Phoenix Award Bios V6.00 + >32Gb Hard drive support

[Tenjah]

Hi,

I have just purchased a new 60GB hard drive, (with no installation software, cables, manual,etc joy of joys) and, looking around I see information about a conflict concering the bios and recognition of drives above 32 GB.

Does anyone know, whether I need to update the flash bios on my comp b4 installing the drive?

The info concerning my current bios is as follows, I just took it from the bios screen, and know nothing about updating the bios etc. Hopefully that will soon be changed. Thanks for any information that anyone can provide.

SO;

08/17/2000 8363 686A 6A6LML19C-00 (Believe this is a Via KT-133 (VT8363) Chipset on a Lucky star motherboard)

(Phoenix) Award Modular Bios V6.00 PGN, An Energy Star Ally

Award Software Inc.

K7VAT (S) 05

Appreciate any help.
Regards,
Tenjah

 

[PostCode]

That's indeed what the issue is. The BIOS is most likely hitting the 30GB limitation.

I found this site for some BIOS updates. I ran the page through AltaVista's Translation feautre and got the following:

[ To Parent Directory ]
2000 ”N at 17 day of August Œß 01:35 262144 k7vats05.bin
2000 ”N at 12 day of October Œß 06:33 262144 k7vatsa2.bin
2001 ”N under 4 day of January Œß 08:06 262144
k7vatsa6.bin
2002 ”N under 29 day of January Œß 06:17 225 k7vatsa6.txt
2001 ”N under 2 day of March Œß 08:35 262144 k7vatsb2.bin
2002
”N under 29 day of January Œß 06:16 119
k7vatsb2.txt
2001 ”N under 21 day of December Œß 02:33 1647 release.txt

I'm kinda confused by their website though. It looks like they are posting the same boards BIOS images under Slot A and Socket 462. What is yours? A Slot A ot Socket 462?

 

[Tenjah]

Hi Postcode,

Nice one. Mine is a socket A mboard.

I haven't yet installed the hard drive as yet, so i do not know if there will be a conflict or not.

Just prepping in case it does happen. I know that >32 Gb support was not supported in award bioses (is that the plural of bios??!) 4.51 and lower, but i believe that it may be supported in my version (6.00)

I've been trawling the web for a while now and have found no easy accessible info concerning this, the manufacturers website is a joke.

All I'm trying to find out is whether or not >32Gb hard drives are supported by award bios 6.00!!!

Obviously the manufacturer considers that to be classified..

Cheers Postcode

 

[PostCode]

I can only remember a few instances myself where they 30gb barrier was an issue. Both of the boxes contained Intel boards (Phoenix BIOS - they don't like me anymore ). One was an HP system but I don't remember what the other was...I think it was a Gateway.

 

[PostCode]

Lucky Star's site is rated right up there as one of the worst sites ever.

 

[Tenjah]

Postcode,

Yes, Lucky star's site is certainly lame.

So, I should be ok with the bios v6.00, thats great thanks.

I'm actually planning a dual boot Win 98/Linux. Should be getting it done sometime this week.

I saw all of the discussion over at bioscentral about the added "features" of Phoenixnet. Wonderful. How kind of them to add such unwanted and intrusive extras to the bios. Hope that it comes back and bites them on the ass

The sooner they file for bankruptcy, the better


Cheers PCode

Tenjah