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I recently bought a 80 GB Seagate HDD, but my computer shows only 32GB of it. I read on some sites that to solve this problem, I need to update the BIOS. But, also they stated that its very dangerous.
Is it really? What precautions should I take to update the BIOS? Has anybody tried updating the bios here? If yes, can u share your experience with me?
Most BIOS updates go well....The problem comes when the update gets interrupted. This can leave you with a corrupt BIOS which is a serious problem requiring everything from moving some jumpers to a chip change depending on your mobo.
There is some risk involved. On some boards if the bios update fails, it will leave the system fried.
If the power fails while you're flashing the bios, it could be corrupted. Some bioses will detect this and automatically use a backup copy they keep for this purpose, others won't.
In the latter case there is a good chance you can't boot. However some boards provide an emergency flashing procedure that works even if the machine cannot be booted (usually involving a specially formatted floppy disc and keys held down at boot time)
I've flashed the bios on my machine because it was reporting the size of the memory incorrectly under Linux - it fixed it and has caused no problems.
It's usually extremely safe as long as you make sure you have *EXACTLY* the right version of bios for your board. If you're unsure whether it's the right bios, DON'T FLASH IT. I have seen problems in the past - they all came from having the wrong bios for the board.
If you live in an area where the power is extremely unstable, having a UPS might be handy. Otherwise try not to flash the bios during a storm.
This is an interesting subject as I have had a forklift crash through my workspace while flashing the Nvram (aka bios) of a proliant server once...... thankfully compaq's boards are very good at emergency recovery.
Most newer boards will have the emergency flash utility, and some appear to keep the actual bootstrap (part of the bios that tells it to boot off devices such as floppy, zip, cd, or hdd) separate from the section being flashed (as it is not normally changed). Like slarty said... keep yer eyes on the power and ya should be fine!
worst case scenario, warranty!! also look into flashing the drive itself, some of the fujitsu and western digital drives required updates out of the gate... joy!
I usually say if it isn’t broke don't fix it. If you go a problem that requires bios flashing then by all means. As long as you get the instructions right and don't flip to off button while its updating everything should be fine. Some mobo’s(not to be confused with hobo’s or mofo’s) come with two BIOS’s one that can be flashed and a backup that can’t.
all flashing bios consits of is going into dos mode, and running an update util (for the bios type of course) and giving it a path to a .bin (binary file), and it would tell you if it wernt successful, but i know on the new MSI mobo`s (lol cwk) and the K7 series has a program that runs in windows to do it, but it it goes wrong you system may not boot, which can be rectifyed by clearing your cmos, and resorting to the factory default settings (if nothing was damaged= dead mobo )
so
1.find out your motherboard
2. goto the site and find specs
3. or if they offer the bios tools DL em and the latest flash
(flashing bios`es used to consist of shining light into a glass place, as the components were light sensitive)
(just a bit of usless info, incase u wanna impress neone, i done it too many times to count)
Preep
If you get it wrong (like downloading the wrong version of the upgrade, or interrupting mid way through the update), then your BIOS may be totally screwed. And, no, you cannot restore this by resetting jumpers on your motherboard, as the BIOS chip itself is now corrupt. The only way to fix this is to get a replacement BIOS chip.
Fortunately, a lot of modern motherboards (like some graphic cards) offer a dual BIOS option.
In other words, you update one of your BIOS chips with the new code, and if it all goes horribly pear shaped (i.e. FUBAR), you can always reboot using the other one. And you can then copy your good copy to the corrupt one, and try again :D
Before updating ur BIOS! check if has a jumper option (*Limit Capacity 32gb. *) if
there's no jumper I think the best way is to update the BIOS look for the model and the
newest ver. BIOS update!
p.s.
Try not to interrupt the flashing! Gud Luck!
____________________________
The secret in success is good timng.
