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Q88758: AMI BIOS May Need to Be Upgraded for IDE Hard Drive

Article: Q88758
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): MS-DOS:3.x,4.x,5.0,5.x,6.0,6.2,6.21; WINDOWS:3.0,3.0a,3.1,3.11
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 18-DEC-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows versions 3.0, 3.0a, 3.1, 3.11 
- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system versions 3.1, 3.2, 3.21, 3.3, 3.3a, 4.0, 4.01, 5.0, 5.0a, 6.0, 6.2, 6.21 
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SYMPTOMS
========

American Megatrends Inc. (AMI) has confirmed that its BIOS dated earlier than
4/9/90 may have problems with IDE hard drives.

These problems may be seen when booting the computer and receiving a

  NON SYSTEM DISK

error, or when running Microsoft Windows in 386 enhanced mode and experiencing
momentary hangs (lasting 5 to 10 seconds) that may adversely affect currently
running programs. The problems are caused by IDE hard drives not following the
AT bus standard.

RESOLUTION
==========

Contact AMI and obtain a BIOS dated 4/9/90 or later.

MORE INFORMATION
================

AMI technical support also recommends a BIOS dated later than 9/1/87 to function
correctly with Windows 3.0.

To determine the AMI BIOS date, examine the 16-digit identification displayed
near the bottom of the screen when the machine is started. For example, in the
following ID

  DAMI 3601 092588 K8

the digits "092588" specify the BIOS date.

The AMI products included here are manufactured by a vendor independent of
Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these products'
performance or reliability.

Additional query words: 3.00 3.00a 3.10 3.11 3.20 3.21 3.30 3.30a 4.00 4.01 4.01a 5.00 5.00a 6.00 6.20 6.21 3rdparty

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWin3xSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbWin300 kbWin300a kbWin310 kbWin311 kbMSDOSSearch kbMSDOS321 kbMSDOS400 kbMSDOS320 kbMSDOS330a kbMSDOS621 kbMSDOS620 kbMSDOS600 kbMSDOS310 kbMSDOS500 kbMSDOS330 kbMSDOS401 kbMSDOS500a
Version           : MS-DOS:3.x,4.x,5.0,5.x,6.0,6.2,6.21; WINDOWS:3.0,3.0a,3.1,3.11

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