CMOS checksum error

I am also leaning towards a fresh install, though doing that was a challenge also, as I had to install XP and then use Partition Magic to make all the other partitions, after XP was installed, plus the time needed to install all the programs and updates. I sure would appreciate an easy fix, if someone does see one here.
I realized that there is more information that I should probably have provided you, mainly the bios version, which I will get, as soon as my son wakes up. Which version is the best to use with this mobo and configuration? Without the Seagate 160g hdd running, that drive doesn't read the full 160g, with both drives connected. I believe that it was 149g, but I will check that also.
Now to your questions:
The Seagate 160g hdd is the new drive. The Western Digital 120g hdd has been in the computer since 2003.
The 120g hdd is on the terminal end and the 160g is on the intermediate connector.
Both drives are set to CS.
With both drives connected, I get the message that EZ-Drive is corrupt on hdd 1. With only the 160g hdd connected, I get the message that EZ-Drive is corrupt on hdd 0.
With both drives connected, during startup, I do have the prompt to choose which one I want to start up. If I press the 120g, it starts normally; if I press the 160g, the windows display with the blue dots running across it comes up for a while, and then the computer restarts itself.
The EZ-Drive message only comes up when I am using Partition Magic and the 160g hdd is connected to the computer, either alone or with the other hdd. I get no such message with the 120g hdd alone.
I'll check to see if I have access to removing the DDO. If my bios version is ideal for this configuration, will I be given the choice to apply the DDO, or will it just apply it on its own?
I'll get back with the bios version within an hour or so.

 

When you used Seagate tools to set up hdd very likely hdd was not identifed correctly in bios (bad battery) and the DDO was installed. Now one question is can it be removed without looseing all data.
Hopefully you know basic Dos commands.
1) as per mattman post on Seagate, "Create an Ontrack Boot Diskette."
2) create a Win98 boot floppy diskett (www.bootdisk.com)

With only the Seagate 160g hdd in system (can leave 120g in system but Uninstalled in bios).

Use #1 above to boot system and then do a Directory listing on all partitions.
{from the prompt A: use dos command ' dir X: /w' X= each partition letter}
DO YOU get a good directory listing for each partition ? (make sure there are no misspelling or just junk listed) "the XP partition may not list or bad, not problem yet "
Use #2 above- do same.

If both give bad Direcory listings- likely you will have to start all over.
IF both are good - backup MBR and install a standerd one, DDO not needed.
IF only Win98 is bad- DDO is needed to read what is on hdd but if you want to start over the DDO should not be required if 160 hdd is listed in BIOS correctly.

You might beable to recover the XP partition after the above is determined.

 

Here is the bios information. I'll do the directory checks now.
BIOS: Phoenix Technologies, LTD 6.00 PG 11/27/2003
149.05GB Unallocated

 

I guess it is time to reinstall from scratch. Either I didn't do it correctly, or neither could see any partition. Before doing so, I'd like to make sure that the bios is the most appropriate for this usage. Please let me know if a new bios is recommended and then guide me through that process. Thank you.
By the way, when I ran the Ontrack Boot Diskette, it said: "Error: Dynamic Drive Overlay not loaded. "

 

Barry, it will not be a simple reinstall. You need to fix the MBR information or wipe it out and start again. "Fix" will be by using the drive's/DDO's utilities, "wipe out" means a low-level (zero fill) format of the drive.

The Windows CD cannot repair or overwrite this problem. You can only use disk utilities to fix it (Seagate or Lifeguard). It is not on the Windows "level ", it is on the drive/BIOS...the MBR...level.

The 149Gb that is unallocated will be the partition that has "disappeared" due to the malfunction of the DDO.

Matt

 

Ok, if you have read that last post of mine and are happy to "wipe out" the 160Gb Seagate drive and start again, do this:

Boot into the Seagate Diskwizard utilities.
Select the Utilities option.
Select the Zero Fill option (Quick will probably work).

