you can:
-look for some custom bios that add support for larger hdd
-see if there any jumper setting that allow you to lower the capacity
-use a Dynamic drive overlay to make the computer think that the disk is small

Thanks for that. Unfortunately my drives have no size related jumpers, so that's option is out the window. Re. the custom BIOS, I have an Award BIOS, is that the BIOS you're referring to?

I will look into Dynamic Drive Overlay. There seems to be some detailed info here on Vogons by PhilsComputerLab [1]. I'll check it out..

What I'm currently don't understand though is why the F4 option to skip the detecting of the primary hard drive isn't working... Any ideas?

[1] EZ-Drive Dynamic Drive Overlay

that's why it may be completely locked, that's why f4 didn't work
if you need help with the dynamic drive overlay i know how to set up it.
about the custom bios, there are some people that modify the bios to add cpu support, fix hdd limits and so on. there may be some modded bios for your motherboard

that's why it may be completely locked, that's why f4 didn't work

Ah OK. I was under the impression that it would just try to allocated the largest possible size, but that doesn't seem to be the case then? Still not sure what the reason of the lock though...

Here you'll find patched bios for your motherboard. Up to 120GB is possible.

Try the r411 rom version from this page.

http://bios.rom.by/LS/

It might have support for large hard drives (capped to 137gb)

Let me know if this doesn't work. I have some other ideas.

edit: 🤣, beaten on the link

zyga64 wrote:

Here you'll find patched bios for your motherboard. Up to 120GB is possible.

Awesome! Thanks.

Or you can buy a PCI hard drive controller card. The Promise Ultra 100 or Ultra 133 TX2 should work.

It always confuses me when people pair old computer systems with -then- gigantic numbers of storage capacity.
80GB..! Boy, I didn't even had that in my Pentium 4 (it had 20 to 40GB).
Back then, I felt lucky for getting that 1,5Gb to 2GB SCSI drive to work in my Pentium 166 MMX (to be able to install XP). ^^

Jo22 wrote:

It always confuses me when people pair old computer systems with -then- gigantic numbers of storage capacity. 80GB..! ...

It bugs me a little when I see it, too (mostly a similar sort of "that's not period-correct!!!" OCD kicking in), but the reason is usually because such ~80GB drives are much easier to source these days in working condition, compared to the ~4GB HDDs paired with PMMX systems when they were new. It's the same reason as why people opt for CF/SD cards with adapter (albeit the added convenience + speed + quiet over a hard-mounted HDD does play a role for those). After all, unlike with capacitors, the magnetic media in HDDs cannot be replaced by end-users with new media when it starts to degrade.

That's pretty much why I do it. More available, faster, and more reliable.

I see. Makes sense to me. What I wrote was no criticism, by the way. It just ruffles my memories whenever I try to remember the past. 😅
That being said, I also love to tinker with CF/SD cards and such. I heard some people used MP3 players as a replacement for datasettes.
That's about the point when I stop (except for the fun of experimentation, of course). Doing so makes me feel weird (it feels so unreal).
Probably too much for my poor simple mind, hah. 😅

Haha,

It must kill people that I took the working 50meg quantum ide hard drive from my 286 and installed a 200gb drive. (using xt-ide to get past BIOS limitations)

For me, the 50meg was too small, and too noisy. For me, quantum hard drive bearing noise is like fingernails on chalkboard constantly.