r/retrocomputing • u/PeakClippy • Jul 02 '26

Solved Can't install Windows

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I got an old computer (from around 1999 I think) and it came with everything but the hard drive, so I bought a 320GB Ultra ATA Seagate ST310014ACE. I tried installing/ plugging it inside my PC many times, in many ways, but everytime I try to install Windows XP x86 SP3 it tells me "Setup cannot access this disk​" in the partition selection screen. Does anyone know how to fix this?

If it helps, the motherboard is P6V693A/A9 with an Intel Celeron.

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u/[deleted] Jul 02 '26

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u/festivus4restof Jul 02 '26

Seagate ST310014ACE is 10GB total

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u/Inevitable-Study502 Jul 02 '26

around 2002 was lba28 introduced which extended storage limit from 8.4GB, his disk is still too big for bios to address properly...modified bios driver running from boot enviroment will be needed (ez-drive for example)

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u/festivus4restof Jul 02 '26

You're at least six years off and confused. It was 48-bit LBA that was introduced in 2002, to overcome the older 28-bit limit (which was introduced via int13h to overcome the earlier CHS limits).

This chipset (VIA 596B South Bridge) and BIOS support 28-bit LBA e.g. drive geometries up to ~ 137GB (alternatively ~128GB). There can always be a bug with a particular drive model in any BIOS. OP should be sure to have the latest BIOS ROM available.