Look for a manufacturer's update or an update from the company who wrote the original BIOS.
manpreet - To be totally safe, download not only the correct bios update for your board (make sure you check the revision numbers, etc.) but the bios currently running. Alot of manufacturers will include the current bios and flash utility on the drivers CD that comes with your board. You should also check to see if there is an updated flash utility. Most MB sites are pretty good about noting which boards, use which flash utilities but then again, there are those (FIC for one) that show one flash utility and actually use another. Unless it's something 'big' . . . if you use the same flash utility that is currently on your system . . . you should be okay. As suggested earlier, make sure you understand the steps needed to flash your bios and it doesn't hurt to have your instructions printed out so they're handy. There are command switches (Award/Phoenix) that can be used to make things easier. Also don't forget to SAVE a copy of your old bios when prompted. It's always a good idea to get that 'extra' cushion of safety, even if you do have another copy of the original bios downloaded or on a driver CD. If you could tell me the make/model and revision number of your board, I could dig up some of the info I have on command switches, bios info sites, etc. Most Important - DO NOT - for any reason - interrupt the flash process!! If you do, you may wish you'd just put in a smaller hard drive. If you take it slow and follow all the great advice the other AO members have provided, you'll be fine. Hope all goes well.
. . . V.
"never change a working system"
hmm, why not just partitioning the harddisk?
i use an old pc which bios only supports 500mb lets make 2 500mb partitions out of 1gb and it works, doesn't it??
manpreet,
Just out of sheer curiosity, could you disclose your boards particulars. I might also be of some assistance, I won't confuse you further with the procedures as everyone else here has covered that very well...kudos peeps :D I have been known among some as quite a flasher, I have flashed the un-flashable... :flash:
Firstly, thanks to all of you for the positive responses. I think, I am now getting some idea about the risk factor involved in this task.
Well, aeallison & others, here is my bios information. Your assitance will be invaluable to me. :)
BIOS Date: 03/12/99
BIOS Type: Award Modular BIOS v4.51PG
BIOS ID: 03/12/1999-691-586B-8661-2A6LFZ1AC-00
BIOS Eval: BX98 Ver 1.06 (990315)
Chipset: VIA 82C691 rev 1
Super I/O: ITE 8661/SiS 6801 rev 6 found at port 279h
Manpreet
Manpreet -
Do you know the manufacturer of your board and its revision number? It will be printed on the board. If you have the users manual or original packaging it will give the info there too. I know you have an Award bios for an Apollo Pro (691/596) Chipset, but can't give you anything else without more info. Is there any other information you can pass along that you see as the system boots up (in case you don't want to take the cover off of your case)? With Award, you definitely need to use the same flash utility that is presently being used on your system. I still have the command switches, if you need them, but without the correct bios update, they won't do you much good. Let me know what you discover or if you need some help finding out exactly where to look.
. . . V.
Manpreet -
Do you know the manufacturer of your board and its revision number? It will be printed on the board. If you have the users manual or original packaging it will give the info there too. I know you have an Award bios for an Apollo Pro (691/596) Chipset, but can't give you anything else without more info. Is there any other information you can pass along that you see as the system boots up (in case you don't want to take the cover off of your case)? With Award, you definitely need to use the same flash utility that is presently being used on your system. I still have the command switches, if you need them, but without the correct bios update, they won't do you much good. Let me know what you discover or if you need some help finding out exactly where to look.
. . . V.
hey vvirtho, i donot have the manuals with me. so now where should i look for this information?
I think i had mentioned the chipset name and revision no.. in my above post. here it is again:
Chipset: VIA 82C691 rev 1
hey vvirtho, i donot have the manuals with me. so now where should i look for this information?
I think i had mentioned the chipset name and revision no.. in my above post. here it is again:
Chipset: VIA 82C691 rev 1
manpreet,
You will most likely need to remove the cover of your box and try to find the board manufacturer's name and model number as well as the revision number as vvirtho also stated. This way we can find the exact bios update for your board.
manpreet,
You will most likely need to remove the cover of your box and try to find the board manufacturer's name and model number as well as the revision number as vvirtho also stated. This way we can find the exact bios update for your board.
