Abit AX8 MB - Help please <--Solved

[imported_Kane]

I need help with my Abit AX8 motherboard version 1.0. It seems my 2 WD800JB's, Pioneer 105 and Plextor PX-716A are not recognized in the BIOS. Could this be a common problem with the VIA 8237 chipset. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[ChineseDemocracyGNR]

Does it boot from your optical drives? If so, does your OS recognize the HDs?

Are you using only the southbridge controller? (this board also has additional SATA ports and IDE channel using another VIA chip).

 

[imported_Kane]

Originally posted by: ChineseDemocracyGNR
Does it boot from your optical drives? If so, does your OS recognize the HDs?

Are you using only the southbridge controller? (this board also has additional SATA ports and IDE channel using another VIA chip).

No, it doesn't boot from any optical drive. Both optical drives are E-IDE (ATAPI).Therefore, there is no OS.
I think the problem is getting the NB & SB drivers on a SATA drive. If I use my friend's computer to install Winxp Pro and load the drivers listed above would I be able to use my optical and hard drives?

 

[ChineseDemocracyGNR]

I'm not sure I'm following. You don't have any SATA devices right? You can completely disable SATA support in your BIOS (but not required) and it should detect the drives correctly.

How do you have them setup? For example:

IDE1 = WD800JB Master, WD800JB Slave
IDE2 = Pioneer 105 Master, Plextor PX-716A slave.

Make sure all the cables are connected properly, and jumper settings on all drives are correct.

 

[imported_Kane]

Originally posted by: ChineseDemocracyGNR
I'm not sure I'm following. You don't have any SATA devices right? You can completely disable SATA support in your BIOS (but not required) and it should detect the drives correctly.

How do you have them setup? For example:

IDE1 = WD800JB Master, WD800JB Slave
IDE2 = Pioneer 105 Master, Plextor PX-716A slave.

Make sure all the cables are connected properly, and jumper settings on all drives are correct.

Thank you for the response!

My 2 HDD's are SATA but my optical drives are EIDE ATAPI.
This is my setup:
SATA1 = WD800JD
SATA2 = WD800JD
IDE1 = Pioneer 105 (I removed the Plextor PX-716A)

I tried to install the OS using the WinXP restore disks, F6 to add SATA drivers, but my optical drives are still not recognized. Is there another way that I have not tried?

 

[ChineseDemocracyGNR]

That's strange. You say you used F6 to add SATA drivers, so I assume you were able to boot the Windows XP installation CD-ROM? Up to that point the drive was working correctly, but then Windows XP "lost" it?

You could try creating your own floppy disk with SATA drivers, the one supplied by ABIT could be causing your problems.

 

[imported_Kane]

Originally posted by: ChineseDemocracyGNR
That's strange. You say you used F6 to add SATA drivers, so I assume you were able to boot the Windows XP installation CD-ROM? Up to that point the drive was working correctly, but then Windows XP "lost" it?

You could try creating your own floppy disk with SATA drivers, the one supplied by ABIT could be causing your problems.

I went into the BIOS and selected boot from removeable drive (aka floppy drive). Then I used the WinXP Pro boot floppies, I was then prompted to press F6 if I wanted to use SATA/RAID drivers. I'm sorry I forgot to mention that. Still none of the drive were recognized. Yes, I used the Abit driver disk. Hopefully I can get it working in an hour from now.

 

[ChineseDemocracyGNR]

Good luck.

Only thing else I would try is a live-cd Linux distribution. Try the optical drives (try them both, one at a time) as a Master on each IDE channel (1, 2 and 3).

 

[imported_Kane]

Darn, its not working. My friend does not have a floppy drive and i've loaded all sata drivers but the sata drive is not recognized in winXP and not in the BIOS either. <sigh>

 

[grooge]

Ok... there is no such south bridge/north bridge drivers. They are chipset drivers. The chipset of your board it VIA K8T890 north bridge + 8237 southbridge. The drivers for the chipset is the VIA 4in1. No special drivers are necessary if you connect the HDD to the connectors that are controlled by this chip:

"Supports 2-channel SATA RAID 0/1 by VT8237" Your manual should have a diagram that shows which connector belong to that chip. My bet, from a picture of your board, they are the 2 below the memory slots.


Now, the funny part.

2nd SATA RAID
- Supports 2-ch SATA RAID 0/1 by VIA VT6421 PCI controller
- Supports RAID 0/1/0+1

This controller looks like a RAID only controller. Usually, optical devices are not supported by PCI RAID controller. So, trying to connect your DVD to the lower IDE connector simply wont work. It has to be plugged to one of the 2 blue connector on the side. This controller, being a PCI controller usually need drivers to be used, either as SATA/IDE or RAID SATA/IDE. I guess that the 2 SATA connector between the 2 VIA chips and the black on below the last PCI slot are those that are controlled by this chip.

So, your setup should be : Both HDD connected to the connectors controlled by the southbridge (VIA 8237) and both optical connected to the BLUE connector. RAID should be disabled in BIOS for the native controller(VIA8237), unless you plan to RAID them. NO drivers will be necessary for Windows to recognize the HDD if not RAIDed. The chipset will make them recognized. But, IF you plan TO RAID them, then DRIVERS WILL BE NECESSARY for Windows to recognize the RAID controller.. which is no more a SATA controller. It is now a RAID controller using the SATA interface.

If you dont have other HDD, in BIOS, disable the secondary RAID controller, the VIA VT6421. This will speed up POST time, as this controller wont have to look for devices..

This controller will need drivers to to be recognized by Windows. Not because it is SATA or RAID... but because it is on the PCI bus. Just like a sound card will need driver, or modem.. well, anything plugged in a PCI slot, or mounted onboard that share the PCI bus need drivers. This is the case for Promise, Ite or SIL SATA/RAID controller too, when used by board.

 

[ChineseDemocracyGNR]

If none of your drives are recognized in BIOS something smells wrong. I think you should post this at abit-usa.com forums.

 

[imported_Kane]

After much testing and trying out your suggestions, I found that the AX8 does not recognize either WD800JD drives. This was evident when a Seagate SATA drive was borrowed from another system. The data & power cables were good and the Seagate drive was recognized. By resetting the CMOS and changing one of the settings, the Plextor PX-716A was plug-n-play. In fact, both optical drives were now recognized but the Pioneer 105 was removed as it was not needed anymore.

Sold my WD800JD immediately and planning to pick up a 160 GB Seagate SATA drive tomorrow. Western Digital drives are not what I once thought they were.

Thank you again for all of your helpful suggestions.