250 GB Hard Drive Install – Older PC 5

[JennyW]

Hi.

I want to add a 250 GB Hard Drive to my computer.
I am considering this one:

http://ca.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php/masterid=894639/search=western digital 250gb

My only concern is that the PC is from 2002 and it doesn’t shut down from Windows anymore – it just hangs at the ‘Shutting Down’ screen - down – lol! I have to do a Hard power off from the back switch on the computer.


Here are the specs of the PC I want to put the Hard Drive in to:
---------------
System:
Windows 98 (Second Edition)
4.10.2222 A

Computer:
AuthenticAMD
AMD Athlon(tm) Processor
448.0MB RAM
---------------


A few Quetsions:

- What do you guys think? Is this computer OK to add a Hard Drive to?

- Is a 250 GB Hard Drive too big if [blue]I’m using it mainly for video manipulation[/blue]? Will it be too Slow if I’? Should I consider a smaller Hard Drive? Or multiple smaller Hard Drives?



Thanks for reading!!
Jenny

 

[stduc]

I don't think you'll have any issues with a 250G drive, but that one looks to be a SATA drive. It does have an IDE - ATA/EIDE/ATAPI 40 pin connector, so you can use it, but as it is SATA as well, you may be paying over the odds.

To be certain you need to find out what your BIOS is and go to the manufacturers website where it should list any disk size restrictions for your BIOS.

You should be aware that while processing video you need to work on uncompressed video files that are massive (around 3.5Gb/minute). Video processing is also CPU intensive. So in order that you don't grow old while your computer processes and hour of video you need a fast CPU, loads of RAM (At least 512MBytes) and a fast, large hard drive.

 

[stduc]

Forgot to say that this link may help your shutdown issues.

http://www.techadvice.com/w98/S/Shutdown.htm

 

[mainegeek]

JennyW,
Your motherboard bios may require upgrading in order to recognise a drive that size. Also, if I remember correctly I think Win98 had a 137gig limit.

 

[stduc]

Win 98 Fat32 file system can handle a maximum logical disk size of 137,438,953,472 byte (137G). Whereas the NTFS system (200/2003/XP -etc) can handle 2TB (Basic disks) or 256TB (Dynamic disks)

However, providing the BIOS recognises the full disk size then the disk can be partitioned. So for simplicities sake JennyW could partition the disk into two 125G partitions.

 

[mainegeek]

JennyW,
What make and model is your PC?

 

[oisnds]

Another issue is the file size. You will want to use NTFS to escape the FAT32 limitations but Win98 does not like NTFS. You may need to do more upgrades than you planned (like that never happens).

 

[JennyW]

Hi guys!

Thanks for the replies! Really helpful info.

mainegeek, my Computer details are listed above? I’ll post them here again for you

---------------
System:
Windows 98 (Second Edition)
4.10.2222 A

Computer:
AuthenticAMD
AMD Athlon(tm) Processor
448.0MB RAM
---------------

Is this the information you’re looking for?


stduc, thanks for the Win98 Fix…I’ll have to install this…and here I thought it was my ‘computer’ that was the problem…not the Operating System.


Jenny

 

[mainegeek]

JennyW,
By make and model I meant ie: Dell Dimension 4600,Cpmpaq Presario 5000....etc....etc...

 

[garebo]

Jenny, maingeek wanted to know what MHZ your cpu was, for instance, an athlon xp 2000. And the reason, which is what i am thinking, if its too old then its not such a great idea to try and add that size a hard drive to an older system, especially with win98 which only allows 137 gig hard drive. See the point?
Yes, you can use overlay software for the hard drive, that comes from the manufacturer, but if you ever have used overlay you know its not a great idea, just doesnt work all that well.
Depending on your answer as to what mhz cpu you have, wiser choices can be shown to you. Again, guessing here, if you are already doing video editing, and you have 448 mb ram, then its a bit newer machine, and likely over 1 gig cpu, maybe over 2, who knows until you tell us.
If you dont know then you can google a free prog that will tell you. Everest would be one such program.
In the end, you want to match things up well, not have a huge hard drive with an older os and older cpu, wont work well. Better to have 2 80 or 100 gig hard drives.

Here it is:

http://www.lavalys.com/products/download.php?pid=1&lang=en&pageid=3

Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[RICHINMINN]

Jenny,
Most motherboards of this vintage will need to have the BIOS upgraded to handle a larger (>30 GB) hard drive, but it will very possibly have a limit of 128 GB (which is also the limit for Win98SE; 137,438,953,472 bytes = 128 GB). You might be better off using multiple smaller drives (80 GB, etc.) as has already been suggested.

I've done upgrades on numerous systems that could be upgraded to handle drives up to 128 GB, but then that was it!

Rich (in Minn.)