Manpreet:
Sorry this took so long - I had a hard time finding the files I needed. Okay, the Manufacturer of your motherboard is Zida - it is a Tomato board (no joke). Model is BX98 and your Bios version is 1.06. I already told you it is the Apollo Pro (691/596) Chipset. Here's where it gets a little sticky . . . there are at least 3 revisions of this board. If it is a straight BX98 - then you have a dual AT/ATX board with a Baby AT form factor. There is a BX98-3D which is identical except for Creative 3D on-board Audio. There is also a BX98-ATX which is an ATX form factor board. Assuming you have the plain BX98, the latest bios update for your board is "BX98106E.BIN". In the bios upgrade info for these boards, I did not see any notation regarding the "32GB Limit Capacity". You may want to explore this further at http://www.zida.com/download/bx98/bios/ I would suggest checking http://www.viaarena.com/?PageID=66 as well as the Seagate site. The reason is that you may be able to find a driver to correct the 'limit capacity' without having to resort to flashing the bios. Zida has downloads for user manuals, drivers, bios, etc. on their ftp site as well. If you find you do need to upgrade the bios, I found a couple of informational files you may want to look at - the 451 Setup and VIA 691 zip files: http://www.unicore.com/techsupport/award/awarddocs.htm
I wasn't able to find the original file I got the info from, but I did find my notes on the Bios Flash Command Switches. I tried to put it in a more 'useable' format - that would hopefully make more sense.
Bios Flash Command Switches
/py = PROGRAM YES
YES answer to: Run Flash program?
/sy = SAVE YES
YES answer to: Save Old Bios?
/sn = SAVE NO
NO answer to: Save Old Bios?
/cc = CLEAR CMOS
YES answer to: Clear old CMOS settings?
/cp = CLEAR PNP
YES answer to: Clear old PnP settings?
/cd = CLEAR DMI
Yes answer to: Clear old DMI/ESCD settings?
/R = RESTART
Restarts computer after flash upgrade completed.
Boot computer from a floppy disk containing a copy of the “system” files, flash utility program and the new bios upgrade file (may want to include a ‘clean’ copy of the old bios files as well). At the A:> prompt enter the following information (DO NOT USE QUOTES):
“flash utility program” “bios upgrade file.ext” /commandswitch /command switch /etc.
EXAMPLE: awdflash jn4116.bin /py /sn /cc /cp /cd /R
Do not enter the file extension for the flash utility program but DO enter the file extension for the bios upgrade. AMI bios upgrades use a “.rom” extension, while Award/Phoenix upgrades are “.bin”. There is a single space between the flash utility, bios upgrade and each command switch. Use of the various switches in the above example will assure the User a non-interactive upgrade. If you need to answer YES to saving your old bios files, once the files are saved to a floppy disk, the remainder of the upgrade is “no hands on”, until the system is restarted.
Please Note: The only capitalized command switch, is the “R” for “Restart”.
I hope you can find what you need with the information I have provided. If there is anything else I can help you find or something that you require more of an explanation on - just let me know.
. . . V.
