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I have a Gateway G6-233 that I purchased in 1997.
I have heard that something restricts the ability of
that computer to use large hard drives. I have
changed the CPU to a Celeron 500 and added
more memory. I need a larger hard drive now.
What is the limitation factor? Is there a particular
type of drive I need to function properly in this old
computer?
Thanks,
Dick

In article <UOold.99559$kz3.91438@fed1read02>, Dick M. says...
> I have a Gateway G6-233 that I purchased in 1997.
> I have heard that something restricts the ability of
> that computer to use large hard drives. I have
> changed the CPU to a Celeron 500 and added
> more memory. I need a larger hard drive now.
> What is the limitation factor? Is there a particular
> type of drive I need to function properly in this old
> computer?
> Thanks,
> Dick
>
Don't worry about the size. Even though the BIOS may not see it
properly, If you're running Windows 2000/XP, Windows setup will sort it
out and if not, all drive manufacturers provide software to overcome
any BIOS size limit. Failing that, you can buy an add in PCI IDE
controller such as a Promise Ultra100 TX2 that come up on E-Bay for
very little.

You'll probably find that yours may have either an 8GB or 32GB limit
unless the BIOS has been updated.

--
Conor

Normality will be restored once we actually work out what normality is.

On Sat, 13 Nov 2004 07:24:50 -0700, "Dick M."
<> wrote:

>I have a Gateway G6-233 that I purchased in 1997.
>I have heard that something restricts the ability of
>that computer to use large hard drives. I have
>changed the CPU to a Celeron 500 and added
>more memory. I need a larger hard drive now.
>What is the limitation factor? Is there a particular
>type of drive I need to function properly in this old
>computer?
>Thanks,
>Dick
>
>

I just junked a similar machine because of upgrade
limitations. IIRC, the max the BIOS in it could recognize
was 8GB - yours may be different. You can of course use a
drive manager that comes with most new drives but, this
usually comes at a performance cost. You may want to look
around for a much more capable machine. There are many
machines less monitor being advertised with 40GB drives and
CD burners under $200US. Fry's advertised a Compaq XP1800
factory refurb unit like this last weekend for $99US. You
can get an amazing amount of computing power these days for
under $500US including a monitor. Another good source of
machines is the used market like computer shows. Of course,
if you don't mind slow, you can install a new drive with the
boot partition properly set at the machines limit and
partition it to have access to the remainder of the drive.

In article <> lugnut <> wrote:
>
>I just junked a similar machine because of upgrade
>limitations. IIRC, the max the BIOS in it could recognize
>was 8GB - yours may be different. You can of course use a
>drive manager that comes with most new drives but, this
>usually comes at a performance cost. You may want to look
>around for a much more capable machine. There are many
>machines less monitor being advertised with 40GB drives and
>CD burners under $200US. Fry's advertised a Compaq XP1800
>factory refurb unit like this last weekend for $99US. You
>can get an amazing amount of computing power these days for
>under $500US including a monitor. Another good source of
>machines is the used market like computer shows. Of course,
>if you don't mind slow, you can install a new drive with the
>boot partition properly set at the machines limit and
>partition it to have access to the remainder of the drive.

Computers are useless. They can only give you answers.

--
Lady Chatterly

"What web site are you getting all these from?" -- Dr.Postman

"lugnut" <> wrote in message
news:...
| On Sat, 13 Nov 2004 07:24:50 -0700, "Dick M."
| <> wrote:
|
| >I have a Gateway G6-233 that I purchased in 1997.
| >I have heard that something restricts the ability of
| >that computer to use large hard drives. I have
| >changed the CPU to a Celeron 500 and added
| >more memory. I need a larger hard drive now.
| >What is the limitation factor? Is there a particular
| >type of drive I need to function properly in this old
| >computer?
| >Thanks,
| >Dick
| >
| >
|
| I just junked a similar machine because of upgrade
| limitations. IIRC, the max the BIOS in it could recognize
| was 8GB - yours may be different. You can of course use a
| drive manager that comes with most new drives but, this
| usually comes at a performance cost.

Just how much of a "performance cost" can there be in patching a few bytes
in the BIOS when the hard drive boots? It only happens once when the maching
is started.

Lady Chatterly, <> wrote:

> Computers are useless.

Computers?

> They can only give you answers.

You have no trouble making ends meet. Your foot is always in your mouth!

--
Solve the food crisis and the homeless pet problem.
Eat a dog today!
Cats taste nice, too, BTW.

On Sat, 13 Nov 2004 08:56:30 -0800, "Toolman Tim"
<> wrote:

>
>"lugnut" <> wrote in message
>news:.. .
>| On Sat, 13 Nov 2004 07:24:50 -0700, "Dick M."
>| <> wrote:
>|
>| >I have a Gateway G6-233 that I purchased in 1997.
>| >I have heard that something restricts the ability of
>| >that computer to use large hard drives. I have
>| >changed the CPU to a Celeron 500 and added
>| >more memory. I need a larger hard drive now.
>| >What is the limitation factor? Is there a particular
>| >type of drive I need to function properly in this old
>| >computer?
>| >Thanks,
>| >Dick
>| >
>| >
>|
>| I just junked a similar machine because of upgrade
>| limitations. IIRC, the max the BIOS in it could recognize
>| was 8GB - yours may be different. You can of course use a
>| drive manager that comes with most new drives but, this
>| usually comes at a performance cost.
>
>Just how much of a "performance cost" can there be in patching a few bytes
>in the BIOS when the hard drive boots? It only happens once when the maching
>is started.
>


In newer machines, you will probably never notice it but,
then you won't likely need the manager either. My
experience using a disk manager was last in a 486 machine
where it was apparent in slowing the machine. I have no
idea that he would actually see a noticeable performance
hit. He may even more than make up for any performance hit
because the current drives are so much faster anyway. I
guess my response was from a cost/benefit perspective since
I can't see the time and expense of putting a new drive into
a machine like his when it can be completely replaced with a
much more capable machine including the larger hard drive so
cheaply here in the Atlanta, GA area for not that much more
cost than a decent drive. The machine I had similar to his
was junked a couple of months back after I couldn't even
find a charity that would take it. That may not be the case
in other countries.

Aquila Deus came up with this:

> Lady Chatterly, <> wrote:
>
>> Computers are useless.
>
> Computers?
>
>> They can only give you answers.
>
> You have no trouble making ends meet. Your foot is always in your
mouth!
>

I heard that you were born, your father threw rocks at the stork.

--
-John Holmes-

"It ain't much, if it ain't Dutch..."