Possible motherboard incompatibility with newer hard drive

[malik11]

I have a QDI BrillianX-IS PIII motherboard, and just bought a Western Digital 120GB hard drive. There's been a BIOS upgrade for this board that is said to allow the use of large hard drives, and I was also told that as long as I upgrade the BIOS, this hard drive should be compatible, but I don't think that compatibility is the problem here. It seems that cases of incompatibility result in the computer's inability to detect the hard drive in BIOS, but in my case, the computer actually freezes upon attempt of auto-detection. This happened before upgrading the BIOS, and after, too, so I think there may be another problem involved, or at least some trick to getting the computer to recognise it, with my no-name brand cheap motherboard. Any ideas??? Thanks

[John Prophet]

My first guess in this situation would always be the jumper on the hard drive is in the wrong position somehow. I would doublecheck that first and/or try the jumper in a different position.

JP

[RicheemxX]

there are several possible issues here. To start even tho it says large hdd support that doesn't always mean drives as large as 120gigs but that shouldn't matter the board would still recognize the drive just at a smaller size. It sounds to me as tho your having one of the following issues.

1. the jumpers are set wrong.
2. the ide cable is bad or your using a ata100/133 with an older board that doesn't support it.
3.the cables are on wrong
4. the drive might be bad

edit: from what I'm reading on the website this board has issues reading ata 66 drives so it might not be compatible with ata100/133 drives

[Admin RR]

test

[malik11]

Originally posted by RicheemxX
there are several possible issues here. To start even tho it says large hdd support that doesn't always mean drives as large as 120gigs but that shouldn't matter the board would still recognize the drive just at a smaller size. It sounds to me as tho your having one of the following issues.

1. the jumpers are set wrong.
2. the ide cable is bad or your using a ata100/133 with an older board that doesn't support it.
3.the cables are on wrong
4. the drive might be bad

edit: from what I'm reading on the website this board has issues reading ata 66 drives so it might not be compatible with ata100/133 drives

I set all the jumpers properly, tried it as slave, master, by itself with Cable Select, etc. I also had the hd tested to see if it was its fault, and I'm using the same cables, etc. that I use with my working hd. I was also aware of that note you mentioned, saying that it has trouble with ATA-66. If you ask me, I would think that it's a problem entirely related to that, or some kind of bug. I've been told, and I thought to begin with, that the drive should at least be recognized, but this motherboard is, after all, made by an unpopular manufacturer, so I suppose I may have to just buy a new motherboard and other components, because they seem to have discontinued patches and upgrades for this board as of 1999. Thanks anyways, guys, and of course, if you find out anything new, please tell me! =)