486Dx HardDrive question....
Ken
etc....
It's already running Windows 95.
I have 32 MEGs of ram for it from another system that I will install
shortly
What I need to know is: I have an extra harddrive that is 1.6 Gb...I
want install it in the 486...Can this be done?...I was told once that
the 486 only supports a harddisk up to around 400Mb. If that is true,
can I partition it up or is there software now that I can install so it
recognizes the larger harddrive?
I was also told, to install the larger drive ( which already has win 95
on it), I will need to change the bios settings. Is this something that
I can do and if so, how?
Robert Baer
partitions do not count, as the logical drives there have the same
limit.
The limit is about 510 Mbytes, but with a BIOS extender, one can go up
to the 8Gbyte limit.
Jameco Electonics in Belmont CA (they have a website) has BIOS
extenders, and you also can get an American Megatrends extender from TTI
Technologies, 1445 Donlon St #9, Ventura CA 93003 (800) 541-1943
[address/phone ok as of 6/95].
Bill Rowland
Getting way to far ahead here.
First, is the cable from the hard drive plugged into the motherboard or
into a card installed in a slot on the motherboard.
IF the cable plugs into the motherboard then you need to find out who
manufactured the motherboard next.
On the other hand if the cable is plugged into a card in one of the ISA
slots, then we need to know who the manufacturer is. If there is nothing
to identify the manufacturer, then we need to identify the chipset on the
card, at least.
In either case, the BIOS is the real limitation here, not necessarily
the controller.
NEXT ---- Need to know who made the hard drive. The reason for this is
that an "overlay" (disk manager software) may be necessary. If the
motherboard BIOS does not support translation above the 528 Mb barrier.
The overlay manager is SPECIFIC to the hard drive manufacturer. Unless
the owner wants to spend (about) $60.00 to get On-Track Systems disk
management software?
BUT, first find out where the IDE cable is plugged into. Then we'll
work from there. It's entirely possible all that's needed is NOTHING!
Just plug it in an GO! <bg>
Ken
to the motherboard....
The drive that's in it now is a Western Digital, as is the one I want to
put back into it....I guess that would be good news, right?
Now how would I find out who the manufacturer is of the MBoard?
I REALLY appreciate the fact that you answered my post so soon, Thanks a
lot,Ken
Bill Rowland
Was DEFINITELY hoping that this was the case ( whoosh ) ... <BSG> .....
Ok, now we need to ID your BIOS mfg., i.e., phoenix, Award, AMI, etc..
Goto this address if it's NOT obvious who makes your BIOS. Heck go to it
any way. There is a LOT of info on BIOS's there <G> ....
The reason for this is that INSIDE the BIOS identity code is a MFG code!
Let's hope they got a web site. Some mfg.'s don't.
BTW, it's usually found at the top or bottom of your startup screen.
depending on who makes your BIOS. But, not always....
Ken
..........the screen says Phoenix Bios A486 version 1.03
Does this help?
Ken
to find it in the lists at that web page you asked me to go to....any
ideas?
To be honest with you I got a little confused at that website because he
was talking about BIOS chip #'s then he started in about Motherboard
Manufacturers,
hhhmmmm..... Again thanks for all your help....Should we continue this
in the group or would you like to go email to save space in here?
Thanks, Ken
Bill Rowland
Ken, is that motherboard in a Packard-Bell or other "special" type
of chassis? Or, is this a "generic" motherboard? The reason I asked
is that there are so MANY mfg's that used this particular BIOS it's
going to be hard to find out who made it.
Is there ANY "writing" (silk screened or stenciled) on the motherboard?
If there is ANYTHING that MIGHT be a P/N, random number, model number,
etc. just nothing that is obviously a reference to an electrical part.
Like U11 (chip) C34 (capacitor) R54 (resistor).. etc..
Also, does that particular BIOS have a "auto detect" feature for the
hard drive(s)? IF it does then it might work without a disk manager.
As for the Western Digital Hard Drive? There is NO problem there I got
dozens of disks with the WD disk manager on it, and you can get the
latest version from Western Digital yourself (http://www.wdc.com)
Bill Rowland
Nah, let them see how it can be frustrating <G>...
