Hi, I have a Compaq Presario 2274 and want to upgrade my current hard drive (which is 4GB) to one I have just bought which is 80GB.

I have since been told that my motherboard/bios may not accept a drive this large though as it is a few years old.

So, how do I find what maximum size hard drive this computer will take, and if it is below 80GB, is there any way around it without updating my motherboard?

Cheers

Hi maddarlo

Depending on the age and type of the mobo, the chances are it will not take a hdd larger than 30 to 40 gig. Plus the new hdd is ata 100 or ata 133, you didnt specify which brand HDD you have.

The chances are the on board contoller may wel be ata 66 you will not get the performance of the HDD.

And yes there is a way arround it.

1. Configure the jumpers on the HDD to limit its capacity to 32 gig.

2. Place an overlay on the HDD to trick the bios in respect to its capacity, but you will still be able to use the entire hard drive capacity once the operating system is loaded.

3. Upgarde your bios, if the bios can be upgraded that is.

Other wise you may need get a smaller hard drive, or upgrade your mobo chip and ram. Also you didnt say which processor, and speed you have.

Hope thats of some help to you

regards

Janos

Hi Janos,

Thanks v much for your reply. OK, here is the information you requested:

The new hard drive is an IBM Deskstar. The model number is: ic35l080avva07-0 and the rpm is 7200 ata/ide.

My processor is: 300 megahertz AMD K6-2 w/3DNow!

Thanks for the three tips as regards updating. How exactly do I carry them out (have not done this before!) and would this result in my PC seeing the new drive as 32GB instead of 80GB?

Thanks again,

Andy

PS ata of new drive is 100.

Hi Andy

Nice hard drive, good choice.

The afct its an ibm, is even better.

Did you get recive a cd with it ? with DISK MANAGER DISKGO writen on it!

With ONTRACK printed on the bottom of the cd. If you did this cd has everything you need on it. If you have the CD did you get any isntructins with it ?

If you limit the HDD with the jumpers you will only have max 32 gig to play with.

By placing an OVERLAY on it will give you the entire 80 gig but the BIOS will only know it as max 30gig and allow it to run on your system.

I am on line and will be for the next hour or so, if you can supply mw with the info i asked here I should be able to answer you.

Janos

Janos, you are a gentleman and a scholar! Thanks for all your help. Top man.

Right, Not sure about that CD. I bought the drive off ebay -virtually new - and it hasn't arrived yet - but I've just emailed the seller to ask him. Shall let you know when he replies.

So, the overlay sounds the best option then, yes? What the devil's an overlay and how do I do it?!?!

Cheers,

Andy

Hmmmm, just found this:

Disk ManagerŪ "Disk Go!" is a dynamic drive overlay that allows you to override the drive settings from your BIOS setup. "Disk Go!" is made by Ontrack Computer, Inc. for Fujitsu hard disk drive products. It is available from their website which will work with Fujitsu hard disk drives only.

Not IBM then?

Older boards like your will not accept any hard drive bigger than 32GB. If you just buy a 40GB, it will only recognize it as 32GB. If you have a 440BX, 440LX, 440EX motherboard, max would be 32GB. If you have somthing older like the 430FX, 430GX... Pentium motherboards, max would be 8GB. It's pointless to update your motherboard, I don't think compaq have a 32GB large disk support post on the Compaq website. Best thing to do, get a new computer. They are so cheap now you can get a good one for like $600.

Thanks for the vote of confidence, but we not there yet.

Yes the overlay is the best chioce if you wnat the entire 80 gig, let's face it thats why you got it.

The overlay, places an elctronic blanket over the surface of the magnetic plater, or disk, in your drive, which tells the bios that it only has a max 30 gig capacity, thus allowing the bios ro recognise the hard drive.

How you do it LOL not that hard raly just need to be very carefull, and follow the instructins step by step. Hope that you will have writen instructions.

But normaly you will insert the disk with your current system in place, start the disk manager from the cd connect the new hard drive to the middle connector of the ide cable ( assuming you have one ) the program will place the overlay on the disk, it will also allow you to partiton the disk also ( i think , havent used it in long time ) Not more than 3 partitions ME has trouble or can not see any more than 3 partitions, on a drive of that size.

a 20 20 40 partitions would be ideal in your case, when all is complete the program will tell you to shut down the computer, connect the new hard drive as master to the IDE cable.

Reboot the computer, enter the bios and make sure that the bios can see the hard drive, if the bios has the facility, enable the LBA capability ( LARGE BLOCK ADDRESSING ) insert the ME setup floppy and perform a clean install of ME.

If the bios doesnt see the HDD than I am sorry to say you might be up for a mobo processor and ram upgrade.

But lets see if you have the disk and instructions. If not a reputable pc shop should have these tools and can do it for you.

Regards

Janos

Janos,

Alas, no software comes with the hard drive - shall have a hunt around to see if I can download it anywhere though.

Anyway, thanks for all your help. It's reassuring that I will be able to use the full 80GB with such an old 'puter!

Cheers,

Andy

Hi madarlo

The same disk, i obtained from IBM technical direct. You will find that it is a genric tool written by Ontrack.

Seagate use it as well in slightly different form.

Janos

OK, thanks mate. Can't find any downloads anywhere - is there a freebie alternative out there?

YES! Just found a download on the IBM website. Bloody marvellous!

Andy

Try the IBM support web site, if not have a look at the seagate sight and see if their DiscWizard will do the job on an IBM drive.

Otherwise find a good PC shop as i mentioned earlier,

The original IBM product code on the disk is

PN# 00N8195 just for you information.

Hope that helps.

Janos

all this work seems for naught when you mentioned your system specs, if i were you i would save up for a better comp, you can build your own for less thatn 400 and it would be up to date and very nice, just built me a top of the line for 500, but i guess it is all up to you, just a suggestion, but it is like a 1982 street racing car, instead of puting a new muffler on it, just buy a new car, anyway just my opinion

Tony,

Many of us upgrade old machines regularly in order to have something to use or pass on to another person.

The solution of building/buying new and tossing the old doesn't hold water.

Do you buy a new car when you need tires or a muffler?

That's my 2cents.

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