Manpreet:
Sorry this took so long - I had a hard time finding the files I needed. Okay, the Manufacturer of your motherboard is Zida - it is a Tomato board (no joke). Model is BX98 and your Bios version is 1.06. I already told you it is the Apollo Pro (691/596) Chipset. Here's where it gets a little sticky . . . there are at least 3 revisions of this board. If it is a straight BX98 - then you have a dual AT/ATX board with a Baby AT form factor. There is a BX98-3D which is identical except for Creative 3D on-board Audio. There is also a BX98-ATX which is an ATX form factor board. Assuming you have the plain BX98, the latest bios update for your board is "BX98106E.BIN". In the bios upgrade info for these boards, I did not see any notation regarding the "32GB Limit Capacity". You may want to explore this further at http://www.zida.com/download/bx98/bios/ I would suggest checking http://www.viaarena.com/?PageID=66 as well as the Seagate site. The reason is that you may be able to find a driver to correct the 'limit capacity' without having to resort to flashing the bios. Zida has downloads for user manuals, drivers, bios, etc. on their ftp site as well. If you find you do need to upgrade the bios, I found a couple of informational files you may want to look at - the 451 Setup and VIA 691 zip files: http://www.unicore.com/techsupport/award/awarddocs.htm
I wasn't able to find the original file I got the info from, but I did find my notes on the Bios Flash Command Switches. I tried to put it in a more 'useable' format - that would hopefully make more sense.
Bios Flash Command Switches
/py = PROGRAM YES
YES answer to: Run Flash program?
/sy = SAVE YES
YES answer to: Save Old Bios?
/sn = SAVE NO
NO answer to: Save Old Bios?
/cc = CLEAR CMOS
YES answer to: Clear old CMOS settings?
/cp = CLEAR PNP
YES answer to: Clear old PnP settings?
/cd = CLEAR DMI
Yes answer to: Clear old DMI/ESCD settings?
/R = RESTART
Restarts computer after flash upgrade completed.
Boot computer from a floppy disk containing a copy of the “system” files, flash utility program and the new bios upgrade file (may want to include a ‘clean’ copy of the old bios files as well). At the A:> prompt enter the following information (DO NOT USE QUOTES):
“flash utility program” “bios upgrade file.ext” /commandswitch /command switch /etc.
EXAMPLE: awdflash jn4116.bin /py /sn /cc /cp /cd /R
Do not enter the file extension for the flash utility program but DO enter the file extension for the bios upgrade. AMI bios upgrades use a “.rom” extension, while Award/Phoenix upgrades are “.bin”. There is a single space between the flash utility, bios upgrade and each command switch. Use of the various switches in the above example will assure the User a non-interactive upgrade. If you need to answer YES to saving your old bios files, once the files are saved to a floppy disk, the remainder of the upgrade is “no hands on”, until the system is restarted.
Please Note: The only capitalized command switch, is the “R” for “Restart”.
I hope you can find what you need with the information I have provided. If there is anything else I can help you find or something that you require more of an explanation on - just let me know.
. . . V.
How about I make this easy for you.
When you purchased your Seagate hard drive, it most likely came with a floppy disk which contains its own secondary BIOS. Simply install that and your drive will show up completely (Western Digital and other hard drive manufacturers have similar features). If the hard disk did not come with a floppy disk, check either the documentation or the web site. In my experience, Seagate places such information on a separate partition on the hard drive, and a properly executed command copies the necessary files to a floppy for installation. Hope that helps.
AJ
How about I make this easy for you.
When you purchased your Seagate hard drive, it most likely came with a floppy disk which contains its own secondary BIOS. Simply install that and your drive will show up completely (Western Digital and other hard drive manufacturers have similar features). If the hard disk did not come with a floppy disk, check either the documentation or the web site. In my experience, Seagate places such information on a separate partition on the hard drive, and a properly executed command copies the necessary files to a floppy for installation. Hope that helps.
AJ
Thanks a lot vvirtho for that informational & helping post. Well, as for the board, I think its most probably BX98 or BX98-ATX. Those links helped me a lot. So, I am finally going to flash the bios. I hope it goes out well. :)
avdven>>As for the HDD, I have a Samsung 40GB and a 8.4GB Seagate. I downloaded the utils (disk manager) from the seagate site, but that util can only work on seagate disks :(
So, that means i "will" have to flash the bios. Got no other alternative.
