Setting up a P1 to read a 20GB HDD?

[brabham]

Hey
<BR>
<BR>I have a problem. Well actually its a friend of mines problem but I said I would try and find help on PCF.
<BR>
<BR>Heres the deal, I know just about enough about PC´s to be dangerous (to PC´s that is) and I have set up the drive for him but the BIOS only reads 8GB. I´ve read that this is common in old PC´s. BTW he has a Pentium 100MHz. Someone suggested I get a BIOS upgrade and I did this succesfully (despite all the possible hazards). No dice though, it didn´t solve the problem. Someone else suggested partitioning the drive into two 8GB drives and a 4GB drive. I tried this but, soon realised that if the BIOS only reads 8GB then its all I have to work with so no dice there.
<BR>
<BR>I know there is probably a solution but, I know too little about PC Hardware to figure it out. SOOOOO......I guess thats why I´m posting here. Help. Please.
<BR>
<BR>b~

[Basson]

Even though only dabbling in the Ancient Art of Pentium 1 Configs, I fear that not all P1 Motherboards supports HDDs above 8GB (even though they have the latest BIOS). You may be able to verify this with the hardware manufacturer or vendor if you’re lucky. Having had similar problems in the past, I was forced to change the MB to a later model which solved the problem to see a 40GB WD HDD on a Pentium 1 Motherboard (after updating it’s BIOS as well).

[brabham]

Disturbingly I noticed that the old BIOS would read the 20GB but windows didn´t read more than 8GB.
<BR>
<BR>I thought the BIOS update would solve this but apparently not. It also seems that I cannot go back to the old BIOS. Award Flash just hangs when I try.

[brabham]

Just had a thought. If I partition the dive in another PC would the P1 read the drive with the partitions? <IMG SRC="images/forum/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif">
<BR>
<BR>Help. Please. <IMG SRC="images/forum/smilies/icon_confused.gif"> <IMG SRC="images/forum/smilies/icon_confused.gif"> <IMG SRC="images/forum/smilies/icon_confused.gif">

[Cameron_Losco]

Okay firstly what version of Windows are you running?
<BR>What motherboard are you running?
<BR>What version have you flashed with?
<BR>What HDD are you trying to install?
<BR>
<BR>Let me know and I will get you sorted

[brabham]

Windows 98SE
<BR>
<BR>Motherboard Jetway J648a
<BR>
<BR>The BIOS upgrade was from a 1996 version to a 1997 version. I dont think it made any difference though.
<BR>
<BR>The HDD is a Western Digital model. Sorry I dont have the model number now but I can get it if its important.
<BR>
<BR>Ps. I tried partitioning the drive on another PC. I even installed all the software on the other PC. When I installed the drive in the 100MHZ PC it didn´t see the partitions in the BIOS or while booting up (I´m beginning to think this is normal). It booted windows fine and even saw all the partitions as I had created them.
<BR>
<BR>Success I screamed but, alas it was not to be.
<BR>
<BR>As soon as windows picked up the new motherboard and chipset and started installing drivers the problems started. After installing the drivers windows asks for a boot but when it reboots it comes up with an error message saying something like - windows has detected an error in the system registry, windows can reboot and fix the problem - after rebooting the registry reverts back to the version it had in the other PC before being installed in the 100MHZ PC. Windows then wants to install all the motherboard drivers again and the whole vicious circle begins again. And so on, and so on.....
<BR>
<BR>Cameron, your help will be appreciated, if only to teach me what the cause is rather than solve the problem.

[brabham]

Hey Cameron,
<BR>
<BR>Whats up man? I´ve been waiting patiently for like a week now. You got some advice for me or what?
<BR>
<BR>I dont mean to be rude but if you say you´re gonna do something then you should do it. Otherwise dont say you will.
<BR>
<BR>GRRRRRRR <IMG SRC="images/forum/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif">