Gateway Solo 1200 BIOS not detecting HDD \ VOGONS

Gateway Solo 1200 BIOS not detecting HDD

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First post, by someguywithagateway

Posted on 2022-05-15, 02:36

someguywithagateway Offline

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I recently picked up a Gateway Solo 1200 notebook from Aug. 2001. I installed a working IBM Travelstar drive into it, since it came without one. For some odd reason, the BIOS refuses to recognize the drive. I have tried two other known working drives and have the same problem. What's interesting is that if I take the hard drive out, the BIOS will recognize the CD-ROM drive as a master drive, and I can boot to a CD. However, with the hard drive installed, the BIOS won't even recognize the CD-ROM drive. The hard drive doesn't contain a jumper, since no jumper defaults to master (device 0). I'm not sure if something is failing internally, or if I would need to get a jumper and set the drive as Cable Select.

Reply 1 of 4, by Horun

Posted on 2022-05-15, 03:06

Horun Offline

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The original HD was a 10GB so if you are trying to use a much larger HD it may not work no matter what. (greater than a 60GB).
Most HD from that era have a 4pin set near the 44pin connector and Yes you sometimes need to jumper one of the 4 pin sets.
Typically "no jumpers" is Master but like many Toshiba and other drives of that era there is a "cable select" setting but is different than what is typical.
What model TravelStar are you trying to use ?
fixed a boobooo

Last edited by Horun on 2022-05-15, 03:20. Edited 1 time in total.

Hate posting a reply and then have to edit it because it made no sense 😁 First computer was an IBM 3270 workstation with CGA monitor. Stuff: https://archive.org/details/@horun

Reply 2 of 4, by someguywithagateway

Posted on 2022-05-15, 03:15

someguywithagateway Offline

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I'm using an DJSA-210 model Travelstar, 10GB. It was made in Aug 01, same month and year the computer was released. It should work, but it isn't.

Reply 3 of 4, by Horun

Posted on 2022-05-15, 03:26

Horun Offline

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Ahh it uses same jumpers as a Toshiba of that era, see below..
manual here: https://www.manualslib.com/products/Ibm-Djsa- … ve-3051429.html

Hate posting a reply and then have to edit it because it made no sense 😁 First computer was an IBM 3270 workstation with CGA monitor. Stuff: https://archive.org/details/@horun

Reply 4 of 4, by someguywithagateway

Posted on 2022-06-17, 22:40

someguywithagateway Offline

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Figured it out. The HDD needs to be jumpered to Slave. That's very uncommon for a BIOS from 2001.

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