minimum system requirements for using a 400GB seagate internal hard drive

donbaly · 11-04-2009, 01:39 PM

I want to upgrade my storage memory to a 400GB seagate internal hard drive. my pc runs on a VIA Samuel 2, 796Mhz processor with 752MB RAM. is it safe to use a 400GB internal hard drive on this pc? if not, what is teh maximum hard drive capacity i can upgrade to? thanks in advance!!

IT-Tech · 11-04-2009, 06:37 PM

Hi and welcome!

Could you provide your complete system specifications please?

What is the current size of your hard disk drive in the system?

A lot will depend on your system's motherboard and BIOS revision. However, provided your system cannot handle the size, you still have the option of purchasing a secondary controller as an add-on card.

Thank you very much!

donbaly · 11-04-2009, 07:55 PM

the size of my current hard drive is 40GB. the BIOS Version/Date is American Megatrends Inc. Version 07.00T, 02/04/2001. the motherboard is a Matsonic MSCLE266-F.

thanks.

IT-Tech · 11-04-2009, 08:23 PM

Hi and thanks for the quick information.

I'm not 100% sure since I cannot find any real good information on that specific BIOS or the motherboard.

However, since your BIOS is from 02/04/2001 you are more than likely going to run into the 137GB limitation. This limitation problem really wasn't resolved by the BIG manufacturers until late 2001. Taking that into consideration and the fact that your board module wasn't really made from a MAJOR manufacturer at the time, I will have to say "NO, it will not work".

Sorry and thank you very much!

**grimx133** · 11-05-2009, 12:19 AM

Check in your bios to see if there is a setting to enable "large LBA".

donbaly · 11-05-2009, 11:52 AM

@grimx133, i checked my BIOS, and there's no "Enable large LSA" there.

@IT-TECH, so can i use a 120GB hard drive + my 40GB hard drive as master and slave respectively?

IT-Tech · 11-05-2009, 02:09 PM

Hi!

Yes, you should be able to use a 120GB HDD without any issues.

Thanks!

donbaly · 11-05-2009, 02:51 PM

Thanks fo your help!

IT-Tech · 11-06-2009, 07:52 PM

You are very welcome! Have fun in your ventures!

donbaly · 11-09-2009, 04:37 PM

i just went through my motherboard manual, and it says it supports IDE Ultra DMA bus mastering with transfer rates of 133/100/66/33 MB/sec. so can i still use a 400GB hard drive?

IT-Tech · 11-09-2009, 06:11 PM

Hi..

Once again, it is dependent on the BIOS. Your BIOS date is the GREY zone, so if you try to use a 400GB drive and your BIOS does not support it, you will have one of the following "worst case" scenarios to contend with (it's either or, not both):

Your system will not POST (can't boot anymore until you unhook the drive)
OR
Your system will only recognize the drive up to the limit that your BIOS supports

You still have the option of purchasing an add-on controller card with it's own BIOS. This should overcome any limitations in with your BIOS.

Thanks!

donbaly · 11-10-2009, 03:44 PM

i guess i'll just get a 120GB hard drive then.

thanks

IT-Tech · 11-10-2009, 04:09 PM

Sorry, but I wanted to provide you all of the possible details.

I myself would go with an ADD-ON controller, SATA, and get a bigger SATA drive that you can use again when you decide to upgrade your system completley at a later date. However, that depends on your financial abilities.

Thanks!

donbaly · 11-11-2009, 01:40 PM

@IT-TECH, thanks again for your response. i'll just stick to an extra 120GB hard drive on that system.

IT-Tech · 11-11-2009, 06:39 PM

You are welcome! Have fun!

11-04-2009, 01:39 PM	#1 (permalink)
donbaly Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 10 OS: Windows XP SP2	minimum system requirements for using a 400GB seagate internal hard drive I want to upgrade my storage memory to a 400GB seagate internal hard drive. my pc runs on a VIA Samuel 2, 796Mhz processor with 752MB RAM. is it safe to use a 400GB internal hard drive on this pc? if not, what is teh maximum hard drive capacity i can upgrade to? thanks in advance!!

11-04-2009, 06:37 PM	#2 (permalink)
IT-Tech Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Indiana Posts: 221 OS: All Microsoft Operating Systems My System	Re: minimum system requirements for using a 400GB seagate internal hard drive Hi and welcome! Could you provide your complete system specifications please? What is the current size of your hard disk drive in the system? A lot will depend on your system's motherboard and BIOS revision. However, provided your system cannot handle the size, you still have the option of purchasing a secondary controller as an add-on card. Thank you very much! __________________ - I remove all threads from my subscription after 4 days if they become stagnate. If you post in a stagnate thread and still need my help, please send me a PM so I can pick it back up.

11-04-2009, 07:55 PM	#3 (permalink)
donbaly Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 10 OS: Windows XP SP2	Re: minimum system requirements for using a 400GB seagate internal hard drive the size of my current hard drive is 40GB. the BIOS Version/Date is American Megatrends Inc. Version 07.00T, 02/04/2001. the motherboard is a Matsonic MSCLE266-F. thanks.

