www.discinterchange.com/TechTalk_large_files_.html
Most hardware made since about 2000 can address IDE drives up to 128 GB, and most new (2003) designs can handle drives far larger than 128 GB, using 48 bit addressing. A firmware upgrade will allow many older controllers to access the new large drives.

show Win9x/ME hard disk space > 8.4 GB

To support larger disks:
Check for BIOS upgrade from mother board mfg.
Utilities from western digital