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June 10th, 2009 05:00
4550 Hard Drives
I have a 60 gb and a 80 gb hdd in my 4550 and was wondering if I could replace the 60gb with a 160gb or even a 250gb.I have upgraded my BIOS to A08 and am installing a new CPU, 3.067 GHz (SL6PG) with HT. Just wondered if it would support that much hard drive space or should I think about an external Hd? Thanks, Advenger
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DELL-Chris M
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June 10th, 2009 06:00
Advenger05,
The largest we tested was 120GB.
shesagordie
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June 10th, 2009 13:00
Advenger05
Hard drives larger than 120gb, require XP-SP1 or higher, not XP with the SP upgrade.
With the 4550, starting with BIOS version A04, UDMA support for 48-bit LBA hard drives larger than 137gb was added.
If you are using BIOS version A04 or A06, then they are fine, if not, then you will need to update them.
Bev.
Advenger05
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June 10th, 2009 13:00
How do I get the XP-SP1 or higher Bev? I have SP3 update from microsoft, but that will not work then? Thanks, Advenger
shesagordie
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June 10th, 2009 14:00
Advenger05
No, Windows XP discs have a native limitation of 137GB supporting ATA interface disc drives, XP SP-1 or higher discs incorporate 48-bit Addressing for
large ATA interface disc drives.
See HERE
You can slipstreamed SP3 into an copy of XP using this SOFTWARE
Or you can create a 130/137gb partition and after installing XP, the service pack updates and loading all the drivers, use either Partition Magic, or Acronis Disk Director to merge the free space with the C:/ partition, or create two separate partitions on the hard drive.
Bev.
rdunnill
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June 10th, 2009 16:00
Buy a budget SATA card and you should be able to use huge hard drives in your 4550.
I was using a 160gb SATA-150 back in 2005. Only issue was the HDD LED; I got around that with a 3000 by pulling out the stock LED from its socket in the front bezel and pressing in a generic third party unit, and attaching the latter to the pins on the SATA card. Worked fine.
Advenger05
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June 10th, 2009 16:00
I should be good to go then Bev. My XP disc includes Service Pack 1. My BIOS version is A08, I have updated my Service Pack to SP3 and I used Reg48bitLBA utility to confirm the setting is enabled. I do have EASEUS Partition Master 3.5 Home Edition and it works very well. So can I go up to 160gb or 250gb on a new Hdd?
shesagordie
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June 10th, 2009 18:00
Advenger05
Yep, looks like you are in good shape, to install 160/250gb IDE hard drives, remember to set the jumpers to 'Cable Select'.
Bev.
Advenger05
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June 10th, 2009 20:00
Thanks again Bev. I couldn't have done it with out you. Advenger:emotion-5:
shesagordie
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June 10th, 2009 21:00
Advenger05
Happy to have helped.
Bev.
Advenger05
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June 21st, 2009 05:00
I found a 500gb WD Caviar blue on sale. Used the software that came with it and cloned my old Hdd and everything went well and works fine. Now to fill all that empty space. LOL, Thanks Bev, Advenger
shesagordie
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June 21st, 2009 11:00
Advenger05
Nice upgrade and thank you for the heads up. :emotion-11:
Bev.