TECH TIP: VIRCON BookPC MVP4 (AMD K6/500MHz) and Maxtor 40GB Hard Drive Upgrade

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Posted by VC Tech Support (65.7.49.48) on October 13, 2001 at 04:46:17:

VIRTUAL CONCEPTS TECH TIP:

Tonight Virtual Concepts attempted its first hard drive uPgrade over 18.1Gb on a MVP4 BookPC System (a system that is still in use by Virtual Concepts).

This PC is a VIRCON BookPC MVP4 with an AMD K/6-500MHz CPU, 192MB RAM, 4.3GB Maxtor 84320D5 Hard Drive, and a NEC 4x4 CD-Changer.

I was attempting a hard drive upgrade from the Maxtor 4.3GB to a Maxtor 40GB 5400RPM hard drive (Retal Kit # K014040GH).

Initially, I disconected the CD-ROM drive, installed the former Master to the CD-ROM lead, and the new 40GB to the Primary Lead.

I also replaced the standard factory 40-Pin IDE Ribbon with the enlosed 80-Pin ATA/66/100 Ribbon.

The BIOS (05/24/2000) showed the drive as ATA/66 and the full 40GB.

I then attempted to boot the Maxtor MaxBlast Plus Version 1.27S Installtion Utility.

It froze and locked the PC every time it went to verify the system components - with or without mouse and in GUI or Text mode.

I tried changing numerous BIOS settings with no luck.

I then went to the Maxtor web site, and found a link there about the program freezeing. It stated to reboot with a standard Windows Boot Disk and then to insert the Maxblast Floppy and type in "DG TEXT" minus the quotes.

I did so, and it still locked the PC in the same exact place each time.

I then removed both drives, and placed them both into a PC Chips M599LMR system - along with the 80 pin cable on the 40GB on the Primary IDE channel, and a 40-Pin IDE cable on the 4.3GB on the Secondary Channel.

The M599LMR did not show the new drive as ATA/66, but did otherwise did recognize both drives correctly and the same as the BookPC did.

I then let the MaxBlast Plus Floppy boot - It did so and it did not hang this time.

I then proceeded to make 6 partitions of the drive and let it copy the original 4.3GB Maxtor to the 40GB (1-15.3GB, 1-5.1GB, 1-5.1GB, 1-5.1GB, 1-5.1GB, 1-4.2GB).

These partition sizes were chosen since I needed to mirror a 4.3GB drive with 3 partitions (originally under Win95 - 3 partitons), a 3.2GB Win98 Partition (1 partition), a 4.3GB Win98 Partiton (1 partition), and a 4.3 Win95 Partition (3 partitions) to this drive. This move then freed up 4 hard drives totalling 16.1GB that could be used elsewhere.

I also was going to delete the current Windows Folders from each of these drives so that freed up the extra space I was short on to do this (each drive had WIndows on it - only one was kept - from the first 4.3GB drive).

Also, the FAT16 limitatin was lost from the two Win95 drives - speeding things up quite a bit - as well as now being accessable via ATA/66 instead of ATA/33 (which could actually be ATA/100 since the hard drive supports this, but the BookPC does not allow add-in cards.

It did that and completed fine.

I then moved the 40GB Maxtor to the BookPC afterwards, and then booted the system up.

All works fine now and I am typing this with the new 40GB drive in place.

After this, I would say there is a problem with both drives being on the same channel on the BookPC since there are actually 2 IDE channels on the BookPC, but only one actual PinOut Connector on the BookPC. I did not try this move using the original ATA/33 cable.

After the move was successully done, the speed increase simply due to the ATA/66 and FAT32 is greatly and very noticeably faster.

Even though this hard drive is only 5400RPM, the speed is noticeable as well the sound is near silent now when the hard drive runs.

The other drives were then copied over under a Windows prompt using the XCOPY /E /H command.

No BIOS update or EZ-Drive BIOS overlay was needed to achieve this.

The cost for the Maxtor 40GB hard drive was under $90.00.

Virtual Concepts would recommend this upgrade to anyone needing the extra space, but reminds those with this system, that another PC or an outside source may be needed to complete the job.

Virtual Concepts can complete this job with sent in drives for a fee - please write us if needed. No more details will be given out than what was given here, as to step by stpe info unless I missed it here.

