[svlug] Large HD running with old BIOS

[Mark]

Hi again,

I have a new 300 GB Seagate IDE hard disk. Most of my computers are having problems recognizing it.
Some recognize it as a smaller size, other not at all.
A relatively new Dell PE600SC recognizes it when it is plugged into the first controller as master, but not as slave, and not as
master on the second controller either.
I also have another HD that is 120GB and plugged it into an old box that could not detect the proper size in the BIOS, but Fedora
boots and runs off it (apparently without problems) nevertheless.

So I am wondering if what the mainboard BIOS detects matters at all, or if it's really just a matter of whether or not the OS driver
is able to handle the drive.
Do I risk data loss running a hard disk that is not properly recognized by the BIOS?

Thanks,

MARK