Old, but new.

[Wizard]

Re: Old, but new.

Updated your bios?

Cheers, Wizard

[zandrax]

Re: Old, but new.

Updated your bios?

I don't think so: A23 is already the latest bios available from Dell; moreover is dated 2002 while the 65536 cylinder limit (or 32 GB) existed back in 1999, so I think the bios should support any drive up to 128 GB (the 28 bit addressing limit).

@ Stevo: The 15 GB limit is strange: the notebook was sold with 20 and 30 GB drives; I suppose your Toshiba formatted it in a not standard way. If you can, try with an unformatted drive.

Zandrax

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Old, but new.

I agree with zandrax.
You should be good up to a 120GB drive.
-
Don't think anyone made 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, or 128 GB drives.
Easier just to say 120GB.

[stevo1210]

Re: Old, but new.

I don't think so: A23 is already the latest bios available from Dell; moreover is dated 2002 while the 65536 cylinder limit (or 32 GB) existed back in 1999, so I think the bios should support any drive up to 128 GB (the 28 bit addressing limit).

@ Stevo: The 15 GB limit is strange: the notebook was sold with 20 and 30 GB drives; I suppose your Toshiba formatted it in a not standard way. If you can, try with an unformatted drive.

Zandrax

I just checked out the bios again and it is indeed the latest version A23. I dunno why my 80GB HDD is detected as 15GB or so, but nonetheless it boots to Windows so I know that the hard drive controller is working but I think this is a software issue at the moment and how it's only reading 15GB.

32 GB BIOS limitation - the size will wrap-around (mod 32 GB). 80 - 2 * 32 = 16 GB, which is pretty close to the 15 GB that it's seeing.

I think what Linuxguru said plays a part to why only 15GB is detected, yet I still can't decode what he means just yet (Can someone decode what linuxguru said for above please? ).
But I can understand that 15GB is detected because of the 32GB limitation? and that's about it.

Thanks.

[Scenic]

Re: Old, but new.

32 GB BIOS limitation - the size will wrap-around (mod 32 GB). 80 - 2 * 32 = 16 GB, which is pretty close to the 15 GB that it's seeing

Can someone decode what linuxguru said for above please?

80 - (2 * 32) = 16 GB
80 - 64 = 16 GB

my interpretation:
bios with 32GB limit.
tries to access the HDD as 2x 32GB ones, fails, and uses the rest (16/15GB) instead... ?!

but i still think its because of the backup/BIOS/whatever extra (usually hidden) partition used on almost all newer (2003+) toshiba laptops..

[Wizard]

Re: Old, but new.

sounds like your HD might be clipped, with a jumper. There should be none.

Cheers, Wizard

[stevo1210]

Re: Old, but new.

The ahrd drive from my Toshiba laptop has been reformatted by me. It's formatted as two 40GB partitions and I've checked the drive for a 32GB clip jumper and there are absolutely no jumpers installed.

Thanks.

[zandrax]

Re: Old, but new.

Don't think anyone made 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, or 128 GB drives.
Easier just to say 120GB.

You're right: 128 GB is the addressing limit, but an hdd with capacity between 120 and 128 GB doesn't exist so 120 GB is the maximum Stevo's Dell can support.

Zandrax

[Newbie2]

Re: Old, but new.

{deleted by me}

[stevo1210]

Re: Old, but new.

Just an update....

I finally got myself a 20GB Toshiba Hard drive off eBay for this laptop at a cost of $37AU. Anyway, I'm still waiting for it to be delivered so I'll see how that goes when it comes.

Thanks.

[stevo1210]

Re: Old, but new.

OK, i'm typing this message on my Inspiron 4000 laptop right now.
Everything worked out fine, the hard drive is good as well. No bad sectors, nothing wrong with it. Loaded it up with Windows ME and off I went.

Thanks.

[Wizard]

Re: Old, but new.

ME? yeeeccch. Get 2000 on it.

Cheers, Wizard

[stevo1210]

Re: Old, but new.

ME? yeeeccch. Get 2000 on it.

Cheers, Wizard

I don't think I can do that.... I would like to have 2000 on it though. The stupid optical drive in this laptop is faulty so I've had to take the hard drive out and install Windows ME on another laptop and bring it back here. I don't think 2000 won't like that because from experience, everytime I move a Windows NT based OS HDD to another PC it screws up and won't boot and will only show a BSOD.

Thanks.

[Wizard]

Re: Old, but new.

Replace the cd drive. Not very expensive to find on craigslist and ebay.

Fits CPi and CPx too.

Cheers, Wizard

[stevo1210]

Re: Old, but new.

In regards to the CD drive, I am experiencing some strange issues with it. It is not actually dead yet which is why I am unsure about its condition. It will sometimes read DVDs and sometimes doesn't. CD's won't read at all so that's understanable. What I find strange is the DVD issue. Sometimes it reads the disc (e.g. Windows Setup) and then halfway through Windows setup, a message pops up telling me there is something wrong with the disc/drive and I can hear the drive spinning up and down continually. What is wrong here? Could the lens be dirty?

Thanks.

[linuxguru]

Re: Old, but new.

Dust on the lens, dirty pickup transport mechanism, bad contacts on the caddy connector. Lots of possibilities.

[Wizard]

Re: Old, but new.

DVD drives have 2 lasers due to differences in pit sizes of CD vs DVD. Either one went weak. One is IR laser (CD) while the visible red is for DVD because of narrower wavelengths than CD's laser.

The advice is replace. I had seen this happen also.

Cheers, Wizard

[zandrax]

Re: Old, but new.

Try cleaning the lens with a cotton swab and isopropyl alcohol: if it doesn't still read cds, then replace the drive or copy every cd you need on a rewritable dvd. I do this trick every time for my dual P3 since its cd-dvd combo now reads only dvds and I have hard time in finding really short drives (the mobo is an Eatx one and it's quite large: normal lenght drives are blocked by the board).

Zandrax

[stevo1210]

Re: Old, but new.

Try cleaning the lens with a cotton swab and isopropyl alcohol: if it doesn't still read cds, then replace the drive or copy every cd you need on a rewritable dvd.

I've tried that. I've burnt quite a lot of CDs to DVD but the drive will only intermittently read DVDs. Sometimes it will read it perfectly, other times, it can't see anything in there.
Oh and as an update, I just ordered a HDD caddy cover yesterday to cover up that gaping hole where the HDD is located. The bare drive itself is OK in there, it doesn't fall out but I need to cover it from dust and shock.


Thanks.

[linuxguru]

Re: Old, but new.

> I have hard time in finding really short drives (the mobo is an Eatx one and it's quite large: normal lenght drives are blocked by the board).

Check out LG DVD+/-RW drives - they're shorter than average. Some Liteon and Sony CDROM drives are also very short (I'm referring to the longest dimension).