PCI IDE controller for large hard drives

[alokkola]

My PC BIOS ran into a limitation... cannot address more 32GB. I need to put in another 80GB drive.

Any idea which PCI IDE controller should I go for?

I am getting this SYBA Ultra ATA 133 IDE Controller Card
for $17.

Does anyone see anything against this card? Do I need to check anything before I buy this?

 

[StraightPipe]

Did your new drive come with a bios? some times you get EZ bios with the Western Dig HD's.

look to the manufacturer for help

 

[Sid59]

check your motherboard maker for bios updates. Must be a pretty old computer if it can't handle more than 32 Gigs

 

[AndyHui]

As Sid59 says, check your motherboard for a BIOS update. Most BIOSes since 2000 have support for drives larger than 32GB.

I'd prefer buying an IDE Controller card as opposed to using BIOS Overlay software like EZBIOS or MaxBlast though.

 

[Mday]

i highly recommend AGAINST using a software overlay. it's more trouble than it's worth.

get any pci controller card, i have always liked the promise ones myself.

 

[alokkola]

Mine is ofcourse an old PC... a 1997 Dell XPS D300 with a Intel 440LX motherboard. Has served me well though!!

So I understand from the recommendations that I should go for an IDE controller card. I'd rather not spend another $60 for the Promise controller though I know it is probably the best. I am inclined towards Controller cards for under $20 from Koutech or SYBA (relatively unknown manufaturers) but if they work, I guess that is all I need. Does anyone have any experiense with Koutech or SYBA cards?
ThX

 

[Anubis]

i have teh Promise Ultra 100 TX2 PCI IDE card and i inly paied liek 25$ for it and it woirks great. i have mt 120 GIG WD HD runnin off it. only prob tho is my boot up time is now slower cause of this.