I want to buy a newa hard drive for my Pentium 2 but a friend told me that it might not get a 80 GB HD.Maybe 40 gb.
Is it true?
I have Windows XP Pro SP2.
2007-11-24 03:23:49 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Desktops
None of us can say with absolute certainty. Theoretically there shouldn't be any problems. XP will see the disk at the full 80. If anything goes wrong and you are forced to mess about with BIOS it is possible that it will only recognise 40. I would check with the manufacturers of the motherboard whether they have a BIOS that lets you use an 80. Flash updating a BIOS is good fun or at least it is when it goes right!!
2007-11-24 03:39:38 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
The limit is actually in the computer BIOS.
Over time many BIOSes had limitations on the HDD size. For ex: 512MB limit, 8GB limit, 32GB limit, 128GB limit.
During the time P2 computers were made, many BIOSes had a 32GB limit. This means that if you install a HDD with capacity greater than 32GB, you would encounter the following errors:
- The HDD may not be recognized successfully
- You may not be able to format it into a single 40GB partition
A year or so back, I fixed a HP Brio 400 PC (1999, P-3, 128MB, 20GB) which had a BIOS limitation of 32GB.
To fix the PC, I downloaded a patched BIOS from Wim's Award Modular BIOS site.
I suggest that you take the PC to a HDD retailer and determine on the spot if a 80GB HDD would work with your comp. If not, you may have to apply a BIOS update.
HTH
2007-11-24 11:40:12 · answer #2 · answered by Rajib 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If it's a Western Digital HD, it'll have a installation disk with it. On the disk it'll have drivers that will change your harddrive's setting in BIOS Setup Utility to LBA, so it'll read large harddrive's up to 137GB. It may, or may not work with a HD larger than 137GB, in which case you would have to partition your HD to fool it into thinking it's more than one HD. In otherword's yes! Other HD makers should include a setup disk also. I brought up the Western Digital 80GB thing, because Walmart sells them, kinda' figured this is the drive you're talkin' about. I couldn't get a family member to upgrade their 1.2GHZ cpu, 20GB Harddrive system. Finally talked them into a 80GB WD at least! So yeah, it works!
EDIT: Just wanted to add this page from Hardwaresecrets.com: http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/13
2007-11-24 11:45:25 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't see what your friend means. If you get a hard drive, your computer will use as much space as the hard drive has available. The amount of space found by a computer is usually dependent on the operating system, not the processor.
2007-11-24 11:45:30 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
The biggest issue is the operating system, not the processor.
Win98 might require a patch before it would recognize a larger drive; but really no issue with the drive size, at all!
2007-11-24 11:27:23 · answer #5 · answered by Eric A 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
im pretty sure that won't work, highest is 40gb i believe
at least on my p2 the maximum was 40gb but like one other person said it depends on your motherboard, but i dont think anything above 40 will work
2007-11-24 11:28:57 · answer #6 · answered by mommy2kaleb04 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no it will work just make sure it is an ide hard drive no the newer sata drives.
2007-11-24 11:27:14 · answer #7 · answered by Jake 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