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Trying to install a WD Caviar 160 GB HD on a PII system from 1997. I can get the XP setup started however when it goes to restart to continue the installation it can't detect the HD. I've played with the jumpers, the IDE cables, I've tried every configuration I can think of with the HD detect options in the BIOS...any ideas?
Is this computer just too old for XP's drivers?? Or is this a connection problem?
The battery seems fine on the mobo too, date and time are accurate and stay accurate. I tried another HD in the computer, same thing, although it was a HD from about 2003.
Thanks.
I'm afraid you are not going to get a 160 GB drive to work on a PII system.
When the PII was current 160 GB drives where fantasy items. The first problem is the BIOS wont be 48 bit compatable. That would restrict it to a maximum of 137 GBs. There way even be a 32 Gb restriction in the BIOS. Does the BIOS have an LBA option. If not there is no chance.
Stuart
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BIOS does not show the WD drive as installed after the reboot? "Not detected" or "not installed"?
What motherboard? Or is it a manufactured system like Compaq or Dell?
Skip
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You may find some answers at the link below. Unfortunately it requires lots of reading but may lead you to what you can do to utilize your HDD on a PII System. OTOH, you may find that it won't work properly.
http://www.dewassoc.com/kbase/hard_...
One option that could help is using Software from WD to install the OS using a Drive Overlay that circumvents SOME of the issues involved.
This link will take you to WD Software page. More reading. Software is FREE.
http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm...
Updating XP to at least SP2 also resolves some of the OS issues. Details on this should be discussed in first link.
If you haven't already, I suggest creating several Partitions from the 160 GB. You can do this Using a Win98Boot Floppy that has Win ME fdisk, available on line.
There is nothing to learn from someone who already agrees with you.
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The BIOS does indeed have a LBA option. I noticed on one HD of mine, a jumper setting for 32GB mode, would that help? Is that jumper position standard on all HDs?
The bios hangs forever when detecting the Primary IDE device. If I switch it to User mode (as opposed to auto) it skips it, detects CD Drive fine then comes up with "Disk Boot Failure".
What size HD was standard back in that day? Thanks for the quick responses!
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Using the drive even if you get it recognised will eventually result in data loss or corruption. WinXP appears to see the entire drive but the BIOS see won't see it.
Best to install a PCI based IDE controller. Then you will be able to use any size drive.
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The 'LBA' in your bios isn't 48-bit LBA. Best, as already mentioned, to get a PCI ATA card and connect the drive to it. Also your XP install disk needs to be at least SP1.
It's original drive size? Probably no more than 8 gig. That was a common bios limitation back then. Gateways of that era usually came with 4 gig drives. (1 gig drives back then were over $100.)
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This is what is written on the main chip on the mobo "Intel SB8244FX", I cant seem to find anything else that would tell me the exact model. Not sitting by the PC right now, but I believe it is not a manufactured system.
The PCI IDE card seems the best solution.
Any advice as to what brand of PCI IDE card to get for this old clunker?
Is using the card pretty straight forward for BIOS settings and installation of XP?
Thanks for all the advice.
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Check your BIOS boot order and see if there are any options to boot from a SCSI device or from an add in card. Many add in cards are seen as SCSI devices even though they aren't. If in doubt I suggest you email the manufacturer for guidance.
Brand is not critical. OS support and ability to support boot drives is. I suggest you stay away from any cards that also support RAID. Some choices are in the link below. Good site to deal with too.
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The card will have its own bios. After the PC does its normal boot process it'll 'hand off' to the card bios. I doubt you'll have any problem with it. It's pretty straight forward.
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Definitely go with the add-in controller-card...; as it effectively displaces/replace the on-board equivalent - and gives you lots of benefits in the process...
Put in a slot other than the one immediately adjacent/next to the agp slot - if you have agp and it's in use...
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Ok...finally got a card.....About not installing it in the slot right next to the AGP slot, is that just a heat/space issue?
Should I have the IDE for the CD-ROM go to the secondary IDE port on the motherboard and leave the primary IDE port open? Does it matter?
Thanks again for all your help and suggestions. I like NewEgg but I find their shipping a bit high, I tend to go with
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Sometimes there'll be an IRQ conflict with an ATA card. If so you'll usually get a posting screen message to that affect. If that happens just move the card to another slot.
It shouldn't matter which port you connect the cdrom to.
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