Asus P3B-F and big disks

[Icebiker]

Hi,

I've got P3B-F MB that I'm thinking of turning into a file server (Linux +
Samba).

How can I find out how big a hard drive I can put on this board? The manual
doesn't say anything about maximum disk size. I'm hoping to be be able to
use a 160G drive.

TIA - icebiker

 

[P2B]

Hi,

I've got P3B-F MB that I'm thinking of turning into a file server (Linux +
Samba).

You might consider using RAID for a file server - and if you go that
route, disk size limitations of the motherboard BIOS will not be an issue.

How can I find out how big a hard drive I can put on this board? The manual
doesn't say anything about maximum disk size. I'm hoping to be be able to
use a 160G drive.

P2B series boards max out at 128GB with the latest BIOS, and I *think*
P3B-F is the same. No doubt I'll be corrected if I'm mistaken...

 

[Icebiker]

Thanx P2B

I don't need RAID, it's just a home server to hold photos and music.

So where do you find out this kind of stuff? 's not in the manual . . .

/icebiker

 

[Thomas Jahns]

P2B series boards max out at 128GB with the latest BIOS, and I *think*
P3B-F is the same. No doubt I'll be corrected if I'm mistaken...

Well, I have a P2B-F here with 1014beta3 BIOS that just happily works
with a 160GB Samsung drive (SP1614N). The only thing required is an OS
with correct support for >128GiB drives (Linux >=2.4.19, WinXP with SP1)
and all boot partitions must be fully within the first 128GiB. I somehow
don't find the latter too restricting.

Thomas Jahns

 

[JK (at mail dot dk)]

Hi,

I've got P3B-F MB that I'm thinking of turning into a file server (Linux +
Samba).

How can I find out how big a hard drive I can put on this board? The manual
doesn't say anything about maximum disk size. I'm hoping to be be able to
use a 160G drive.

There is a 1008 beta bios

ftp://ftp.asuscom.de/pub/ASUSCOM/BIOS/Slot_I/INTEL_Chipset/i440BX/P3B-F/

they are normally fine, these beta. I have not tried this. But I do
not like it is from october 2001. It more than half a year older than
the beta for P2B.

best regards

John

 

[Fleabus]

Thanx P2B

I don't need RAID, it's just a home server to hold photos and music.

So where do you find out this kind of stuff? 's not in the manual . . .

/icebiker

Icebiker:

My old and little used Win98SE system has a P3B-F. I forget what
the IDE HDD limit was but it never mattered since I used a Promise
ATA-66 controller card for my HDDs. Disc drives are on the motherboard
IDE controllers.
I use the same arrangement for my WinXP SP2 system (P4T533-C)
with a Promise Ultra133 controller card. These are not RAID cards. The
size of the HDDs isn't an issue.
These cards aren't expensive. Each card can handle 4 HDDs and you
can use more than one PCI card if you need more drives than that.
O/S's see it as a SCSI Device so you just have to set the Boot
Sequence accordingly. You have to hit F6 when prompted during a WinXP
install to load the controller card drivers from the floppy they
supply with the card.

Happy trails,

 

[Roy Coorne]

There is a 1008 beta bios

ftp://ftp.asuscom.de/pub/ASUSCOM/BIOS/Slot_I/INTEL_Chipset/i440BX/P3B-F/

they are normally fine, these beta. I have not tried this. But I do
not like it is from october 2001. It more than half a year older than
the beta for P2B.

This 1008-004 Beta is the last BIOS for the P3B-F and de facto final.

Roy