Will my old WinXP computer be OK with a 1TB internal HDD?

[FulciLives]

Hello

I have WinXP Pro SP3 (up-to-date) and I want to add an internal 1TB HDD but then it occurred to me that my computer is like 4 years old so will I have an issue with the BIOS or motherboard etc.? In other words will it see the 1TB HDD as a single 1TB drive?

Here are my computer details:

# dmidecode 2.9
SMBIOS 2.3 present.
38 structures occupying 1135 bytes.
Table at 0x000F0000.

Handle 0x0000, DMI type 0, 20 bytes
BIOS Information
        Vendor: Phoenix Technologies, LTD
        Version: 6.00 PG
        Release Date: 07/29/2005
        Address: 0xE0000
        Runtime Size: 128 kB
        ROM Size: 512 kB
        Characteristics:
                ISA is supported
                PCI is supported
                PNP is supported
                APM is supported
                BIOS is upgradeable
                BIOS shadowing is allowed
                Boot from CD is supported
                Selectable boot is supported
                BIOS ROM is socketed
                EDD is supported
                5.25"/360 KB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
                5.25"/1.2 MB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
                3.5"/720 KB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
                3.5"/2.88 MB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
                Print screen service is supported (int 5h)
                8042 keyboard services are supported (int 9h)
                Serial services are supported (int 14h)
                Printer services are supported (int 17h)
                CGA/mono video services are supported (int 10h)
                ACPI is supported
                USB legacy is supported
                LS-120 boot is supported
                ATAPI Zip drive boot is supported
                BIOS boot specification is supported

Handle 0x0001, DMI type 1, 25 bytes
System Information
        Manufacturer: MEDIONPC
        Product Name: MS-7046
        Version:  
        Serial Number:  
        UUID: Not Present
        Wake-up Type: Power Switch

Handle 0x0002, DMI type 2, 8 bytes
Base Board Information
        Manufacturer: MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD
        Product Name: MS-7046
        Version:  
        Serial Number:  

Handle 0x0003, DMI type 3, 17 bytes
Chassis Information
        Manufacturer:  
        Type: Desktop
        Lock: Not Present
        Version:  
        Serial Number:  
        Asset Tag:  
        Boot-up State: Unknown
        Power Supply State: Unknown
        Thermal State: Unknown
        Security Status: Unknown
        OEM Information: 0x00000000

Handle 0x0004, DMI type 4, 35 bytes
Processor Information
        Socket Designation: Socket 478
        Type: Central Processor
        Family: Pentium 4
        Manufacturer: Intel
        ID: 34 0F 00 00 FF FB EB BF
        Signature: Type 0, Family 15, Model 3, Stepping 4
        Flags:
                FPU (Floating-point unit on-chip)
                VME (Virtual mode extension)
                DE (Debugging extension)
                PSE (Page size extension)
                TSC (Time stamp counter)
                MSR (Model specific registers)
                PAE (Physical address extension)
                MCE (Machine check exception)
                CX8 (CMPXCHG8 instruction supported)
                APIC (On-chip APIC hardware supported)
                SEP (Fast system call)
                MTRR (Memory type range registers)
                PGE (Page global enable)
                MCA (Machine check architecture)
                CMOV (Conditional move instruction supported)
                PAT (Page attribute table)
                PSE-36 (36-bit page size extension)
                CLFSH (CLFLUSH instruction supported)
                DS (Debug store)
                ACPI (ACPI supported)
                MMX (MMX technology supported)
                FXSR (Fast floating-point save and restore)
                SSE (Streaming SIMD extensions)
                SSE2 (Streaming SIMD extensions 2)
                SS (Self-snoop)
                HTT (Hyper-threading technology)
                TM (Thermal monitor supported)
                PBE (Pending break enabled)
        Version: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU
        Voltage: 0.0 V
        External Clock: 200 MHz
        Max Speed: 3066 MHz
        Current Speed: 3200 MHz
        Status: Populated, Enabled
        Upgrade: ZIF Socket
        L1 Cache Handle: 0x000A
        L2 Cache Handle: 0x000B
        L3 Cache Handle: Not Provided
        Serial Number:  
        Asset Tag:  
        Part Number:  

