Doesn't recognize drive size!

Robbie S · 01-27-2008, 07:29 AM

I recently upgraded my computer with a new motherboard. The computer now has an AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core processor on the motherboard. The BIOS is an Ambios Version 0301; the build date was 7/31/06. I am running Windows XP Professional.

Here is my problem: Prior to upgrading the motherboard, the computer wouldn’t recognize anything larger than 34 GB on the hard drive. I have two Western Digital IDE drives in the computer: the first is a WD600BB 60GB (running the operating system) and the second is 120GB WD1200JB, which is just for storage. Since upgrading the motherboard and the BIOS, the computer is still not recognizing the larger hard drive sizes!

I tried reformatting the 120GB storage drive by writing zeros to the drive (on advice from Western Digital), but it still only sees 34GB when I go to partition it. The weird thing is that that Western Digital Diagnostic software seems to see the correct size, but neither Windows XP nor the BIOS sees the full size. I’m wondering if I need to change something in the BIOS. The BIOS settings for both hard drives are as follows:

Size: 0 MB
LBA Mode: Supported
Block Mode: 16 Sectors
PIO Mode: 4
Async DMA: Multiword DMA-2
Ultra DMA: Ultra DMA-5
SMART Monitoring: Supported

Type: [Auto]
LBA/Large Mode: [Auto]
Block (Multi Sector Transfer: [Auto]
PIO Mode: [Auto]
DMA Mode [Auto]
SMART Monitoring [Auto]
32 Bit Data transfer [Enabled]

I am very frustrated and any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks (in advance) very much!

**Deleted090308** · 01-27-2008, 08:18 AM

Hi, welcome to TSF.

Could be a jumper setting that needs to be changed on the drives.
How are the drives hooked up - same cable - master/slave?

Remove all jumpers on the drives, then configure the 60GB as master and the 120GB as slave on the same ribbon cable with the master drive at the end of the cable.

Jumper settings.

01-27-2008, 07:29 AM	#1 (permalink)
Robbie S Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Hawaii Posts: 9 OS: Win XP	Doesn't recognize drive size! I recently upgraded my computer with a new motherboard. The computer now has an AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core processor on the motherboard. The BIOS is an Ambios Version 0301; the build date was 7/31/06. I am running Windows XP Professional. Here is my problem: Prior to upgrading the motherboard, the computer wouldn’t recognize anything larger than 34 GB on the hard drive. I have two Western Digital IDE drives in the computer: the first is a WD600BB 60GB (running the operating system) and the second is 120GB WD1200JB, which is just for storage. Since upgrading the motherboard and the BIOS, the computer is still not recognizing the larger hard drive sizes! I tried reformatting the 120GB storage drive by writing zeros to the drive (on advice from Western Digital), but it still only sees 34GB when I go to partition it. The weird thing is that that Western Digital Diagnostic software seems to see the correct size, but neither Windows XP nor the BIOS sees the full size. I’m wondering if I need to change something in the BIOS. The BIOS settings for both hard drives are as follows: Size: 0 MB LBA Mode: Supported Block Mode: 16 Sectors PIO Mode: 4 Async DMA: Multiword DMA-2 Ultra DMA: Ultra DMA-5 SMART Monitoring: Supported Type: [Auto] LBA/Large Mode: [Auto] Block (Multi Sector Transfer: [Auto] PIO Mode: [Auto] DMA Mode [Auto] SMART Monitoring [Auto] 32 Bit Data transfer [Enabled] I am very frustrated and any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks (in advance) very much! Last edited by Robbie S; 01-27-2008 at 07:31 AM. Reason: Forgot to add something

01-27-2008, 08:18 AM	#2 (permalink)
Deleted090308 Not... Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22,277 OS: Xp	Re: Doesn't recognize drive size! Hi, welcome to TSF. Could be a jumper setting that needs to be changed on the drives. How are the drives hooked up - same cable - master/slave? Remove all jumpers on the drives, then configure the 60GB as master and the 120GB as slave on the same ribbon cable with the master drive at the end of the cable. Jumper settings.