IDE/BIOS/HDD HELP!!!!

SD70MAC

Junior Member
Jan 12, 2008
6
0
0
Hello.

I am trying to build a new computer and for some reason I'm having trouble with BIOS detecting my hard drive as the Primary IDE device when I have both the Hard Drive and CD/DVD ROM drive connected to the IDE cable.

I used cable select on both devices, connected the CD ROM to the Primary IDE connection and the hard drive to the Secondary, BIOS does detect both devices but it shows the CD ROM as Master and the Hard drive as Slave. So I switch the connections around and I can't even get the BIOS screen to come up ?!?

In fact, the only other time I can get the BIOS screen to appear is when I just connect the Hard Drive to the IDE cable.

Both devices work and I have tried every other jumper setting and IDE cable connection and all I get is the following message when I turn on the computer:

"Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device and press a key."

Any help would be appreciated.
 

robisbell

Banned
Oct 27, 2007
3,621
0
0
I'll need more info.

Motherboard Manufacturer with Model and BIOS Revision:
HDD(s) Manufacturer and Model:
PSU Manufacturer and Model:
 

cozumel

Senior member
Nov 29, 2007
337
0
0
I think from your post that you only have one IDE channel on the mobo and two IDE devices.

Best way I reckon is to have hdd as master and the cd as slave. Connect the hdd to the end of the ribbon, cd on middle connector and the other [long] end of the ribbon cable to your IDE channel on the mobo.
 

SD70MAC

Junior Member
Jan 12, 2008
6
0
0
Originally posted by: robisbell
I'll need more info.

Motherboard Manufacturer with Model and BIOS Revision:
HDD(s) Manufacturer and Model:
PSU Manufacturer and Model:



Mobo: AUSU M2N-MX BIOS Revision: 0601 (G1)

HDD: Western Digital Caviar SE WD800JB 80GB 7200 RPM IDE Ultra ATA100

PSU: Enermax Liberty ELT500AWT ATX12V 500W

CD/DVD ROM: ASUS 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM ATAPI/E-IDE DVD-ROM Drive Model DVD-E616A3

 

robisbell

Banned
Oct 27, 2007
3,621
0
0
The board uses ATA 133, that may be one problem since the drive is a old ATA 100. also does the PSU have a 24 pin main power plug and a 4 pin 12v plug as well?
 

SD70MAC

Junior Member
Jan 12, 2008
6
0
0
Originally posted by: robisbell
The board uses ATA 133, that may be one problem since the drive is a old ATA 100. also does the PSU have a 24 pin main power plug and a 4 pin 12v plug as well?

My PSU does have the 24 pin plug as well as the 4 pin 12v plug.

I don't know about the hard drive being compatible or not because the hard drive is detected by BIOS (as primary device) when its the only device connected to the IDE cables and it is detected when I have the CD-ROM connected (as secondary device).


 

cozumel

Senior member
Nov 29, 2007
337
0
0
No he has both as cable select. Ideally jumper should be hdd master and cd slave. Then use the cable in the right order.
 

SD70MAC

Junior Member
Jan 12, 2008
6
0
0
Originally posted by: robisbell
and you have both the HDD jumpered as master and the optical jumpered as slave, correct?

I have tried the HDD as master and CD-ROM as slave jumper settings and nothing happens no matter which end of the IDE cable is connected to either device.

Cable select is the only time I can bring up the BIOS screen with both devices connected but it has the CD-ROM as primary and the HDD as secondary.

In that instance you'd think if I just reversed the IDE cable connections it would show the HDD as primary and the CD-ROM as secondary but it doesn't show anything.
 

cozumel

Senior member
Nov 29, 2007
337
0
0
Compatability shouldn't be a problem as Asus specs are
1 x UltraDMA 133/100/66/33
so the channel should be okay.

Have you tried a different cable?
Have you confirmed that the hdd and cd on the same cable work in a different mobo together on one channel with hdd jumper master and cd jumper slave?
Please also confirm that you have tried short end of cable in hdd (master jumper), middle end cd (slave jumper) and long end in mobo and that the IDE channel is enable within the BIOS.
 

robisbell

Banned
Oct 27, 2007
3,621
0
0
the end is the master and the second plug on the cable is the slave, the furtherest plug on the cable goes into the motherboard.
 

SD70MAC

Junior Member
Jan 12, 2008
6
0
0
I have tried a different IDE cable but I get the same results.

I have connected the short end of the cable to the hard drive (master), the middle end to the CD-ROM (slave) and the long end to the motherboard.

The few times that I have been able to bring up and enter BIOS, I have seen that the IDE channel is set to "enable".

I have connected only the hard drive to the IDE cable and BIOS detects it.

I have connected only the CD-ROM to the IDE cable and BIOS detects it.

I have connected both devices using cable select; BIOS will detect only when the CD-ROM is connected to the short end of the cable (master) and the hard drive is connected to the middle end (slave). Switching the IDE cable connections to make the hard drive the master and the CD-ROM the slave yield nothing.

All other jumper settings and IDE cable connections yield nothing.

The only thing I haven't/can't do is confirm the hard drive and the CD-ROM work in a different mobo together on one channel with hdd jumper master and cd jumper slave?


I hate to sound frustrated, but this is not the first computer I've built. I understand the jumper settings and the IDE connections; this thing just will not work.
 

KGB

Diamond Member
May 11, 2000
3,042
0
0
Not to confuse the issue here but are you aware that WD HDDs have two MASTER jumper settings?

One is MASTER ONLY (no slave) which IIRC is remove all jumpers.
The second is MASTER with SLAVE PRESENT.

 

cozumel

Senior member
Nov 29, 2007
337
0
0
I would definitely pop round to a friend and try the combo on a friends mobo. Maybe there is a fault with the hdd or cd that is stopping the setup. If it doesn't work at your friends try swapping out first the hdd and then the cd with your friends whilst you at their house to see if one of them has a fault. Could also be a mobo problem with the IDE controller or channel. If the combo works on your friends mobo then it would definitely indicate a problem at your mobo somewhere.

The only thing I can think of is maybe to reflash the BIOS or do a BIOS update as maybe there is a BIOS problem. Also try to reset your BIOS to default settings and then just setup the IDE combo again and see whether she autodetects.

If the the combo works at your friends and the BIOS update/reflash doesn't help then I would probably be going for an RMA.

Just one just thought, a real long shot, and I can't see it making a different, but what the hell. Your DDR2 maybe isn't getting enough voltage as sometimes they need between 2.0-2.2v just to get the system POST properly and will not boot with default 1.8v.
 

SD70MAC

Junior Member
Jan 12, 2008
6
0
0
I am aware that my hard drive as 2 master jumper settings and I have tried them both.

The only thing left to do is to try cozumel's suggestions because I have tried everything else and nothing works.

Regardless I would like to thank you all for your suggestions. :cool: :thumbsup:
 

cozumel

Senior member
Nov 29, 2007
337
0
0
Okay and good luck. I don't think that I would have any alternative suggestions. I hope it would not be an RMA job though. Please would you let us know the outcome though if possible.

Oh and my last suggestion with memory - I just edited a typo as it more-or-less said the opposite of what I had intended.

Good luck!!