Handle 0x0005, DMI type 5, 24 bytes
Memory Controller Information
        Error Detecting Method: 8-bit Parity
        Error Correcting Capabilities:
                None
        Supported Interleave: One-way Interleave
        Current Interleave: One-way Interleave
        Maximum Memory Module Size: 1024 MB
        Maximum Total Memory Size: 4096 MB
        Supported Speeds:
                Other
        Supported Memory Types:
                Other
        Memory Module Voltage: 5.0 V
        Associated Memory Slots: 4
                0x0006
                0x0007
                0x0008
                0x0009
        Enabled Error Correcting Capabilities:
                None

Handle 0x0006, DMI type 6, 12 bytes
Memory Module Information
        Socket Designation: A0
        Bank Connections: 0
        Current Speed: Unknown
        Type: Other
        Installed Size: 256 MB (Single-bank Connection)
        Enabled Size: 256 MB (Single-bank Connection)
        Error Status: OK

Handle 0x0007, DMI type 6, 12 bytes
Memory Module Information
        Socket Designation: A1
        Bank Connections: 2 3
        Current Speed: Unknown
        Type: Other
        Installed Size: 512 MB (Double-bank Connection)
        Enabled Size: 512 MB (Double-bank Connection)
        Error Status: OK

Handle 0x0008, DMI type 6, 12 bytes
Memory Module Information
        Socket Designation: A2
        Bank Connections: 4
        Current Speed: Unknown
        Type: Other
        Installed Size: 256 MB (Single-bank Connection)
        Enabled Size: 256 MB (Single-bank Connection)
        Error Status: OK

Handle 0x0009, DMI type 6, 12 bytes
Memory Module Information
        Socket Designation: A3
        Bank Connections: 6
        Current Speed: Unknown
        Type: Other
        Installed Size: 512 MB (Single-bank Connection)
        Enabled Size: 512 MB (Single-bank Connection)
        Error Status: OK

Handle 0x000A, DMI type 7, 19 bytes
Cache Information
        Socket Designation: Internal Cache
        Configuration: Enabled, Not Socketed, Level 1
        Operational Mode: Write Back
        Location: Internal
        Installed Size: 32 KB
        Maximum Size: 32 KB
        Supported SRAM Types:
                Synchronous
        Installed SRAM Type: Synchronous
        Speed: Unknown
        Error Correction Type: Unknown
        System Type: Unknown
        Associativity: Unknown

Handle 0x000B, DMI type 7, 19 bytes
Cache Information
        Socket Designation: External Cache
        Configuration: Enabled, Not Socketed, Level 2
        Operational Mode: Write Back
        Location: External
        Installed Size: 1024 KB
        Maximum Size: 1024 KB
        Supported SRAM Types:
                Synchronous
        Installed SRAM Type: Synchronous
        Speed: Unknown
        Error Correction Type: Unknown
        System Type: Unknown
        Associativity: Unknown

Handle 0x000C, DMI type 8, 9 bytes
Port Connector Information
        Internal Reference Designator: PRIMARY IDE
        Internal Connector Type: On Board IDE
        External Reference Designator: Not Specified
        External Connector Type: None
        Port Type: Other

Handle 0x000D, DMI type 8, 9 bytes
Port Connector Information
        Internal Reference Designator: SECONDARY IDE
        Internal Connector Type: On Board IDE
        External Reference Designator: Not Specified
        External Connector Type: None
        Port Type: Other

Handle 0x000E, DMI type 8, 9 bytes
Port Connector Information
        Internal Reference Designator: FDD
        Internal Connector Type: On Board Floppy
        External Reference Designator: Not Specified
        External Connector Type: None
        Port Type: 8251 FIFO Compatible

Handle 0x000F, DMI type 8, 9 bytes
Port Connector Information
        Internal Reference Designator: COM1
        Internal Connector Type: 9 Pin Dual Inline (pin 10 cut)
        External Reference Designator:  
        External Connector Type: DB-9 male
        Port Type: Serial Port 16450 Compatible

Handle 0x0010, DMI type 8, 9 bytes
Port Connector Information
        Internal Reference Designator: COM2
        Internal Connector Type: 9 Pin Dual Inline (pin 10 cut)
        External Reference Designator:  
        External Connector Type: DB-9 male
        Port Type: Serial Port 16450 Compatible

