Question : Problem: Will older (1999-2000) PC support a 120 GB HD?

(1) Will a PC running Windows 98 SE and with a X86 Family 6 Model 8 Stepping 10 (i.e Pentium III) Cpu chip support a 120 GB drive (not for OS, for data only) ADDED to an existing 80 GB drive? Note: The 80 GB drive works fine.

(2) Will the same system work with a single 120 GB drive for OS and data. (i.e remove 80 GB, replace with 120 GB and install Windows 98SE on it).

I do not know and cannot find out the manufacturer and model number of the motherboard but it can be assumed to be made around 2000 or 1999.

Regards,
  Michael Gross

Answer : Problem: Will older (1999-2000) PC support a 120 GB HD?

"... 127GB is the FAT 32 limit ..." ==>  NO !!!   FAT-32 supports volumes up to 2TB!!   The individual files are limited to 4GB.   "137gb is the ATA limit" ==> NO again!!  This limit is because of the initial LBA address scheme;  drives larger than this require support for 48-bit LBA.  But a 120GB drive is below this limit, so it has no bearing on this question.

Let's keep this real simple:

(1) Will a PC running Windows 98 SE and with a X86 Family 6 Model 8 Stepping 10 (i.e Pentium III) Cpu chip support a 120 GB drive (not for OS, for data only) ADDED to an existing 80 GB drive? Note: The 80 GB drive works fine.

==> YES, ABSOLUTELY.  There is NO DOUBT a 120GB drive will work on that system.   It does NOT "depend on your BIOS", you do NOT "need a BIOS update", etc.  The key here is your 80gb drive works => if your current drive was smaller than 32gb than there would be some question, and those statements would be true.   But in your case there's NO DOUBT!

(2) Will the same system work with a single 120 GB drive for OS and data. (i.e remove 80 GB, replace with 120 GB and install Windows 98SE on it).

==>  YES, ABSOLUTELY!!

I do not know and cannot find out the manufacturer and model number of the motherboard but it can be assumed to be made around 2000 or 1999.

==>  Doesn't matter -- you've provided all the information needed for this question.