Hard Drive Detection in XP / Win2k

[hamm3r]

In my many years of working with PCs and Windows there was one basic fact
that I thought was obvious, but today another credible person in the
business has told me otherwise, so I would like to substantiate either his
or my understanding of computer BIOS and Windows device detection. I have
scoured the net and can find no evidence supporting either arguement.

The simple question is this:

If a disk drive is DISABLED in BIOS, is Windows able to detect it anyway?

It has always been both my understanding and practical experience that
Windows can only detect what is reported to it by the BIOS. If you have
manually disabled a drive in BIOS there should be no way Windows can detect
it. Like I said, in my own experience (as recently as yesterday), Windows
cannot see a drive until it is enabled in BIOS.

Today I am being told otherwise.

Are there circumstances where I am incorrect?

Please assume IDE drive connected to mainboard onboard IDE controller.

If you can back up your answer by some link/website, it would be great. I
even searched MSKB.

I found this, but it is somewhat outdated:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;66706

Also, if this isn't the best place to ask this question, please guide me
somewhere else.

Thanks!

hamm3r

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

In my many years of working with PCs and Windows there was one basic fact
that I thought was obvious, but today another credible person in the
business has told me otherwise, so I would like to substantiate either his
or my understanding of computer BIOS and Windows device detection. I have
scoured the net and can find no evidence supporting either arguement.

The simple question is this:

If a disk drive is DISABLED in BIOS, is Windows able to detect it anyway?

It has always been both my understanding and practical experience that
Windows can only detect what is reported to it by the BIOS. If you have
manually disabled a drive in BIOS there should be no way Windows can detect
it. Like I said, in my own experience (as recently as yesterday), Windows
cannot see a drive until it is enabled in BIOS.

Today I am being told otherwise.

Are there circumstances where I am incorrect?

Please assume IDE drive connected to mainboard onboard IDE controller.

If you can back up your answer by some link/website, it would be great. I
even searched MSKB.

I found this, but it is somewhat outdated:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;66706

Also, if this isn't the best place to ask this question, please guide me
somewhere else.

Thanks!

hamm3r

What you have been told is correct: Win2000/XP can detect a slave
disk (for example) even if you tell the BIOS that there is no slave disk.
Win2000/XP relies much less on the BIOS than previous versions of
Windows. However, the BIOS ***must*** be told about the boot
disk.

 

[Guest]

hello can ypouu help me..."Pegasus


i have an asus p4p800e deluxe mobo...also supports raid
drives...i have an IDE western digi 160 GB...I would like to know if I could
use a sata drive just for storage,...I don not want to install an O.S. in the
sata...Only to boot from my IDE...I'm using xp...I have done some reasarch
and I learned that since its only for storage I won;t need to make raid
volume ,,,Is it true....please help me before I do my installation on
monday....and also do I need to configure it on the Bios Screen before I do
the harware part...many thanks to everybody...

 

[gcrp]

Hi hamm3r,

I have a problem with my computer that seems to correspond to you
question.

I have installed an 40gb Western Digital HDD (which I know is i
working order) on a slot 1 motherboard with Award Bios. Windows XP hom
installs fine - it detects and describes the harddisk correctly. Th
bios, however, will not recognise the HDD at all - and hence I canno
boot the computer from the hard disk.

It is very frustrating - but, in answer to you question - yes, it i
possible for windows to detect a HDD without the BIOS detecting it