11-04-2009, 08:23 PM	#4 (permalink)
IT-Tech Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Indiana Posts: 221 OS: All Microsoft Operating Systems My System	Re: minimum system requirements for using a 400GB seagate internal hard drive Hi and thanks for the quick information. I'm not 100% sure since I cannot find any real good information on that specific BIOS or the motherboard. However, since your BIOS is from 02/04/2001 you are more than likely going to run into the 137GB limitation. This limitation problem really wasn't resolved by the BIG manufacturers until late 2001. Taking that into consideration and the fact that your board module wasn't really made from a MAJOR manufacturer at the time, I will have to say "NO, it will not work". Sorry and thank you very much! __________________ - I remove all threads from my subscription after 4 days if they become stagnate. If you post in a stagnate thread and still need my help, please send me a PM so I can pick it back up.

11-05-2009, 12:19 AM	#5 (permalink)
grimx133 Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Canada eh Posts: 3,133 OS: xp mce sp2, xp pro sp2, windows 7 beta My System	Re: minimum system requirements for using a 400GB seagate internal hard drive Check in your bios to see if there is a setting to enable "large LBA". __________________

11-05-2009, 11:52 AM	#6 (permalink)
donbaly Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 10 OS: Windows XP SP2	Re: minimum system requirements for using a 400GB seagate internal hard drive @grimx133, i checked my BIOS, and there's no "Enable large LSA" there. @IT-TECH, so can i use a 120GB hard drive + my 40GB hard drive as master and slave respectively?

11-05-2009, 02:09 PM	#7 (permalink)
IT-Tech Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Indiana Posts: 221 OS: All Microsoft Operating Systems My System	Re: minimum system requirements for using a 400GB seagate internal hard drive Hi! Yes, you should be able to use a 120GB HDD without any issues. Thanks! __________________ - I remove all threads from my subscription after 4 days if they become stagnate. If you post in a stagnate thread and still need my help, please send me a PM so I can pick it back up.

11-05-2009, 02:51 PM	#8 (permalink)
donbaly Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 10 OS: Windows XP SP2	Re: minimum system requirements for using a 400GB seagate internal hard drive Thanks fo your help!

11-06-2009, 07:52 PM	#9 (permalink)
IT-Tech Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Indiana Posts: 221 OS: All Microsoft Operating Systems My System	Re: minimum system requirements for using a 400GB seagate internal hard drive You are very welcome! Have fun in your ventures! __________________ - I remove all threads from my subscription after 4 days if they become stagnate. If you post in a stagnate thread and still need my help, please send me a PM so I can pick it back up.

11-09-2009, 04:37 PM	#10 (permalink)
donbaly Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 10 OS: Windows XP SP2	Re: minimum system requirements for using a 400GB seagate internal hard drive i just went through my motherboard manual, and it says it supports IDE Ultra DMA bus mastering with transfer rates of 133/100/66/33 MB/sec. so can i still use a 400GB hard drive?

11-09-2009, 06:11 PM	#11 (permalink)
IT-Tech Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Indiana Posts: 221 OS: All Microsoft Operating Systems My System	Re: minimum system requirements for using a 400GB seagate internal hard drive Hi.. Once again, it is dependent on the BIOS. Your BIOS date is the GREY zone, so if you try to use a 400GB drive and your BIOS does not support it, you will have one of the following "worst case" scenarios to contend with (it's either or, not both): Your system will not POST (can't boot anymore until you unhook the drive) OR Your system will only recognize the drive up to the limit that your BIOS supports You still have the option of purchasing an add-on controller card with it's own BIOS. This should overcome any limitations in with your BIOS. Thanks! __________________ - I remove all threads from my subscription after 4 days if they become stagnate. If you post in a stagnate thread and still need my help, please send me a PM so I can pick it back up. Last edited by IT-Tech; 11-09-2009 at 06:12 PM.

11-10-2009, 03:44 PM	#12 (permalink)
donbaly Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 10 OS: Windows XP SP2	Re: minimum system requirements for using a 400GB seagate internal hard drive i guess i'll just get a 120GB hard drive then. thanks

11-10-2009, 04:09 PM	#13 (permalink)
IT-Tech Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Indiana Posts: 221 OS: All Microsoft Operating Systems My System	Re: minimum system requirements for using a 400GB seagate internal hard drive Sorry, but I wanted to provide you all of the possible details. I myself would go with an ADD-ON controller, SATA, and get a bigger SATA drive that you can use again when you decide to upgrade your system completley at a later date. However, that depends on your financial abilities. Thanks! __________________ - I remove all threads from my subscription after 4 days if they become stagnate. If you post in a stagnate thread and still need my help, please send me a PM so I can pick it back up.

11-11-2009, 01:40 PM	#14 (permalink)
donbaly Registered User Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 10 OS: Windows XP SP2	Re: minimum system requirements for using a 400GB seagate internal hard drive @IT-TECH, thanks again for your response. i'll just stick to an extra 120GB hard drive on that system.

11-11-2009, 06:39 PM	#15 (permalink)
IT-Tech Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Indiana Posts: 221 OS: All Microsoft Operating Systems My System	Re: minimum system requirements for using a 400GB seagate internal hard drive You are welcome! Have fun! __________________ - I remove all threads from my subscription after 4 days if they become stagnate. If you post in a stagnate thread and still need my help, please send me a PM so I can pick it back up.