Handle 0x0011, DMI type 8, 9 bytes
Port Connector Information
        Internal Reference Designator: LPT1
        Internal Connector Type: DB-25 female
        External Reference Designator:  
        External Connector Type: DB-25 female
        Port Type: Parallel Port ECP/EPP

Handle 0x0012, DMI type 8, 9 bytes
Port Connector Information
        Internal Reference Designator: Keyboard
        Internal Connector Type: PS/2
        External Reference Designator:  
        External Connector Type: PS/2
        Port Type: Keyboard Port

Handle 0x0013, DMI type 8, 9 bytes
Port Connector Information
        Internal Reference Designator: PS/2 Mouse
        Internal Connector Type: PS/2
        External Reference Designator:  
        External Connector Type: PS/2
        Port Type: Mouse Port

Handle 0x0014, DMI type 8, 9 bytes
Port Connector Information
        Internal Reference Designator: Not Specified
        Internal Connector Type: None
        External Reference Designator: USB0
        External Connector Type: Other
        Port Type: USB

Handle 0x0015, DMI type 8, 9 bytes
Port Connector Information
        Internal Reference Designator: Not Specified
        Internal Connector Type: None
        External Reference Designator: USB1
        External Connector Type: Other
        Port Type: USB

Handle 0x0016, DMI type 9, 13 bytes
System Slot Information
        Designation: PCI0
        Type: 32-bit PCI
        Current Usage: Available
        Length: Long
        ID: 1
        Characteristics:
                5.0 V is provided
                PME signal is supported

Handle 0x0017, DMI type 9, 13 bytes
System Slot Information
        Designation: PCI1
        Type: 32-bit PCI
        Current Usage: Available
        Length: Long
        ID: 2
        Characteristics:
                5.0 V is provided
                PME signal is supported

Handle 0x0018, DMI type 9, 13 bytes
System Slot Information
        Designation: PCI2
        Type: 32-bit PCI
        Current Usage: Available
        Length: Long
        ID: 3
        Characteristics:
                5.0 V is provided
                PME signal is supported

Handle 0x0019, DMI type 13, 22 bytes
BIOS Language Information
        Installable Languages: 3
                n|US|iso8859-1
                n|US|iso8859-1
                r|CA|iso8859-1
        Currently Installed Language: n|US|iso8859-1

Handle 0x001A, DMI type 16, 15 bytes
Physical Memory Array
        Location: System Board Or Motherboard
        Use: System Memory
        Error Correction Type: None
        Maximum Capacity: 4 GB
        Error Information Handle: Not Provided
        Number Of Devices: 4

Handle 0x001B, DMI type 17, 27 bytes
Memory Device
        Array Handle: 0x001A
        Error Information Handle: Not Provided
        Total Width: 64 bits
        Data Width: 64 bits
        Size: 256 MB
        Form Factor: DIMM
        Set: None
        Locator: A0
        Bank Locator: Bank0/1
        Type: SDRAM
        Type Detail: Synchronous
        Speed: Unknown
        Manufacturer: None
        Serial Number: None
        Asset Tag: None
        Part Number: None

Handle 0x001C, DMI type 17, 27 bytes
Memory Device
        Array Handle: 0x001A
        Error Information Handle: Not Provided
        Total Width: 64 bits
        Data Width: 64 bits
        Size: 512 MB
        Form Factor: DIMM
        Set: None
        Locator: A1
        Bank Locator: Bank2/3
        Type: SDRAM
        Type Detail: Synchronous
        Speed: Unknown
        Manufacturer: None
        Serial Number: None
        Asset Tag: None
        Part Number: None

Handle 0x001D, DMI type 17, 27 bytes
Memory Device
        Array Handle: 0x001A
        Error Information Handle: Not Provided
        Total Width: 64 bits
        Data Width: 64 bits
        Size: 256 MB
        Form Factor: DIMM
        Set: None
        Locator: A2
        Bank Locator: Bank4/5
        Type: SDRAM
        Type Detail: Synchronous
        Speed: Unknown
        Manufacturer: None
        Serial Number: None
        Asset Tag: None
        Part Number: None

