ACER 3004 max disk size?

Hi,

We are trying to upgrade a 3004wlci to 250GB and having great problems.
The bios is 3A32 which is later than the website ate 3A27. The m/c does not seem to like 250GB. On initial install it formatted at 128GB, but I could not find the missing GB. Acronis can format it to 232GB on my HP laptop, but the 3004 only sees 128GB if I try ACT on it.

Tried formatting FAT32 and 232GB and then using install disks and now get "system disk not found".

Basically I'm asking "does anyone know if a 3004 will take a 250GB single partition".?

Laptop is out of warranty and after waiting 35mins on billable line got disconnected:-(
TIA

 

This is probably lack of 48bit-LBA support from the BIOS. You have Extensa or Travelmate?

Edit: You probably have Travelmate because Extensa's latest BIOS is 3A08....

So if you have Travelmate 3000 series there IS a newer BIOS for you - 3b14:

http://support.acer-euro.com/drivers/ftp/ftp.html

Make sure it's the right BIOS for you first!

 

Thank you for the post.
Where did you see the 3b14 as your link only shows 3axx and 3a32 is the latest.?

Have it up and running at present. Had to do a repair using an xp2 cd again and have just converted to NTFS. It's booted and logged in OK, so fingers crossed.

Found that BIOS vis google, so might add that later.

Thanks again for the post. if I had hair, I'd be tearing it out by now with this thing.

 

Yeah I gave you bad link sorry about that..

Hope it works fine now.

 

Sadly it does not. I believe the BIOS is at at fault.

I'm going to try a 120GB in its place. Even parttioning into 128/104 still causes problems.

Thanks for the posts anyway.

 

Did you install Windows on it? If yes - what version/service pack? XP SP1 and below does not support 48bit-LBA. You need to update windows or install what is called Intel Accelerator...something I don't quite remember.

 

Its has been very flaky all day. I did manage to get windows on it, but then it lost all the icons and programs from the menu. This was wen it was 232GB FAT32. The Intel accelerator only works with Intel chipsets, this is an AMD computer. I'm convinced the BIOS does not support 48bit LBA.

We are installing XPH SP2, I have the same on my old HP laptop and I upgraded by cloning no problems.

The only time it has worked (sort of) successfully was the first time I put the disk in brand new and it formatted it to 128GB, after that random chaos.

 

What CPU does your Acer and HP have ?

And is it the Aspire 3000 or the Travelmate 3000 ?

Also, what is the full model no. of the previous HDD in the Acer ?

And what happens, when you install the new HDD in the Acer with the 128/104 partitions ?

 

Umm...Aspire 3000? As far as I know there is no such model/series..?

 

Actually there is one.
And the fact that he mentioned:

I think it might be the Aspire 3000 with the pre-historic SiS chipset.

(Or the Ferrari 3000, which also has an AMD CPU)

 

You are right. I actually found the exact model - it's an Acer Aspire 3004WLCi. <s>But no drivers/bios on ACER's support site?</s>

Found it on the FTP -> Latest BIOS 3a32...

Edit: Found a very useful site with hdd tools&info -> http://www.48bitlba.com/
This tool can check if your BIOS support 48bit LBA(I'm pretty sure it does).

 

Thanks for that link.!!

I tried it on my laptop, it reports my 250GB drive as 20.1GB on primary master with 48bit LBA not supported and a 160GB Seagate drive (which I had previously in the laptop) with incorrect name and serial number on primary slave (which I do not have). It reports this as 48bit supported.

As my drive is working fine, I'll take this with a pinch of salt.

We have ordered a 120gb drive and will be contacting phoenix to see if they have a better BIOS. Their scan program says yes, but then they want $30 to download it.:-(

The sad thing is Acer support do not seem to have a clue. We spent $40 yesterday with paid support and none the wiser. They do not seem to know what is in their machines and what it will do.???

I was thinking of buying one of their laptops next, but after this I think I'll stick with HP.