Can a Compaq Presario 433, 486SX processor accept hard drives over 220 mb?

[roychr]

This is only for the ones that like me love their old gear to bits and try to bring it up to a level, where it may still be of some use...

I managed to get this little sweatheart to run Win 95, got it networked and have it access the internet. But the next bottleneck is the capacity of its hard drive...only 220 mb, that means after installing win95, there is only 32 mb left to play with...I have one 1GB and one 4.3 GB hard drive, that I tried to install in this computer. They both would run, but unfortunately the bios does not seem to accept any larger hard disc space than 220 mb and uses only this amount on either hard drives...Is there a way around this problem or am I stuck with 220 mb for good????

Would be grateful for any advice that gets me out of this...

Cheers
Roy

 

[vnf4ultra]

One option that might work would be to get a pci controller card.
Here's one.
Not sure if it would work or not.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16816102002

 

[roychr]

Ok. I get the idea...Unfortunaltely this old computer has only ISA slots..no PCI, but there must be a similar product on ISA basis around, so thanks for that idea!

 

[Sharam]

Have you checked Compaq for support?

Try this link , there is an update that addresses your exact problem.

There is an ISA Drive Max by Promise, If the update doesn't fix the problem and you can't find the card on-line, I have one here, we might be able to work something out.

 

[roychr]

thanks, Sharam, I will see what the software does...then have a look, if I can find the ISA Drive Max by Promise.
I live in the UK, so unless you are somewhere near hear the cost to send your drive would be probably forbidding.

Thank you very much for your help!
Roy

 

[Sharam]

Too bad cause I have a DX2/66 and some ram I was going to throw in.

Can you not get a DX2/66 chip from someone, some where? I am moving and just found few of them going through my stuff.

Can’t remember, but was it Win98 that required a math coprocessor?

You should at least see 512MB if not more with that fix. Then you can slave the 220MB.

 

[lvdrew702]

Day late and $ short....

If anyone still reads these... I have a 433.

I jacked it up! 486 DX2/100

850 MB Western Digital. Used a drive rocket disk to make it work.

My problem is getting memory over 20MB... Any thoughts?

 

[Sharam]

Try the link in my first reply few posts up, too bad you don't have the 5BW433.