Handle 0x001E, DMI type 17, 27 bytes
Memory Device
        Array Handle: 0x001A
        Error Information Handle: Not Provided
        Total Width: 64 bits
        Data Width: 64 bits
        Size: 512 MB
        Form Factor: DIMM
        Set: None
        Locator: A3
        Bank Locator: Bank6/7
        Type: SDRAM
        Type Detail: Synchronous
        Speed: Unknown
        Manufacturer: None
        Serial Number: None
        Asset Tag: None
        Part Number: None

Handle 0x001F, DMI type 19, 15 bytes
Memory Array Mapped Address
        Starting Address: 0x00000000000
        Ending Address: 0x0005FFFFFFF
        Range Size: 1536 MB
        Physical Array Handle: 0x001A
        Partition Width: 0

Handle 0x0020, DMI type 20, 19 bytes
Memory Device Mapped Address
        Starting Address: 0x00000000000
        Ending Address: 0x0000FFFFFFF
        Range Size: 256 MB
        Physical Device Handle: 0x001B
        Memory Array Mapped Address Handle: 0x001F
        Partition Row Position: 1

Handle 0x0021, DMI type 20, 19 bytes
Memory Device Mapped Address
        Starting Address: 0x00010000000
        Ending Address: 0x0002FFFFFFF
        Range Size: 512 MB
        Physical Device Handle: 0x001C
        Memory Array Mapped Address Handle: 0x001F
        Partition Row Position: 1

Handle 0x0022, DMI type 20, 19 bytes
Memory Device Mapped Address
        Starting Address: 0x00030000000
        Ending Address: 0x0003FFFFFFF
        Range Size: 256 MB
        Physical Device Handle: 0x001D
        Memory Array Mapped Address Handle: 0x001F
        Partition Row Position: 1

Handle 0x0023, DMI type 20, 19 bytes
Memory Device Mapped Address
        Starting Address: 0x00040000000
        Ending Address: 0x0005FFFFFFF
        Range Size: 512 MB
        Physical Device Handle: 0x001E
        Memory Array Mapped Address Handle: 0x001F
        Partition Row Position: 1

Handle 0x0024, DMI type 32, 11 bytes
System Boot Information
        Status: No errors detected

Handle 0x0025, DMI type 127, 4 bytes
End Of Table

So will I be OK with a 1TB interal SATA II / 300 HDD ???

Oh and if you don't want to read that big long CODE of stuff I think the two important things are the motherboard and BIOS information:

1.) Motherboard = MSI MS-7046 which is an Intel 915P chipset (I think)
2.) BIOS = Vendor is Phoenix Technologies, LTD and the version is 6.00 PG

I hope that helps

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[ron spencer]

sure why not? Can your BIOS see drives larger than 120gig? If so then no problems...I had one 5 yrs old...BIOS update made it all possible.

[FulciLives]

Well I currently have two 320GB SATA II / 300 drives and no issues but I didn't know if 1TB was "too big" for my computer or not. I know of the old 120GB restriction which is long gone now but I didn't know if there was a new restriction or if any size goes these days?

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
This is the drive I will be buying: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136284

It is SATA II / 300 but it should be backwards compatible with SATA I / 150 right? I mean my motherboard is only SATA I /150 and yet my 320GB SATA II / 300 drives work fine.

[JohnnyMalaria]

It should work though the drive will have to operate in SATA mode (not SATA II) since that's what the chipset supports. The drive will automatically select the right mode.

[FulciLives]

It should work though the drive will have to operate in SATA mode (not SATA II) since that's what the chipset supports. The drive will automatically select the right mode.

OK kewl. I was just reading through the comments on newegg.com and someone said this drive will work with SATA I / 150 only connectors ala my motherboard.

Now do I order it and wait or spend $5.00 more + sales tax and get the retail version at BEST BUY tonight ... decisions decisions LOL

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[JohnnyMalaria]

I know what I'd do - much easier to deal with returning it should it not work.

[vhelp]

Just get it..piece of mind. if something wrong, you can jump back into car or girls car and return or exchange.

I'm looking for HDD upgrades myself, too. I have the ECS GeForce6100SM-M motherboard, and I think it does say SATA drive support, but I don't know anything about sata or eide or whathaveyou, and store shelves have all kinds of these drives and I'm not sure which one I'm suppose to get for my motherboard, though I do have a regular ide 160g hdd in it now. So, I leave it alone, and just go for the externals--much easier and less headacke.

