The information here below is important for you to have some clue about and if you write me questions that are answered here you will make me very upset. In other words, RTFM before you start asking questions.

The Basics, in no particular order.
1. All files, ABIT or Highpoint-techs BIOS versions, are all official, it´s the combination ot the two that aren´t! Ofcourse, the modding I do to Abit:s BIOS settings aren´t official either, but the software I mod still is.

2. The Windows drivers are all Official Highpoint releases.

3. The Highpoint driver MUST be updated before you flash your bios, regardless of your OS or it may take a dump... This means, for example, both hpt 374 controllers showing in your Device Manager. You also need it on a floppy when reinstalling your OS.

4. UATA/UDMA 133 IDE Cables: Even if the HDD or the chipset is UDMA/UATA 66 I still recommend you to use UDMA133 IDE cables. They are better and they are compatible backwards. Use these cables even when HDD:s/ODD:s are connected to the standard UDMA66controllers on the mobo. Flat or round cables can both be problematic so don´t rule any standard out. Also remember to check if there are any Firmware updates available for the HDD:s and ODD:s you are using. Remember that the blue end of the UDMAcable goes to the motherboard, not to any IDEdevices. Sometimes the ODD lacks DMA support causing BSOD:s when enabled. The highest you will get with UDMA enabled is UDMA 2, or MultiWord 2 depending on what your drive supports, which both are PIO 4 since ODD:s aren´t built for higher performance, however, DMA is much less resource demanding > preferable!
HPT370/370A is UDMA100, HPT372 is UDMA133, HPT374 is UDMA133 and S.ATA.

5. Cable Select: I recommend you to use all drives, OD or HD, with the jumpers set at cable select if possible. In most cases this solves problems, but can rarely create them aswell. DO NOT MIX HDD:s AND ODD:s ON THE SAME CABLE, EVER!

6. Block- and Cluster sizes, and other things when creating a Raid array:
Many people have asked me why there are so many block sizes to choose from, it all depends on the the average file size on your Raid array, meaning, if you have only movies, you may gain a lot of speed by choosing larger block and cluster size, if you have lots and lots of smaller files, you should use smaller block and clustersizes. Use the HDD:s in the array as Primary Master and Secondary Master, or Primary Slave and Secondary Slave. Never cross connections! Depending on what you choosed for block size, you should format your Raid array accordingly. To gain more effiency on your 64KB blocksizedrives, format them with 64KB cluster size. In Windows use NTFS, not FAT32 [Unless you run OLD OS]. Provided windows is NOT going to be installed on the array, if so, below is not recommended. When creating a Raid 0 array, striping, I personally create a 64KB Block sized array in Highpoint BIOS [Ctrl-H]. I then enter Windows upon reboot [XP Pro SP2]. In Windows I enter computer management under admin tools, control panel. There I create a dynamic HDD of that array. Then I create an extended partition on that dynamic HDD. Then I create a logical partition on that extended partition.
Then I format the logical partition with NTFS 64KB clusters. This sure helped me a lot with the Raid0 speeds. [and could prove good for Raid1 aswell]

7. George Breese´s VIA PCI Latency patch
This is probably the best patch I´ve ever seen for VIA chipset based motherboards. It mostly brings performance to a computer but many times it also brings stability to it. In rare cases it brings heavy instabilities though.

8. Flashing BIOS.
Overall: You should understand the basics of a BIOS flash.
The occasional risk, what you gain and so forth BEFORE you download a BIOS file for flashing. It may just be the case that you loose everything on your Raid arrays so backup everything important and be prepared to configure your Raid drives again. A bad flash could prove troublesome to fix and may include you buying a new BIOS chip. Check the BIOS Savior above for a way of preventing this. Also understand that if your OS has been installed with ACPI enabled and you flash a mod with ACPI disabled, you will have to enable it inside BIOS or you won´t be able to load your OS. Note: I recommend you to flash the BIOS, Clear Cmos, enter BIOS, choose optimized defaults, edit the settings you need [say CPU, RAM and AGP for example] and then reinstall your OS according to the HAL-recommendations provided from the knowledge about your chipset, peripherals and OS. For minimal risk while flashing, flash the bios files from a harddisk partition (FAT32) instead of a floppy. Boot with a Windows 95/98/Me bootdisk (or cd), choose F5[?] for fail safe, which loads practically nothing, access the partition and folder, then flash. (Runme, awdflash or what you prefer)

9. The BIOS files that has been labeled untested are modded by me but since I don´t have the specific motherboard I have not been able to try them out. This means that most of my files have been tested by users all around the world, I have only tested a small amount of them myself. IF YOU DOWNLOAD AND SUCCESFULLY FLASH AN UNTESTED BIOS FILE? REPORT IT TO ME! Ofcourse, you can do this if it fails aswell... Please understand that if you flash an untested BIOS file without a BIOS SAVIOR you are playing with a loaded gun. I can´t give any guaranties on those files, if I could they wouldn´t be UNTESTED. They should flash just fine, but you have been warned! With all the warnings mentioned, I should add that NONE of my mods have failed so far and I have modded quite many. So much for encouragement.

10. HOW TO CLEAR CMOS DATA.
After a succesful flash, switch off the power supply unit and/or pull off the power cord. There is a CCMOS jumper near the battery. Change the jumper position from default 1-2 to 2-3 for one minute to discharge the CMOS data, and then put it back to default 1-2. Switch on the power supply unit or pull in the power cord. Press the power-on button to boot up system. If it works, hit "Del" key to enter the BIOS setup page to do correct settings. Optimized defaults are often the basic choice, after that you choose whatever specific settings you need, save and exit. Not working? Start over with Clear Cmos Data and edit settings again.

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Disclaimer
Paltrude is not connected or affiliated with any mentioned company in any way. The opinions on this site do not reflect the views of the various companies mentioned here. Companies and all products pertaining to that company are trademarks of that company. Please contact that company for trademark and copyright information.

Legal Information
The modded BIOS files are licensed, not sold. I am granting you the right to use the files, subject to the following conditions.
# By possessing, using, or attempting to use any of my modded BIOS files, you assume all liability for its use.
# You agree never to take legal action, civil or criminal, against its author for any reason.
# You may redistribute this product in any form you wish, as long as you make sure that any changes you have made concerning the modded file are documented under your name and published for public viewing.
# You may not charge money for distribution of my modded BIOS files.

In other words...
- By downloading and using a BIOS mod you are responsible for any lack of expertise that may provoke a failure during a flash.
- I am not responsible for any faults within the modded BIOS file.
- You may download and use the BIOS files as you wish! It is quite naturally, your computer, your risk. However!
- It is not ok for anybody to take credit for my modded BIOS files, nor is it ok to sell and thereby make money on my material.
- IT WILL ALWAYS BE FREE OF CHARGE!