Recently I got a Dell Dimension 486 SX/25. I really like this computer and it works great (at its low speed).
Would like to put a 2GB CF card to replace the mechanical HDD.
When I boot the machine up, it doesnt detect the HDD.
BIOS HDD setting is on "Auto".
Is there any way to use a CF card on this computer?
Some more info would be nice.
- Controller card or IDE port on mobo?
- If IDE port ->tried working HDD bigger than 540Mb? (to discard BIOS limitation)
- CF2IDE adaptor working on different machine?
Regards
An SX 25, which would likely have a BIOS from 1991 / 1992 would not be able to handle any drive over 504MB without either a drive overlay or an LBA extension ROM (typically mounted on a network card)
If you get a network card and install a suitable size ROM on there with this ROM installed: http://mame.spludlow.co.uk/Machine.aspx?name=lba_enhancer
Then you can have drives over 504MB, probably even 2GB. You just need to set the BIOS settings to CHS 8:8:8:
Set hard Disk Type: "47=USER TYPE"
Cyls.: 8
heads: 8
Sectors: 8
I've tested it and it works quite well. Though it's possible it causes a problem with detecting ATAPI (CDrom) drives.
Alternatively, to use drives bigger than 504MB, you can use Ontrack drive overlay, but that stops the disk being compatible with regular partitioning so you can't just take it out and load files on via a PC.
Personally, I would just go with 256MB CF cards on the older machines (pre 1994) that don't support LBA, but that did get easier for me since I got a crazy deal on 40x 256MB cards recently. Up until then, I was collecting up ISA network cards to use for the LBA enhancer ROM method.
Or use XTIDE which supports pretty much everything.
All hail the Great Capacitor Brand Finder
I tried that but it didn't work well with CD-roms either, which suggests maybe it's some other issue 😀
XT-IDE is a great option as well, I just like the LBA-Enhancer because of its simplicity in comparison. Overall, there's no real reason to choose one over the other.
Thanks for your replies! 😀
croton64 wrote on 2020-04-24, 23:32:- Controller card or IDE port on mobo?
- If IDE port ->tried working HDD bigger than 540Mb? (to discard BIOS limitation)
- CF2IDE adaptor working on different machine?
- IDE port on mobo. 1992 Phoenix bios.
- Unfortunately I Don't have a working IDE HDD > 540Mb and < 2GB.
- I tried several CF2IDE adapters, with cards working on other 486 that I have (detected by their BIOS). No luck with any of them.
Thermalwrong wrote on 2020-04-25, 00:53:If you get a network card and install a suitable size ROM on there with this ROM installed: http://mame.spludlow.co.uk/Machine.aspx?name=lba_enhancer
Then you can have drives over 504MB, probably even 2GB. You just need to set the BIOS settings to CHS 8:8:8:
Never heard about this ROM before, is there any list with comptatible NICs? ATAPI support isn't a must as I plan to use a Creative 40 pin CD Drive on this machine (non-IDE).
Thermalwrong wrote on 2020-04-25, 00:53:Alternatively, to use drives bigger than 504MB, you can use Ontrack drive overlay, but that stops the disk being compatible with regular partitioning so you can't just take it out and load files on via a PC.
I never liked Ontrack, because as you said you can't take it out and load more stuff from a modern PC.
Thermalwrong wrote on 2020-04-25, 00:53:Personally, I would just go with 256MB CF cards on the older machines (pre 1994) that don't support LBA, but that did get easier for me since I got a crazy deal on 40x 256MB cards recently. Up until then, I was collecting up ISA network cards to use for the LBA enhancer ROM method.
This sounds great! Would be really good to get some 256MB CF cards and just swap them when they are full of games.
gdjacobs wrote on 2020-04-25, 01:44:Or use XTIDE which supports pretty much everything.
This will be the prefered method if I get an ISA card with XTIDE or a compatible NIC and flash the ROM.
Is there any "silent" way to have this installed? Don't like it showing up on boot (would like a 100% stock boot if possible).
Thanks again!