[I can't remember if you need to reboot afterwards, but boot back into Diskwizard]

Go to the "Set up your Hard Disc" option and select your setup.

Install Windows.

Matt

 

I will agree with "mattman" on zero fill the hdd and start over. One main question is what XP do you have and is it update with the SP's ? If it is XP Home with no SP's you will have more problems. DO not know about XP Pro.

As far as bios updates- go to the mother board manufactures site and search to find out if there is one for your Model #. If there is one and you need help , post the site link. I will not do the basic research.

If the bios correctly ID's the hdd by size, sectors,heads,cylinders would say no update is needed. If the "sectors,heads,cylinders" is not lised on hdd, their web site will tell you.

 

DFI offers two different BIOS updates:
http://us.dfi.com.tw/Support/Downlo...D=2141&CATEGORY_TYPE=MB&STATUS_FLAG=A&SITE=NA
Each comes in two forms, one being a diamond flash image.
The June 19, 2004 update is for automatic restarts, but my son only experienced these automatic restarts beginning late summer 2006.
The November 24, 2004 is to support FSB200 CPU with CPU clock at 100MHz. Here is information on the AMD Athlon XP2500+ Barton to help you determine if this update would be helpful. Once his 2GB Dual Channel PC3200 DDR (GSkill F1-3200PHU2 2GBZX) sticks are installed (in 6 weeks), he'll want to overclock this computer.
"OK, here is the part that makes the XP 2500+ really stand out. The Athlon XP 2500+ is not clock locked in any way. This allows easy adjustments of both the frontside bus and the multiplier with a suitable motherboard. "
Type: Barton
FSB: 166/333MHz
Socket A
OPGA Package
OPN: AXDA2500DKV4D
Core: 13nm
Die size: 101mm²
Transistors: 54.3 million
Frequency: 1.833GHz
Cache L1 Instructions: 64KB
Cache L1 Datas: 64KB
Cache L2: 512KB
Operating voltage: 1.65V
Multiplier: 11
Power (Max): 63.2W
Die temperature (max): 85°
CPU data bus width: 64-bit

Here is the information that the BIOS has on the Seagate hdd.
ST3160812A
Cap 160GB
Cylinder 65535
Head 16
Precomp 0
Landing Zone 65534
Sector 255

The only information I could find on the Seagate site was:
Guaranteed Sectors 312,581,808
There is no relevant information on the drive itself about sectors, heads and cylinders.
In the BIOS, the WD 120g hdd shows the same numbers for head, precomp and sector, but has 57,461 for cylinder and 57460 for landing zone.
He is using WinXP Home SP2 with all its security updates.
I hope that this has answered all your questions. Let me know if anything else is needed.

 

The site for your hdd is
http://www.seagate.com/support/disc/specs/ata/st3160812a.html
what they list is
Cylinders:1024
Heads:256
Sectors:63

but the above data can not be correct, it would be only a 8.5g hdd.

Have to go, so will think about it later.

 

Here is the information I got from that Seagate page and also from Western Digital's site:

SECTORS PER DRIVE (LBA mode) _____________312,581,808

On drives greater than 33.8GB, Limit Capacity jumper changes total
available sectors as reported via Identify Drive data words 60-61 to
33.8GB to solve issues with certain BIOS during power on. The ATA
Read Native Max command will report true full capacity. The ATA
Set Max command will restore true full capacity to the operating
system drivers. Third party partitioning software may be needed to
achieve full capacity when using this option jumper.

Barracuda 7200.9

Capacity:160.0 GB
Speed: 7200 rpm
Average Seek Time: 11 ms
Cylinders: 1024
Heads: 256
Sectors: 63


From the Western Digital site (http://wdc.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/wdc.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=704&p_created=1037222945)
All EIDE drives 8.4 GB and larger use 16383 cylinders, 16 heads and 63 SPT due to interface restrictions.

I looked all over the BIOS and couldn't find anything similar to these readings. If it is to be found there, please let me know where to look.