Good Luck!

Total time invested in this upgrade - 6 hours.

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: VIRTUAL CONCEPTS TECH TIP: : Tonight Virtual Concepts attempted its first hard drive uPgrade over 18.1Gb on a MVP4 BookPC System (a system that is still in use by Virtual Concepts). : This PC is a VIRCON BookPC MVP4 with an AMD K/6-500MHz CPU, 192MB RAM, 4.3GB Maxtor 84320D5 Hard Drive, and a NEC 4x4 CD-Changer. : I was attempting a hard drive upgrade from the Maxtor 4.3GB to a Maxtor 40GB 5400RPM hard drive (Retal Kit # K014040GH). : Initially, I disconected the CD-ROM drive, installed the former Master to the CD-ROM lead, and the new 40GB to the Primary Lead. : I also replaced the standard factory 40-Pin IDE Ribbon with the enlosed 80-Pin ATA/66/100 Ribbon. : The BIOS (05/24/2000) showed the drive as ATA/66 and the full 40GB. : I then attempted to boot the Maxtor MaxBlast Plus Version 1.27S Installtion Utility. : It froze and locked the PC every time it went to verify the system components - with or without mouse and in GUI or Text mode. : I tried changing numerous BIOS settings with no luck. : I then went to the Maxtor web site, and found a link there about the program freezeing. It stated to reboot with a standard Windows Boot Disk and then to insert the Maxblast Floppy and type in "DG TEXT" minus the quotes. : I did so, and it still locked the PC in the same exact place each time. : I then removed both drives, and placed them both into a PC Chips M599LMR system - along with the 80 pin cable on the 40GB on the Primary IDE channel, and a 40-Pin IDE cable on the 4.3GB on the Secondary Channel. : The M599LMR did not show the new drive as ATA/66, but did otherwise did recognize both drives correctly and the same as the BookPC did. : I then let the MaxBlast Plus Floppy boot - It did so and it did not hang this time. : I then proceeded to make 6 partitions of the drive and let it copy the original 4.3GB Maxtor to the 40GB (1-15.3GB, 1-5.1GB, 1-5.1GB, 1-5.1GB, 1-5.1GB, 1-4.2GB). : These partition sizes were chosen since I needed to mirror a 4.3GB drive with 3 partitions (originally under Win95 - 3 partitons), a 3.2GB Win98 Partition (1 partition), a 4.3GB Win98 Partiton (1 partition), and a 4.3 Win95 Partition (3 partitions) to this drive. This move then freed up 4 hard drives totalling 16.1GB that could be used elsewhere. : I also was going to delete the current Windows Folders from each of these drives so that freed up the extra space I was short on to do this (each drive had WIndows on it - only one was kept - from the first 4.3GB drive). : Also, the FAT16 limitatin was lost from the two Win95 drives - speeding things up quite a bit - as well as now being accessable via ATA/66 instead of ATA/33 (which could actually be ATA/100 since the hard drive supports this, but the BookPC does not allow add-in cards. : It did that and completed fine. : I then moved the 40GB Maxtor to the BookPC afterwards, and then booted the system up. : All works fine now and I am typing this with the new 40GB drive in place. : After this, I would say there is a problem with both drives being on the same channel on the BookPC since there are actually 2 IDE channels on the BookPC, but only one actual PinOut Connector on the BookPC. I did not try this move using the original ATA/33 cable. : After the move was successully done, the speed increase simply due to the ATA/66 and FAT32 is greatly and very noticeably faster. : Even though this hard drive is only 5400RPM, the speed is noticeable as well the sound is near silent now when the hard drive runs. : The other drives were then copied over under a Windows prompt using the XCOPY /E /H command. : No BIOS update or EZ-Drive BIOS overlay was needed to achieve this. : The cost for the Maxtor 40GB hard drive was under $90.00. : Virtual Concepts would recommend this upgrade to anyone needing the extra space, but reminds those with this system, that another PC or an outside source may be needed to complete the job. : Virtual Concepts can complete this job with sent in drives for a fee - please write us if needed. No more details will be given out than what was given here, as to step by stpe info unless I missed it here. : Good Luck! : Total time invested in this upgrade - 6 hours.

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