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Windows Forum / Windows 98 / Setup / June 2006up grade Bios
how do I upgrade my BIOS so I can use larger hard drives? Carefully! It is one of the few software operations that can turn your PC into a very expensive doorstop  SignatureNoel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2006, Windows) Nil Carborundum Illegitemi http://www.crashfixpc.com/millsrpch.htm http://tinyurl.com/6oztj Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's > how do I upgrade my BIOS so I can use larger hard drives? At start up when I think I am suppose to hold down I think it is F2 in order to put in the new hard drives CHS values is that consider an upgrade of the BIOS? My computer was produced late or early 1998 ( 1999) and has a 4 gig HD in it. So I got only a small for todays standards 6 gig hard drive on ebay to get some more space as the primary. Heard something about going over 10 gig as more work to get it to work. Not sure what that was all about. But don't want to add the new 6 gig just as a slave and hoped that my Compaq Presario 5204 desktop machine would auto identify it but it did not so Seagate's instructions said to manually hold down F1 or 2n and enter values manually. Would thing be easier if I just kept the present 4 gig as the primary and changed the jumpers on one or both and added the 6 as a slave??? I am a Mac guy and theses PCs seem like a lot of overly complicated work. HELP PLEASE > Carefully! > It is one of the few software operations that can turn your PC into a very [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's > > how do I upgrade my BIOS so I can use larger hard drives? No - that has absolutely nothing to do with upgrading the BIOS - what you're doing there is adjusting the settings in the BIOS. What is the make/Model of your motherboard? You board should be quite capable of handling drives up to 32MB (even if no larger) - but you should still be able to use larger drives if they are properly prepared first. I recommend that you first after installing the hard drive try the Auto setting for the drive in the BIOS/CMOS - it should pick up the correct information quickly and easily. SignatureNoel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2006, Windows) Nil Carborundum Illegitemi http://www.crashfixpc.com/millsrpch.htm http://tinyurl.com/6oztj Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's > At start up when I think I am suppose to hold down I think it is F2 in > order to put in the new hard drives CHS values is that consider an [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] >> Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's >> > how do I upgrade my BIOS so I can use larger hard drives? If your mobo is in a manufactured computer (i.e., HP, Dell, etc.), you should check the maker's web site to see if a BIOS upgrade exists for your computer. I have heard arguments two ways on going to other than the computer maker (i.e., the mobo maker) for an update. Some say that a standard BIOS update may not work correctly with your PC while others say it will. I have no experience other than flashing a modem BIOS but I would caution you to ask lots of questions of the makers first and then decide on whether or not to upgrade. Also, if you flash the BIOS, I highly recommend that your computer be attached to an uninterrupted power supply as a power fluctuation during an upgrade can toast your BIOS. SignatureRegards Ron Badour, MS MVP for W98 Tips: http://home.satx.rr.com/badour Knowledge Base Info: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo > how do I upgrade my BIOS so I can use larger hard drives? Is this BIOS change like a firmware change where actual hardware rom is being given a new internal change? Not a software file kind of thing? > If your mobo is in a manufactured computer (i.e., HP, Dell, etc.), you > should check the maker's web site to see if a BIOS upgrade exists for your [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > > how do I upgrade my BIOS so I can use larger hard drives? Yes. SignatureRegards Ron Badour, MS MVP for W98 Tips: http://home.satx.rr.com/badour Knowledge Base Info: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo > Is this BIOS change like a firmware change where actual hardware rom is > being given a new internal change? Not a software file kind of thing? [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] >> >> > how do I upgrade my BIOS so I can use larger hard drives? That's one way of looking at it. However, the bios ***is*** software. Alot of it you don't see in the bios setup. Bios is written and modified per the PC or motherboard manufacturer's instructions to the bios vendor. Another way is to buy a preprogrammed chip particular to your PC and installing it, instead of flashing the onboard chip. Not recommended though as a newbie can physically trash the new chip or mishandle it when inserting. SignatureJonny > Is this BIOS change like a firmware change where actual hardware rom is > being given a new internal change? Not a software file kind of thing? [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] >> >> > how do I upgrade my BIOS so I can use larger hard drives? The BIOS is firmware, rather than software - and needs to be taken much more seriously, as a borked BIOS upgrade can totally kill the PC (necessitating a new BIOS chip), and may even lead to physical damage of the PC itself. SignatureNoel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2006, Windows) Nil Carborundum Illegitemi http://www.crashfixpc.com/millsrpch.htm http://tinyurl.com/6oztj Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's > That's one way of looking at it. However, the bios ***is*** software. > Alot of it you don't see in the bios setup. Bios is written and modified [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] >>> >>> > how do I upgrade my BIOS so I can use larger hard drives? And firmware is software as well. SignatureJonny > The BIOS is firmware, rather than software - and needs to be taken much > more seriously, as a borked BIOS upgrade can totally kill the PC [quoted text clipped - 36 lines] >>>> >>>> > how do I upgrade my BIOS so I can use larger hard drives? While in absolute terms that might be true, you have really only posted that misleading statement to obfuscate the issue and to try to discredit other posters who have posted correct information. In computer parlance there is a distinct difference between firmware and software. John > And firmware is software as well. > how do I upgrade my BIOS so I can use larger hard drives? Typically, by visiting the website of the motherboard manufacturer. However, not all BIOSes can be upgraded for this purpose. I suggest you go to http://www.seagate.com/support/disc/drivers/discwiz.html and download the "DiscWizard Starter Edition". It will create a bootable floppy that will help you with the installation. Ben I did do this first off and got the software on floppies but when I ran it I get an error message it was a while ago I tried it so not sure what it said but it would not do its thing all the way through. On the drive are the instructions to manually do what I mentioned at startup a few threads above. My fear is that if the new drive does not work that when I put the old untouched drive back in it I will have changed the startup and that drive will not boot. As I said above I am a Mac guy that has don all inside and out but when it comes to the PC it always seems that when ever I do something there is a road block that sometimes I can work through and sometimes not. > > how do I upgrade my BIOS so I can use larger hard drives? > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Ben > I did do this first off and got the software on floppies but when I ran > it I get an error message it was a while ago I tried it so not sure > what it said but it would not do its thing all the way through. I suggest you try it again. If you get an error message, please repost with it. Please note that DiscWizard Starter Edition requires two floppies. http://www.seagate.com/support/disc/download/dwse_en.exe > On the > drive are the instructions to manually do what I mentioned at startup a > few threads above. My fear is that if the new drive does not work that > when I put the old untouched drive back in it I will have changed the > startup and that drive will not boot. I've used the Seagate software and I've never known it to change anything without prompting for confirmation. > As I said above I am a Mac guy > that has don all inside and out but when it comes to the PC it always > seems that when ever I do something there is a road block that > sometimes I can work through and sometimes not. If you are planning to install the new drive as master and the old drive as slave, this will probably render Windows unusable. DiscWizard Starter Edition has a utilities section that allows you to copy the partition on which Windows is installed to the new drive. Ben > > > how do I upgrade my BIOS so I can use larger hard drives? > > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > > > Ben |
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