating a boot diskette with the necessary drivers to reinstall your operating system (because you won't be able to boot a CD) you could go with the Disk Manager software.
Was the operating system on the disk before you flashed the BIOS ? If so you probably need to do as Rainbow says, with the patched FDISK on diskette. The other thing is that the "auto detect" can get confused depending on the disk mode setting (LBA/Normal/Large) - you have set it to LBA ? In this mode the capacity reported by the configuration screen is probably wrong (>64GiB it probably will be) but as far as we know the OS will be OK with it.
heaven is a working hard drive
Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2002 4:57 pm
by fordddavis
It worked. I tried the maxtor software to partition and format and My Computer now shows the correct amout of memory!
There are no words to express my grattitude for you guys!!!!
You are what the internet should be about.
