maximum hard drive memory for mobo

Greetings.

This is a follow up on a previous post, but is enough of a change of topic to start a new thread... I think.

I've been trying to boot an old computer (for my parents - just for emails and a bit of Internet) using an 8 GB HDD. It hung before getting to Windows (98se), but worked OK as slave to a 1 GB master (also with 98se).

I then ran Check Disk on it and some errors were corrected, but it would still not boot - got to Non System Disk msg.

In searching net, came across mention of max memory on HDDs - the thing I read mentioned a max of 2 GB (normal memory, not RAM) - seemed to be a mobo limitation. So I tried the HDD in another computer and it booted fine.

Questions are:

have I run into a max memory problem - could that be true? mobo is DSI CA61 Rev B1. Computer has no distinguishing labels, but it has PIII 800 MHz CPU, 3 X 64 MB RAM.

if yes, is there a way around this - I want to run Windows XP Home on it (I could use 2 HDDs if necessary)?

Merci d'avance

Geoff

 

I think the OP is a bit confused.... there are two different things here: there is storage which refers to the hard drive, and memory which refers to RAM. Hard drive memory is a misnomer which really means 'hard drive storage capacity'. Memory and hard drive capacity are very different and really don't have much to do with each other, other than they both need to be 100% healthy for the PC to run normally. Anyway- just because the 8gb drive works as a slave does not mean that it's bootable; it may have a corrupt boot sector, or the required boot files aren't present or are also corrupt.... you can try using the info and downloads from this link to repair the boot sector. I haven't used this info so I can't vouch for how effective it may (or may not) be. And the 3 x 64mb of RAM (the same as memory) is far from 'too much' or the max. Even really old motherboards rarely maxed out at less than 512mb.... Good luck!

 

I think this may be your MB. If so, I don't see any problems using an 8GB HD. Are you saying you put the HD in another computer as Master and it booted to Win98 without problems?

On the PC you are trying to fix the 1GB boots as Master but the 8GB drive gives non-system disk when hooked up as Master?

 

Thankyou Major Attitude, dlb and sach2 for your help on this.

The problem is now partly solved, but I still have questions, if I may. I had written half of the following before I got things partly sorted, so I will leave it as is, as there may be some interesting stuff there, and then post my latest questions at the end.

You got it in one, dlb - I have confused storage with memory, and in explaining the two terms to me, you have uncovered one of life''s mysteries for me. Thankyou! Thankyou! I never knew the difference and I was never sure what people meant when they said memory, because I didn't know that the stuff on the HDD was called storage. Now that I know, I can restate my problem without confusion (hopefully).

I am suspecting a HDD STORAGE problem (feeling very chuffed about using correct term!!!), in that I think the mobo will not accept a HDD with 8 GB storage capacity. It runs fine with a 1 GB HDD with Win 98SE, but won't boot an 8 GB HDD with Win 98SE - I get an Invalid System Disk error (I called it a Non-System Disk error before - sorry).

I have successfully run the 1 GB HDD as master with the 8 GB as slave. But when I try to boot the 8 GB as master (with no slave), I get the ISD error.

However, I found I am able to boot the 8 GB HDD as master on another computer (mobo Gigabyte GA-6BXC). I have also tried another 8 GB HDD (with XP) as master on the problem computer and this won't boot either. I then tried another HDD - 1.7 GB with 98SE, and that booted.

Conclusion: the larger HDDs won't boot and the smaller ones will.

I then went to the manual - thanks sach2 - that is the correct MB. I saw something in the manual about setting the HDD automatically in the BIOS. I don't understand what that is about, but I tried all 3 options, and the third one (LARGE - with Size = 0 (?)) worked!!! When I set this option, the computer booted perfectly. So that problem is sort-of solved.

This is ok, except for two things.

Firstly, I don't know what I did - I was just guessing. If someone would care to explain what this is about, I would love to know. I also would like to know if this is a set and forget thing, or if it's likely to cause problems to my parents in the future (I'm setting up the computer for them - and BTW, they need XP as they want wireless internet so they can get rid of the cable running across the floor of their room).

Secondly, I have still not been able to get the other 8 GB HDD - the one with XP on it - to boot on the problem computer (it is my eventual aim to run XP on this computer). When I try to boot with any of the three options in HDD Auto detection in BIOS, I get different results. The most promising is with the second option, numbered 1 and NORMAL, which goes to the 'Windows did not boot last time' screen (or something like that), and giving options of starting normally or going to safe mode, etc. I tried normal and safe mode, which both result in a blue screen flashing up - too fast to read what it says, and then it attempts to reboot, going through the same cycle.

Looking at the manual, there seems to be an indication that this MB won't handle XP - there's a section in there about which OSs will boot automatically, and XP is not included, as follows:

Drivers and Utilities Installation Notes
1. "Autorun" ONLY supports the Windows 95, Windows 98,
Windows 2000 and Windows NT 4.0 operating systems. If
after inserting the CD, "Autorun" did not automatically star t
(which is, the Main Board Utility CD screen did not appear),
please go directly to the root directory of the CD and double-
click "Autorun".
2. Please go to DFI’s web site at "http://www.dfi.com/suppor t/
download1.asp" for the latest version of the drivers or software
applications.
3. All steps or procedures to install software drivers are subject to
change without notice as the softwares are occassionally updated.
Please refer to the readme files, if available, for the latest information.


So that probably explains why it won't boot with XP. However, there is a Driver listed on the website mentioned by sach2 that may fix the problem, but I'm not sure if downloading it is the right thing. Could you please advise. Here is what the Driver section says .


Please download the following Driver according to your motherboard version where applicable.

VIA Service Pack
Revision MB038 Ver.A0.3.0
Description VIA Service Pack for Windows 95/98/98SE/2000.
File MB038VSP.ZIP
Size 780 KB
OS All for Windows,

Revision VIA 4-In-1 V.4.48
Description VIA Service Pack 4.48 for Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP
File 4IN1448.EXE
Size 1,393 KB
OS


The second revision mentions XP. If this is required, how should I download it, if I can't get the computer to boot without it? Put it on a memory stick? Or put the HDD in another computer and download it? Once downloaded, is it just a matter of putting it in the right folder, and the computer will find it? (This would just be to test it, as I eventually want to put XP on the 8GB HDD that currently has 98SE on it. If one could be confident that the download would work, could I just put it on the 8GB 98SE HDD now (since I can now boot this one), and then install XP?)

A rather verbose post, I observe. Thankyou if you have managed to read this far, and for any advice on the questions posed.

Geoff

P.S. Answers to sach2's questions are all 'yes', as you will probably have figured out by now.

P.S.2 I went to the site suggested by dlb for boot files, but didn't really get it - a bit above me. I suppose I could work it out, but I think the boot files must be OK anyway, as the HDD boots on another computer (and now on the problem computer also). Further, I did do a sys C: D: from the command prompt and seemed to successfully copy the system files from the working 1 GB HDD (as master - in C drive) to the 8 GB HDD in D drive. Should that ensure that the boot files are OK?

 

I guess no one answered this post. I'm not sure if you need the Via drivers or a Bios update since you have the drive recognized with the large setting.

The XP not booting involves having installed XP while the HD was attached to a different computer. You will have to re-install XP with the HD connected to your parent's computer.

 

Thanks sach2. They make it harder all the time. I'll see how I go.