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Chapter 3
BIOS Configuration
HARD DISKS
The BIOS supports up to four IDE drives. This section does not show
information about other IDE devices, such as a CD-ROM drive, or about other
hard drive types, such as SCSI drives. Note: We recommend that you select
type auto for all drives.
The BIOS can automatically detect the specifications and optimal operating
mode of almost all IDE hard drives. When you select type auto for a hard
drive, the BIOS detects its specifications during POST, every time the system
boots. If you do not want to select drive type auto, other methods of selecting
the drive type are available:
1. Match the specifications of your installed IDE hard drive(s) with the
preprogrammed values for drive types 1 through 45.
2. Select User and enter values into each drive parameter field.
3. Use the IDE HDD Auto Dectection function in Setup.
Here is a brief explanation of drive specifications:
Type: The BIOS contains a table of pre-defined drive types. Each defined drive
type has a specified number of cylinders, number of heads, write
precompensation factor, landing zone, and number of sectors. Drives whose
specifications do not accommodate any pre-defined type are classified as type
user.
Size: Disk drive capacity (approximate). Note that this size is usually slightly
greater than the size of a formatted disk given by a disk-checking program.
Cyls: Number of cylinders
Head: Number of heads
Precomp: Write precompensation cylinder
Landz: Landing zone
Sector: Number of sectors
Mode: Auto, Normal, large, or LBA
Auto: The BIOS automatically determines the optimal mode.
Normal: Maximum number of cylinders, heads, and sectors
supported are 1024, 16, and 63.
Large: For drives that do not support LBA and have more than 1024
cylinders.
LBA (Logical Block Addressing): During drive accesses, the IDE
controller transforms the data address described by sector, head, and
cylinder number into a physical block address, significantly
improving data transfer rates. For drives with greater than 1024
cylinders.
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