Does My BIOS Support Larger Than 137 GB Hard Drive?

[hhuey]

I've got a new 320 GB Hard Drive for my Gateway Laptop that is replacing a 60 GB Hard Drive.  The computer only recognizes 127 GB.  I've read there are  three issues I must resolve.  I'm using Windows XP-Ser Pak 3 which addresses the first issue.  I ran a utility that says my 48 bit LBA is enabled for larger drives which addresses the second issue.  Lastly, I need to determine if my BIOS and Motherboard support the larger hard drive.  I read I should go the the manufacturer for that info.  Well, the Phoenix Website does not have a support tab.  I went to the Intel web site and they recommended I run a utility called 'Application Accelerator'.  Every time I run it I get a 'Your Chipset is not Applicable' message.   Am I overlooking something.  Is there another way to find out if my BIOS supports the new drive?

[Geek-9pm]

he computer only recognizes 127 GB

Yes, BIOS does not have the 48 bit LBA.
Do not even attempt to write anything abov the 127 line. But... no buts.

Theu problem is explained at  http://www.48bitlba.com/

If your don't understand anything, please come back here and continue in this thread

[jason2074]

What particular model is your Gateway laptop? Have you read the manual(if still available)or check online for that particular model? 

[hhuey]

I went to the 48 Bit web site, even downloaded the utility HDINFO.  It scanned my system and said that my system supported 48 bit LBA.  I also used the BIOS Agent Plus utility.  It scanned my system and gave me contradictory info about what's  installed on the laptop compared to the manufacturer's spec sheet.  I have a Gateway Model MX6030 running in XP SER Pak 3.  The Gateway specs indicate I have an Intel 852GM Chipset.  The utility that I ran (HDINFO) says it is  an Intel 3580 Rev.2 Chipset.  One last thing, when I look at the BIOS data while booting up, it states both my System BIOS and Video BIOS are SHADOWED.  Does that have any impact on my problem??

[Geek-9pm]

My error.  If you BIOS was made or revised after 199,You have a recoent BIOS that does support 48 bit LBA
 
Your problem may be how SP3 was installed on you machine. After installing a large drive, you have to update the registry in XP sp3.  the SP3 should have made the changes. There is some confusion on this. I recall that I had to do the registry edit with SP2, even tho they said SP2 already had the 48bit support.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/303013

The http://48bitlba.com  site is, I believe, the vest authority on the subject. But it is hard to understand. There are three or fours levels of concern.
1. BIOS.
2. Service Pack.
3. Prior Install.
4. Registry edit.
If the prior install was under 137 GB, the installation may  t 'turn on' the right values in the registry. Unfortunately, This is not well-documented.

http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic36678.html
http://www.48bitlba.com/enablebiglbatool.htm
Did you use the above tool?

[jason2074]

If its an ATA HD, I think it will not support a 320 Gb HD as compared to a SATA. But I could be wrong. See this link
http://harddrive.specs-com.com/gateway/gateway-mx6030-hard-drive/

[Computer_Commando]

Gateway MX6030
Given the specs, the 320GB should be supported, but it clearly is not.
A 320GB ATA drive is $100, because very few computers can use them.  A 120GB is $60. I would just exchange it for a 120GB.  If you have to spend any more than $100 for a laptop, it's more cost effective to buy a new one.  There's some really nice ones for less than $500.

[Geek-9pm]

Computer_Commando,
Good advice! If he can not resolve the issue, just get a smaller drive.

[hhuey]

Just an update to my problem:   Initially I cloned my old hard drive to the new one and installed the new one to replace the original drive.  After trying your suggestions and running several utilities, I ended up reinstalling the old drive and connecting the new drive as an external drive.  When I do that, the system recognizes the entire 320 GBs.  Looks like it's either live with that environment or live with a 128 GB hard drive (It's too late to return the new drive).

[Geek-9pm]

That will work. Use the larger external drive for videos and stuff that takes a lot of space. And use it for backup of your system.

You can make a 'compressed drive image' of the OS and put it on the external drive.

BTW: There are free programs out there that lets you recovery a Windows OS from an external drive using a Linux boot CD. No WinPE needed.

[patio]

The other option would be to partition the 320 into say 120 and 200...
Re[image the 120 partition as a bootable partition and it should see both...
Then wipe the existing internal and use it as external storage...

[Computer_Commando]

Found this:  If the BIOS of your motherboard or controller card supports the drive but Windows does not, see Answer ID 928: The full capacity of EIDE drives larger than 137GB (128GB binary) is not recognized in Windows 2000/XP.

Then this:  http://wdc.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/928/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xMzEyNDA0MTk0L3NpZC85TUNWUERBaw%3D%3D

Then this:  http://wdc.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1004/session/L2F2LzIvdGltZS8xMzEyNDA0MjI5L3NpZC85TUNWUERBaw%3D%3D

Intel:  http://downloadcenter.intel.com/

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/SearchResult.aspx?lang=eng&keyword=%22intel+application+accelerator%22