Upgrade harddrive past 137Gb limit - Gateway 7426GX Notebook

Wait a minute! Hold the phone!

HOW, are you trying to install this 320GB harddrive?

You cannot just grab a fresh, new harddrive, and put it in. There's no Operating System on it. It's on the 160GB harddrive.
(Windows XP?)

Not trying to 'sound' condescending, but I do not see anything to support that you know what you are doing.

If you are using a Western Digital 160GB IDE harddrive, you have a motherboard, and BIOS, that is past the size limitation for an IDE harddrive.
The size limitation was 137GB for motherboards, (BIOS program, actually), that had this limitation.

Size limitation isn't your problem.

Plus, LEAVE BIOS ALONE, as far as upgrading.
Why?

A) Power goes out while you are upgrading, and when asked, you do not save a copy of the original BIOS program, you can take your motherboard out, and use it for a Frisbee.

B) IF, there was a BIOS upgrade, AND it is NOT compatible, AND when asked you do not save a copy of the original BIOS program, you can take your motherboard out, and use it for a Frisbee.

Also, if it IS an IDE harddrive, and the old 160GB is an IDE harddrive, you cannot put both harddrives on that flat ribbon cable, AND use the 320GB as a Primary harddrive.

Want to use the 320GB as a Primary harddrive, (Master), and the 160GB as a Secondary harddrive? (Slave) There is a proper procedure.

No, I'm wrong? You have a fresh, new GENUINE copy of Windows, and are going to install it on this 320GB?
[Microsoft makes one Master disk. From it all GENUINE copies are made, and sold to the consumer ]

I hope it is Windows XP, (Home or Pro)
Why?
Because drivers are not be available for Windows Vista (Yecch!), or Windows 7.

What are drivers?
Small pieces of software that allow the Operating System to communicate with a device.
Windows XP and Windows 7, are just two examples of an O/S.
Harddrive, motherboard chipset, optical drive, (CD/DVD drive), audio (Sound), etc., are Devices.

http://support.gateway.com/us/en/emac/product/default.aspx?tab=1&modelId=1460

Winfast is no longer in operation. No help from them.
(The motherboard manufacturer that made the motherboard for eMachines/Gateway. Confusing? Yes, I know.
eMachines sold out to Gateway. Guess what? Gateway SOLD OUT to Acer. Isn't this fun(?)


The motherboard is a Gateway MCP61SM2MA. Part number Gateway 4006232R.

http://support.gateway.com/s/MOTHERBD/Shared/4006232R/4006232Rnv.shtml

1) Has one Parallel ATA connector on the motherboard.

[PATA. Term is also known as IDE. Just to be more confusing, it is also known as EIDE. Enhanced IDE brought out by Western Digital, back in the day. The reason PATA is used, is to help distinguish it from SATA.
Serial ATA. This will help you understand,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_ATA ]

On the main Gateway support page I linked above, click on ->
Product Views.
In the list click on the blue -> Parallel ATA IDE connector.

2) The motherboard also has two SATA connectors,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_ATA

On the Hardware Details list, click on the blue -> U - SATA connectors

Do not know if it is a PATA harddrive, (320GB), or a SATA harddrive?
Look at the label. Example on WD 160GB might be WD1600BEVT.
What is it on the 320GB?

Blank, new 320GB WD harddrive? BIOS isn't going to recognize it.
Why?
It hasn't been formatted.
WD does have a software tool to do this. Do I recommend this for a beginner? NO.

Better to install the 320GB in an economical external enclosure, and plug the USB cable from the enclosure into any available USB port on your computer.
Now you have a 160GB harddrive with WinXP on it, and 320GB's of extra storage.

Example (IMHO) of an economical external enclosure,

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1733195&CatId=2779

If you have no clue of what I have posted above, it is going to look like so much gibberish. Not my intent.

Not after 'Points'. Could give 2 cents.
{With this website you can rate ANY solution you see, and ALL solutions you see}

My intent is to teach. I have been at this for 8 years. (3 here, 5 elsewhere)
I want you to understand. Post back in a Comment, with the answers I need, from the questions I stated above.

We together WILL find a solution.

Regards,
joecoolvette

Definitely. But every computer's motherboard has limitations. It depends on what you're trying to upgrade. You can upgrade the CPU, Memory, Video Card, Sound Card, Harddrive Capacity, Optical Drive, etc.

Dell Optiplex 760 Vista
Max CPU Intel Q9550
Max RAM 8GB RAM
Largest HDD Shipped 1TB (Will likely Support 2TB)

Optiplex GX260
Max Intel Northwood 2.53 GHz - 533
Max RAM 2GB
Largest HDD Shipped was 200GB (Will likely support 500GB)

Dell Dimension XPS D300
Max CPU 333 Pentium II
Max RAM 384MB
Largest HDD Shipped 16GB (Will likely Support up to 80GB)

Dell Dimension XPS M
Max CPU 166S
Max RAM 64 MB
Largest HDD Shipped 4.3 GB (Max HDD likely 20GB)

Okay your computer can hold a maximum of 3GB of RAM. The RAM must be PC- 133, NON-ECC, UNBUFFERED, SDRAM, DIM memory in order for it to be compatible with your computer. Also you can stick any size hard drive into your computer. **WARNING** IF YOU ATTEMPT TO OPEN YOUR COMPUTER MAKE SURE YOU ARE WEARING AN ESD BRACELET AS TO ENSURE THAT YOU DON'T DESTROY YOUR SYSTEM. ALSO IF YOU CHANGE YOUR HARD DRIVE YOU WILL NEED TO BACK UP ALL OF YOUR INFORMATION TO THAT HARD DRIVE IF YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS IT!!! If you have any other questions please feel free to ask.

Thank You,
Ryan Frame
Creative Energy Associates Technical Center

there is no size limit if you need to replace the Hard Drive. your mobo can also support both IDE/PATA and SATA type of drive.

*********** board have no support LBA 48bit adressing.
If you want to use so big HDD, you must to upgrade bios (for LBA 48 bit) or change motherboard for new one.

I would not update the BIOS if you aren't haveing problems. If you use WinXP you should have no problems updating the Hard Drive to the 500GB, If you format the disk using the NTFS File system when you install windows, and it only recognizes 137GB of the 500GB, then update, but you shouldn't have any problems. thanks for any ratings

Windows xp has a max Hard drive limit of 137GB, so what you see is totally right.
Windows XP did not support 48-bit LBA for ATAPI disk drives, which is what larger drives needs.
The service packs do address the problem but you need to have a copy of windows xp which includes at least service pack 1 on the installation.
The problem is when you install from your original disk, it doesn't include the service packs, so by the time you have got the system up and running the hard disk space has already been allocated.

Bios update wont help
controller card won't help either

Possible solutions:
If you can get hold of a new version of XP which includes at least service pack 1, you can re-install with this disk and it should find all your hard disk space
or
You can do what is called 'slipstreaming', this is when you burn the original XP disk and the service packs together on one disk, but it does take a bit of working out.

here are a few links which may help you more:

http://lifehacker.com/386526/slipstream-service-pack-3-into-your-windows-xp-installation-cd


http://support.microsoft.com/kb/303013


hope this al least sheds a little light on the problem
Bri

yes definitely u can ...

137 gig is a classic maxium harddrive limit for older BIOSes. Yamaha does not have a public firmware upgrade avalibe. since there is no way to flash the bios, it is impossible to upgrade it :-/