Installing 80GB HD

I am attempting to install a new Western Digital 80GB HD on my son's system:

Operating System
Windows 98SE (build 4.10.1998)
Processor: 350 megahertz Intel Pentium II
32 kilobyte primary memory cache
512 kilobyte secondary memory cache
MOBO: DFI P2XBL Rev. D
Main Circuit Board: 440BX
Bus Clock: 100 megahertz
BIOS: Award Software International, Inc. 4.51 PG 05/30/00
Drives
13.58 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
12.04 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space
QPS CRD-BP1500P [CD-ROM drive]
Generic floppy disk drive (3.5 ")
Generic IDE hard disk drive (13.58 GB) -- drive 0, No SMART Driver Memory Modules:
512 Megabytes Installed
MemorySlot '0' has 256
MBSlot '1' has 128
MBSlot '2' has 128 MB (actually I have 3 - 256MB sticks installed, but this is what shows.
Local Drive Volumes
c: (on drive 0) 13.58 GB 12.04 GB free

When I hook up the new HD, no primary or secondary drive is found, then it says Disk Boot Failure, Insert System Disk & Press Enter.
I downloaded the following bios upgrades from DFI:
PB61BZX0105
PB61BZX0203
PB61BZX0209
PB61BZX1026
I believe I have to flash the bios to get these installed but don't know how to do this. I assume that I need to start with a boot disk, but then what? Please walk me through the process of getting this HD working.
Thank you,
Barry

 

Hi Barry. Maybe the post would be better on the Hardware Board -
problem seems to be more HW/Bios than Win98.
What, in the BIOS, is the the drive boot disk sequence ?
Floppy / HDD C: / ... or what ? Maybe the new non-formatted disk has
slipped itself as second after the floppy in the boot disk list ?
regards

 

Hey Barry

Are you adding this drive as a primary, secondary or single?
It sounds like you are trying to use two HDD. If so, the first thing is to check the jumpers on the drives. There are a number of combinations. M (master) S (slave) CS (cable select). What you might want to try first is to install the new HD by itself. This would at least let you know the HD is good. Did you get any Docs with the drive? I have installed some HD that if they are the only HD, they don't want any jumpers at all. The second thing to check is the cable. Make sure the colored line (red or Blue) is on pin ONE, which should be closest to the power plug on the HD.
As for the memory, your system board might not reconize anymore then 512. Maybe lookup the board on the manufactors web site.
Just out of curiosity, you show Win98 se at the beginning of your post and XP Home at the bottom. Which one are you running?

LDTate

 

Barry,

DFI's BIOS flash instructions are here. I like to print out flashing instructions so I have a copy handy while performing the procedure.

If you have to flash you'll only need to use one of the files you listed. I looked at the available DFI bios files for your board and the first one on the list, PB61BX0530.ZIP appears to be the latest verion. The readme file inside the .zip files shows a release date of 05.30.00 which is the same date as listed in your son's specs. So there are no 'updates' availabe only a new version of the bios already on your son's board.

I would check LDTate's suggestion of the mater/slave settings on the back of the drive. If you are hooking it onto an IDE cable shared with another device then make sure both devices are not set to master or slave. They should be different. The only way they can be the same is if they are both set to CS (cable select)

On another note:

Is this the manual for your board? http://www.dfi.com/download/MANUAL/38320910.PDF

If so, according to the manual the only way your board will see 768MB of ram is if you are using registered modules. Otherwise it is supposed to only see 384. If it's detecting 512MB you are doing well, but that other 256 is essentially wasted. Does windows report 768MB?

Cheers,

ICE

 

Thanks for the flashing information. I'll try it tomorrow, if I get a chance. The manual you listed is the one I've been using. I assume it is correct. I knew the mobo wouldn't read unregistered modules accurately, but DFI wouldn't respond to tell me which modules are registered. I may try removing one of them to see if it still registers 512MB, if it would be faster with two. The HD is for my son's computer, which has WIN 98SE, as I originally listed, not for my XP machine. I tried installing the HD alone, as master and as slave, and none of those options allowed the drive to be seen by his computer. I know that I need to flash the bios to get the mobo to read the larger drive, so hope that will solve the problem. I'll get back with the results.
Thanks,
Barry

 

Thanks for the help. My son's computer works fine now, though I wasn't expecting to have to reinstall all the hardware after flashing the bios. Everything is back in order now.