Thanks a lot again
Manpreet
Thanks a lot vvirtho for that informational & helping post. Well, as for the board, I think its most probably BX98 or BX98-ATX. Those links helped me a lot. So, I am finally going to flash the bios. I hope it goes out well. :)
avdven>>As for the HDD, I have a Samsung 40GB and a 8.4GB Seagate. I downloaded the utils (disk manager) from the seagate site, but that util can only work on seagate disks :(
So, that means i "will" have to flash the bios. Got no other alternative.
Thanks a lot again
Manpreet
if u should run "fdisk" cmd frist.
i don't think the BIOS have problem.
if u should run "fdisk" cmd frist.
i don't think the BIOS have problem.
Can u please explain further? I did'nt get u.Quote:
Originally posted here by haoeng
if u should run "fdisk" cmd frist.
i don't think the BIOS have problem.
Can u please explain further? I did'nt get u.Quote:
Originally posted here by haoeng
if u should run "fdisk" cmd frist.
i don't think the BIOS have problem.
I really don't think he has a clue d00d... :rofl:
I really don't think he has a clue d00d... :rofl:
Manpreet -
In your original post, you said you had a Seagate 80 GB hard drive - which is why both avdven and I suggested going to the Seagate site. I checked out Samsung and what you need to do is download their Disk Manager program by Ontrack http://www.samsungelectronics.com/hd...lities_01.html This program will walk you through setting up your hardware so it will recognize capacities over 32 GB. I would copy the instructions into Notepad or Word and print them out so you have them available to refer to.
I believe what haoeng was referring to is - that once you run the Disk Manager program (whether Seagate or Samsung) you aren't supposed to run Fdisk. In other words, if you need to run Fdisk, run it first - then run Disk Manager. If the Samsung program runs like the Seagate one (which I'm sure it does since they are both by Ontrack) you don't need to run Fdisk. Just read the directions, make sure you understand everything and then run the program. Disk Manager is described as a 3rd party hard disk manager by Microsoft and to put it simply, MS Fdisk does not play well with others. I've used the Seagate Ontrack Disk Manager before, although it's been a while and it worked great. If you have any questions regarding the instructions - just ask and I'm sure you'll get what you need.
Manpreet -
In your original post, you said you had a Seagate 80 GB hard drive - which is why both avdven and I suggested going to the Seagate site. I checked out Samsung and what you need to do is download their Disk Manager program by Ontrack http://www.samsungelectronics.com/hd...lities_01.html This program will walk you through setting up your hardware so it will recognize capacities over 32 GB. I would copy the instructions into Notepad or Word and print them out so you have them available to refer to.
I believe what haoeng was referring to is - that once you run the Disk Manager program (whether Seagate or Samsung) you aren't supposed to run Fdisk. In other words, if you need to run Fdisk, run it first - then run Disk Manager. If the Samsung program runs like the Seagate one (which I'm sure it does since they are both by Ontrack) you don't need to run Fdisk. Just read the directions, make sure you understand everything and then run the program. Disk Manager is described as a 3rd party hard disk manager by Microsoft and to put it simply, MS Fdisk does not play well with others. I've used the Seagate Ontrack Disk Manager before, although it's been a while and it worked great. If you have any questions regarding the instructions - just ask and I'm sure you'll get what you need.
oh... i must have said this mistakenly... (coz i have two hdds one seagate and one samsung).. anyway thanks for the information...
BTW, I am going to flash my bios today itself :).. i have got the required files now... and therefore there is no need for disk manager...
Manpreet
manpreet -
I hope you had good luck flashing your bios and would like to know how it went. I had hoped you would use the Disk Manager program so you could avoid flashing your bios, especially since, as I stated when I found the info for your board, I saw no notations where a bios upgrade would 'fix' the 32GB limit capacity.
. . . V
Yippie!!
It worked fine. No probs at all. And now my system does recognize 40 GB HDD... wow!
Also, with a new bios, it seems my computer is booting up faster... than before...
Thanks a lot to all of you guys for guiding me :)
Manpreet