[comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware] TRUE IBM-PC BIOS and Hard disk

kyc3@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (Kee Y Chan) (05/07/91)

I've just inherited a true blue IBM-PC/AT, and I have a cheap Seagate
ST4096 harddisk at hand. Naturally, I want to use this bigger harddisk instead
of the 20 Meg in the original AT.

To my amazement, the BIOS only support 15 types of drive and the controller
is probably an OEM version from Western Digital in prehistoric age, ie. it
does not even have its own ROM.  I have the following questions:

1. How can I make use of my present arrangement?

2. Do I need to purchase a new HD/FD controller?

3. Do I need to upgrade my ROM/BIOS?  If so, I don't think IBM will have it,
   or let alone charge me reasonably.  What kind of BIOS can I use for this 
   monster? Can a plain vanilla BIOS (ie. Phoenix, AMI, etc.) work in my 
   set-up? Just in case you ask, IBM-AT uses discrete components, ie no C&T 
   chip sets.

4. Are there software solutions, like speedstore, spinrite?

If this is a frequently asked question, please direct me to the archive since
I can never catch up with this newsgroup.

Please send email to kyc3@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu
I'll summarize if there are enough interest.

Thanks

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