Western Digital AC2540 User Manual

Page 4

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SOFTWARE INSTALLATION
Before using the new hard drive, you need to configure your system
BIOS (CMOS Setup program) and partition and format the hard
drive.

CMOS Setup
The computer system provides an initial setup utility (CMOS Setup)
that allows you to tell the system what type of hardware you are
using. You access CMOS Setup with a series of keystrokes or run it
from a disk or CD-ROM. CMOS setup procedures vary from system
to system. Follow the setup instructions in your computer system
manual.

To configure your system for LBA mode:

1. Enter your CMOS Setup program (sometimes called the Setup

program). Refer to your system manual for instructions.
Important: If you are installing the 2.5 GB or larger drive and are not
able to access your CMOS Setup, refer to the 2.5 GB or Larger Hard
Drives section on page 5.

2. Select an auto config drive type. The full capacity of your drive

should display. See Table 1 for the full capacity of your drive in
CMOS.

Note: Western Digital defines a decimal megabyte as 1,000,000 (10

6

)

bytes. CMOS defines a binary megabyte as 1,048,576 (2

20

) bytes.

This is why different utilities report different hard drive capacities.

3. Enable options such as LBA or Translation Mode. If you don’t have

either options, you need to upgrade the BIOS or install EZ-Drive.
See Troubleshooting for a list of BIOS sources and phone numbers.

Partitioning and Formatting
Your Western Digital hard drive has been low-level formatted at the
factory. The hard drive is ready to set up and is defect-free. You must
partition and high-level format the hard drive so it can accept files.

There are two ways to format and partition the hard drive.

1. Use the EZ-Drive software that you received with the hard drive.
2. Use the DOS utilities FDISK and FORMAT.
We recommend using EZ-Drive. It is a safe, fast, and an easy way to
partition and format the hard drive. See the section Using EZ-Drive
Software
for instructions.

For instructions on using FDISK and FORMAT, see your DOS user
manual.

Note: DOS has a 2.1 GB partition limit. If you have a 2.5 GB or larger
hard drive, you must create at least two partitions to access the full
capacity.

EZ-Drive 8.x Software Overview
EZ-Drive 8.x software is included with the Western Digital hard
drive to help you:

Partition and format your new hard drive.

Overcome the 528 MB barrier.
Overcome the 2.1 GB barrier.

If you did not receive the EZ-Drive software, you can download it
from our web site at www.wdc.com.

Partition and Format: If your system supports the full capacity of
the hard drive, EZ-Drive will only partition and format the hard
drive. It does not install code on your boot sector.

528 MB Barrier: Most computer systems built before August 1994
do not support hard drives larger than 528 MB, unless the BIOS is
updated or third-party software such as EZ-Drive is installed.

2.1 GB Barrier: Some computer systems built before early 1996 do
not support hard drives with more than 4095 cylinders (hard drives
larger than 2.1 GB), unless the BIOS is updated or third-party
software such as EZ-Drive is installed.

EZ-Drive Help Files: To access EZ-Drive help files on the
installation disk, select Installation Help from the EZ-Drive main
menu.

DRIVE

AC2540

AC2635

AC2700

AC2850

AC21000

AC31000

AC11200

AC21200

AC31200

AC21600

Capacity (MB)

540.8

639.9

730.8

853.6

1083.8

1083.8

1281.9

1281.9

1281.9

1624.6

CMOS (MB)

515

610

696

814

1033

1033

1222

1222

1222

1549

CHKDSK (MB)

540.8

639.9

730.8

853.6

1083.8

1083.8

1281.9

1281.9

1281.9

1624.6

DRIVE

AC31600

AC22000

AC22100

AC32100

AC22500

AC32500

AC33100

AC33200

AC34000

Capacity (MB)

1624.6

2000.3

2111.8

2111.8

2559.8

2559.8

3166.7

3249.3

4000.7

CMOS (MB)

1549

1907

2035

2035

2441

2441

3020

3098

3815

CHKDSK (MB)

1624.6

2000.3

2111.8

2111.8

2559.8

2559.8

3166.7

3249.3

4000.7

Table 1. CMOS and CHKDSK Megabytes

Tips:

If your CMOS setup does not have an auto config drive type,
try selecting Type 01. Then install EZ-Drive.
If your system does not have auto config or Type 01 drive
types, try user defined and enter 1023x16x63 for the drive
parameters. Then install EZ-Drive.

79-850078-001 S0210 9-97

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