I was browsing around best buy myself, today..and saw an $89 dollar 500g external drive, but hesitated and then finally decided not to get it. Then I saw those tiny little 320/500g passbook drives but they were too much for me, pushing $149, and I just wasn't sure they would be enought for my analog (raw) captures, unless I used a software dv codec: I use it for my analog cabletv captures to my usb-2 external 160g hdd with never a problem, though even raw captures using huffy or lagarith was no trouble either. But those 5400 rpm drives have me worried they won't work for the raw captures..so I decided against those, too.

..OT..
I also went to circuit city, now advertising 30-60 percent off. DVD/Music were 50 percent off, though I didn't get any: I must have had 5 titles in my hand before I finally said, "nah..not waisting any more money on these" and put them on the shelf. Then I made my way over to the camcorder section, where I was hoping to score big on a Canon H-20 (1920x1080) models that everyone was talking about over here, but they didn't have any that I could find, except a couple of Sony's that were 1920 res but said nothing else. Then I saw a BluRay usb-2 writer but $230 bucks, in a red box though, by Buffalo: if anyone's heard of it, do tell. And it said it can read BlueRay; HD-DVD; DVD; and CD; and also: write BluRay; DVD; and CD; but I wasn't sure, so in the end, I didn't get it because I wasn't sure that that was a good price, unless someone corrects me on this, and I'd go back. But who sells bluray recordable media anyway--besides no_one. Yeah, while at best buy, I did see a couple of BluRay rom drives selling for $100 bucks, but they only READ disc's. But if that blueray writer is a good deal, i'd give it another shot at the tripping it, tomorrow: I know where its hiding, hehe..

Actually, fulci, these days, I'm looking only for exernal type devices: be it HDD's and Writers or Capture equipment, and even Sound cards. I Just remembered..I did see the tinyiest soundblaster usb-2 sound card, about the size of my pinnacle pctb hd card. It was selling for $49 bucks: almost got that too, but said, nah.. just like before, gosh. So I was thinking about that, too. But I just want to plug and go with everything I can, just as the vision was ment to be, 10 years ago or so back in the gold-ol windows 98 days.

My external 160g usb-2 hdd works find under XP..can capture as raw or (dv) codec without any trouble. And it actually works fine under my Windows 98 as well.

But my only worry about the 500g or higher (external drives) is the same as yours, will it be recignized under Windows Xp sp2, mine, is home edition.

sorry for rambling on in your post, I was also in the naiborhood and got overloaded with, "go on..get it..waist your money, no one cares, go bank-krupt and what-nots"

-vhelp 5041

[budz]

Now do I order it and wait or spend $5.00 more + sales tax and get the retail version at BEST BUY tonight ... decisions decisions LOL

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

FYI if you decide to buy it from BEST BUY make sure you open up that hard drive box at the register after you pay for it. There have been reports of consumers buying SEAGATE retail hard drives from BEST BUY but when they open up the box at home they find a used SAMSUNG or another brand hard drive. A few years ago someone posted a thread about that and how difficult it was to prove to BEST BUY that the pos hard drive was in that supposedly brand new hard drive box.

Now whenever I buy a hard drive from BEST BUY I open up the box at the register after I pay for it. On one occasion I did open up the box to find the seal on the antistatic bag was already torn. I immediately got a full refund since there were no more in stock. BEST BUY doesn't check their return merchandise, they just shrink wrap the boxes & put them back on the shelves. So beware!

BTW the one you're looking at Newegg would be better because the one at BEST BUY that's $5.00 less is a 5400rpm hard drive. The one at Newegg is 7200rpm.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8492026&type=product&id=1186003685416

Here's the one at BEST BUY that's the same as the Newegg one you linked to:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8909595&type=product&id=1213047091732

[FulciLives]

@ Budz

Actually I was talking about the one in the 2nd link ... the "black" edition. It is on sale right now at BEST BUY although I assume that ends tonight.

It's 8:49pm and BEST BUY closes tonight at 10:00pm and it's a good 15 - 20 minute drive.

I better get my butt in gear or just order it from newegg.com

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[INFRATOM]

If you have Fry's near by check it out first sometimes they have good deals better than newegg. Specially on HD and PSU
http://www.frys-electronics-ads.com/