40GB: DFI p5btx/l revcb+

mbs · Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2002 5:56 am Post subject: 40GB: DFI p5btx/l revcb+

Id like some advise. I have a dfi p5btx/l revcb+ motherboard it has award bios v4.51pg
bios id 07/03/98-430tx-2a59id4ac-00
Problem is this i think. I am installing a western digital 40gb drive. I have to use the ezbios so the system can see the drive. The problem is that when i go to the western digital web site they say that with award bios prior to ard 11\98 they have seen problems with ultra 100 66 and 33. well my board only supports ultra ata 33. I have had no problems with the last few days of running. IM wondering if i should at least use the wdc utility to tell the drive that it is a 33 interface and not a 100. also i noticed that dma is not selected in the system screen. according to wdc web site this may mean that the bios has told the system dont run in anything but the lowest speed to avoid errors what do you think i sould do. is there a bios upgrade for this. i know that its not at the dfi site.
thanks for the advise in advance

Rainbow · Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2002 11:25 am Post subject:

You have already the latest BIOS.
If you check the DMA checkbox and it unchecks itself after reboot, you need to set the drive to UDMA/33 by using the WD utility.
I can patch the BIOS for you to support HDDs over 32GB so you don't have to use any utilities like EZ-Bios.
_________________
Patched and tested BIOSes are at http://wims.rainbow-software.org
UniFlash - Flash anything anywhere http://www.uniflash.org

mbs

rainbow

thanks for the info.
But can you tell me this.
How is it that without changing the wdc 40gb ultra ata100 to 33 the drive works. Should i leave it this way. i am using the ezbios. but was wondering if im losing speed because the dma is unchecked. could it be the drive is running as a ata 33(that the bios sensed it ) or am i just lucky i have not had errors and should use the utility from wdc to designate ata33. What is involved for that patch you were talking abt. will the drive run faster and what abt the need for using a different cable im hearing abt to avoid data errors i undersstand there are more ground wires in it. are there any disadvantages using the ezbios

thanks again

Rainbow · Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2002 7:51 pm Post subject:

There is a bug in the BIOS - it enables the highest DMA mode supported by the HDD forgeting that the onboard controller can do UDMA/33 max. Windows then reverts to PIO mode only. Set the HDD to UDMA/33 and the DMA will work (HDD access will be faster with less CPU usage).
The EZ-BIOS can cause some problems, sometimes even data loss (especially when used with HDD utilities that are not compatible with it).

The patched BIOS is a BIOS update - needs to be flashed. If you're using EZ-BIOS now, it's time consuming to remove it - you need to backup all data. The uninstall feature from the floppy often does not work correctly and it must be done manually - boot from a floppy, FDISK /MBR (to remove the EZ-BIOS from MBR), delete all partitions using FDISK, reboot, create partitions again and reinstall OS.
_________________
Patched and tested BIOSes are at http://wims.rainbow-software.org
UniFlash - Flash anything anywhere http://www.uniflash.org

mbs · Posted: Sat Jul 06, 2002 10:10 pm Post subject:

Rainbow

Thanks very much for all the info. I think i want to bite the bullet and flash the bios. Can i take you up on your offer.