Abit SE6 User Manual page 26

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Note 1: A new IDE HDD must be first formatted, otherwise it can not read/write. The basic step in
using a HDD is to make a HDD low-level format, then run FDISK, and then FORMAT the drive.
Most current HDDs have already been subjected to low-level format at the factory, so you can
probably skip this operation. Remember though, the primary IDE HDD must have its partition set to
active within the FDISK procedure.
Note 2: If you are using an old HDD that is already formatted, auto detection can not detect the
correct parameters. You may need to do a low-level format or set the parameters manually, and then
check if the HDD is working.
IDE Primary Master:
Three settings are available: Auto, Manual and None. If you choose Auto, the BIOS will automatically
check what kind of hard disk you are using. If you want to set the HDD parameters yourself, make sure
you fully understand the meaning of the parameters, and be sure to refer to the manual provided by the
HDD manufacturer to get the settings right.
Access Mode:
Since old operating systems were only able to support HDDs with capacities no bigger than 528MB, any
hard disk with more than 528MB was unusable. AWARD BIOS features a solution to this problem: you
can, according to your operating system, choose four operating modes: NORMAL ) LBA ) LARGE
)Auto.
The HDD auto detection option in the sub-menu will automatically detect the parameters of your hard
disk and the mode supported.
Auto: Lets the BIOS detect your HDD access mode and make the decisions.
Normal mode: Standard normal mode supports hard disks of up to 528MB or less. This mode
directly uses positions indicated by Cylinders (CYLS), Heads, and Sectors to access data.
LBA (Logical Block Addressing) mode: The earlier LBA mode can support HDD capacities of up to
8.4GB, and this mode uses a different method to calculate the position of disk data to be accessed. It
translates Cylinders (CYLS), Heads and Sectors into a logical address where data is located. The
Cylinders, Heads, and Sectors displayed in this menu do not reflect the actual structure of the hard
disk. They are just reference values used to calculate actual positions. Currently, all high capacity
hard disks support this mode and that is why we recommend you use this mode. Currently, the BIOS
can support the INT 13h extension function, enabling the LBA mode to support hard disk drive
capacities exceeding 8.4GB.
Large Mode: When the number of cylinders (CYLs) of the hard disk exceeds 1024 and DOS is not
able to support it, or if your operating system does not support LBA mode, you should select this
mode.
Capacity: This item auto displays your HDD size. Note that this size is usually slightly greater than the
size given by a disk checking program of a formatted disk.
Note: All the items below are available when you set the item "Primary IDE Master" to "Manual".
Cylinder: When disks are placed directly above one another along the shaft, the circular vertical "slice"
consisting of all the tracks located in a particular position is called a cylinder. You can set the number of
cylinders for a HDD. The minimum number you can enter is 0, the maximum number you can enter is
65536.
SE6
Chapter3