Ken
P/N 9916525903
S/N 871210010
Also it has the word "DAEWOO" stenciled on another area of the board.
Should I enable "shadowing" of the rom to the ram?
Plato
>
> OK, I checked out the 486 and the cable from the Harddrive goes straight
> to the motherboard....
than it may be a more modern motherboard which has a better chance of
having LBA mode in the bios if so it should see disks up to about 4 to 6
gig without a disk manager
Ken
booting up?
Bill Rowland
>
> So how do I look at the BIOS settings as it boots up? Do I interrupt the
> booting up?
Yes, interrupt it. Usually, but not always, you can hit a key on the
keyboard that will cause the "setup" program to start up. On Award and AMI
that usually means the DEL key. However, if this motherboard came out of
another computer, and it's a Phoenix BIOS too. Then you may have to
generate an error. Like unplugging the floppy drive <G>...
This was especially true on Packard-Bell systems. There was no way to
normally get into the BIOS setup utility (by default) on the older
motherboards. You had to create an error condition. Usually it was fairly
easy to just unplug the floppy drive. This will cause a "Floppy Drive
failure (80)" error on your screen. This is a TRUE error, cause you just
disconnected it <BG>. It will then (I hope) offer you the ability to enter
the setup program (I hope).
BTW, this was also true for IBM machines too....
Bill Rowland
>
> So how do I look at the BIOS settings as it boots up? Do I interrupt the
> booting up?
Ken, do you have a printer hooked up to that motherboard? If you do the
when the system boots, try doing a shift PRINT SCREEN. This will dump all
the screen data to the printer. That way you can send me the results (after
you type them up <G>) to me....
Also, Phoenix says to hold the CTRL, ATL keys down during boot and touch
the "S" key or ESC key. That's IF the motherboard was manufactured AFTER
1987. Not all manufacturers implemented this feature though.
Have any idea where this motherboard came from originally? Like the brand
name of the computer???
Ken
I'm near Vancouver BC
Ken
on the board....I see that Daewoo has a site...I found it through the
site URL that you sent to me
I tried everything to try and stop the bootup......this things better
than the damn Energizer Bunny!! It keeps goin' and goin'
The key strokes that you sent me didn't work at all....
I had to pull out one of the 2 Ram chips so it never counted all the way
up...That stopped it...
Now I guess I'm waiting for you to get back to me as to what I do next
Thanks again, Ken
Ken
change the values to co-ordinate with the 1.6Gb drive...I see now, they
are set for the 325Mb drive..........(patiently waiting).......
Plato
oH, you did get into the bios than, look for autodetect hard disk now,
you may have to tab over to a new section
Ken
for changing bootup procedures are and also the Drive selection....Is
that where you are referring to?
Plato
I'm just about to suggest sending you to a computer pro so
you cant watch what he/she does in person, spend the money
and get the education my man
FarmerBear
TGenius28
it goin thru my MB, 1 was 540mb that i compressed to like 800 with win95, and
another was 1.2 gigs, i didnt need any drivers or anything...so first i suggest
u just plug in and see if it worx, then u fool around with it. K?
<<<<<I bought a humidifier and a dehumidifier, put them in the same room, and
let them battle it out.>>>>>>
Ken
DETECT" so I set it to that and it did detect the larger HD. Then I set
it to LBA and now I guess I need to Have a proper boot disk like
*Wizard* suggested.....When I enter *DIR* at the prompt it says:
"Volume in Drive C has no label"
" Volume Serial Number is 1F2B-17F5
Directory of C:\
COMMAND COM 92,780 bytes 07-11-95
1 file (s) 92,870 bytes
0 dir (s) 1,620,869,120 bytes
free
gerald reiter
Even if the BIOS does not support the size of your harddisk, there are
disk-managers that do (ie. ontrack disk manager) or should do...
rg
FarmerBear schrieb:
Hyper
>
> X-No-Archive:Yes
>
> They render your data unrecoverable and slow your drive down
> considerably, in short, they suck!
>
There is that caustic, spontaniousness we regulars love about you wizard
--
http://members.xoom.com/Hyper_Hands/