DDO and Rom Family 686T3
 

One of my friends call me over to his house to set up his computer this weekend. He's been having problems with it for quite some time and I took at at his computer. He had Windows 2000 and, had it so screwed up I figured the only soultion was reformating and putting XP on it. Since I'm not using my old Windows XP key anymore (thanks to Pilbury for their generosity; I now can install Windows without need for a key)So, I let him use my old key. Since his computer is rather old and the hard disk is so small I he bought a 200 GB drive. He'res where the problem comes in: He has a 6GB BIOS limit. Since his computer was made in 98, I am having serious problems finding a BIOS update for the antient ROM family of 686T3. There are serveral soultions to this problem, I know; Since I had a computer two years older than that and got a 400GB drive on it with Windows 98. Since his computer is not set up for a RAID Device (You can't connect the ribbon cable to the controller, it would slice off the cable when the case cover would be put on) I thought DDO would work, maybe. It didn't work for me, but I had a feeling it might for him. So I installed Windows on one of my smaller emergencey drives and did a copy once we got it ready. No luck. The system hung at start up. Instead I decided to make the first partition smaller and use the bigger partion as addition storage. No dice. He filled that up due to updates.


I need a way to get this drive attached as a boot device and have one partition of 200GB. If anyone know where to find a BIOS update or something, please let me know. Also as a final note: the 200GB drive is Western Digital.

Is this computer a compaq?

Does this computer have a model number? Have you tried making the primary partition less than 6GB?

If you tell us the make/model number it will help.

Edit: you could just buy a new IDE controller(about £15 in the UK) that supports Hard discs greater than 6GB. I know its not the best solution but if you cant get a BIOS update and it wont recognise the disc then its the only option.

Yeah, it's Compaq I did make a primary partition at 6B, it booted, but he's to dumb to move the stuff to the other partition and it just got filled up again. I need it on one partition, I know there's a way to do it because I had a computer just like that a few years ago. By the way, I don't have the model number.

If you get the model number then go to :

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/s...&lc=en&dlc=en&

Type in the model number and then see if there is a BIOS update. HP own compaq now so thats why its a HP page.

Also check out my edit on my previous post.

Thanks, I'll check. Sometimes you don't need a model number, though. I know it's a Compaq Deskpro, but I don't have the model #...

I have looked at HP and i got this for the Deskpro EN series with the 686T3 BIOS

http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/fi...load/9251.html

Make sure its one of these model numbers

6266, 6300, 6300A, 6300C, 6333, 6333C, 6350, 6400, 6400C, 6450, 6450+, 6500, P550, P600, P650, P700.

If its not then you will screw the system up.

I cant help any furter as i cant guess the model number. I hope this helps, but make sure its the right model number. I still might not solve your problem though.

I just called my buddy and he apparently has some tags still on it. Sorry, my friend is a dope, he said he tore off the model tag... Here it is: Compaq EN6400X. This is what I thought it was I but I did want to make any assumptions.

No, we can't the computer setup won't allow it. I already tried.
EDIT:
I got the bios update on a disk. I hope it works...
Thanks so much for help, the firmware has been created I greatly appreciate your help. Peace out ;)

I tried the update, but it only allows drives 137 and smaller. This is good, but for
some reason, even when I do make a pertition 137 or smaller it still hangs at boot... WTF...

Yeah, i had a similar problem about two years ago. 137GB is the max you can have for a partition im afraid.

You need an IDE controller that supports 48-bit addressing to use more than 137GB.

Your controller ueses 28-bit addressing so there is a limit of 137GB.