 

Some general info:
Sector*Heads*Cylinders=Totol Sectors on hdd
Totols Sectors*512=Totol bites on hdd

Useing the bios data:
the Seagate 160g hdd - 16*255*65535*512= about 137G
the WD hdd - 16*255*57461*512= about 120g

Looks like your bios does not see the 160 g hdd correctly.

Reading the link for your mother board, does Not update for big hdd size.
(I could be wrong) You could try the bios update but just a warning, if it goes wrong the resaults could very well be buying a new mother board.

other options:
1) buy a max of 137g hdd to replace the 160g hdd (to be safe 120g hdd)
2) buy a plug in disk controler card for the 160 g hdd (have never use)
3) install the EZ-drive on the the boot hdd (identified in Bios as IDE0-Master) with all hdds connected, Remember if you change the boot hdd and it is not the 160g , you will have problems. TO do any thing with the 160g hdd, you Must always boot the EZ-drive first. (Do not requmend this method).
4) there could be other options, but I do not know them.

Added:
5) Put the 160 into a USB hdd encouser ( I know its spelled wrong) and use as a slave \storage drive.

 

Not trying to rain on anyones parade here, but I wouldn't worry about the disparity in capacity as seen by windows - thats common and depends on how bytes are counted. The BIOS is recognizing full capacity of the drive so this in my book is a non-issue.

Putting this back on track re: next steps - I'd go back to the Mattman zero fill recommendations and as said all along, I'd lose the EZ-Drive DDO forever - you know why by now.

Once you've got your drives cleaned up and ready for an installation, I'd install with only one drive (whatever you decide to use for the system drive) attached. After the installation, you can add the second drive but I'd recommend keeping all files on one drive which is why you only want one hooked up initially.

Once your new setup is completed, then we can address any BIOS updates, overclocking that processor and whatever else hits your hot button. I am very familiar with this board now that I know your revision and I am very familiar with this processor and how to overclock it on this motherboard. I ran two of the earlier revision boards for quite some time and still have one on duty with a 2600+ mobile running at 2.4GHz for my 2003 Server. I sold the other and its doing similar chores as a 2000 Server with a 2600+ mobile at 2.4Ghz. Your revision is the same board I used to build my nephew's system two years ago and I just replaced that board with my last brand spanking new DFI Lan Party right before Christmas (he shorted it out doing something very dumb). I've got a half dozen of those boards out in the field still running quite nicely and most of those have your processor - all overclocked to 2.2 GHz.



edit: in third paragraph above, my reference to all files is meant as all system files.

 

How do I make sure that the EZ-Drive DDO isn't automatically installed? I don't recall anything that asked me if I wanted it installed. Without it, can Partition Magic still be used to make the entire 160GB available?

 

Sorry for the delay in getting back, but I have been busy and have had several ineffective attempts at reinstalling this hard drive. I believe that I finally found the solution. Here are the steps that seemed to work:
1) write zeros on entire drive (a 16 hour project) using Seagate tools.
2) entering the other drive, use Partition Magic to partition the new drive (I discovered that this only works when apply is clicked after each partition is set up. When I set up all and then hit apply, I got an error message.) Also, Partition Magic only sees 149.02gb available to partition. I know that we don't have access to the entire drive, but is this amount acceptable for a 160gb hdd?
3) unplug the other drive and install WinXP on the proper partition.
4) error came up saying that there was a volume error and to run chkdsk.
5) chkdsk /p identified only 132gb, but fixed the problem.

Now I have full use of the 149.02gb. All appears stable. Since I didn't use the Seagate tools to install the hdd or OS, I assume that no DDO is present on this drive. Before I finish the arduous task of installing all the security updates and programs, I'd appreciate any feedback that might prevent me from wasting time (if I've made a mistake that I haven't caught myself). We'll spend 3 weeks making sure that this drive is completely stable and then install the new memory sticks. Then we'll be ready for overclocking guidance. Thanks for all your help.