Intermittent IDE Detection Problem

[dreddfunk]

I've run across a strange problem on the PC that I just built: about one out of every 10-15 boots, the system hangs during IDE detection. I have two IDE HD and two optical drives hooked up to the two controllers on my Shuttle AN-51R.

This started for the first time just a couple of months back and I ended up having to replace the master drive, which went bad. Right after replacing the drive, however, it became evident that the IDE detection problem wasn't solved.

The cables seem to be seated properly and I never have any problems one the system successfully boots.

Does anyone have any idea where to start troubleshooting this?

I'm really hoping that some issue with the IDE controller isn't slowly frying my disks.

 

[brunswickite]

Try this first. First unplug both of your optical drives and your non boot hd, and boot up. is it still slow? This will help narrow down the problem, to if its a drive, or a cable, etc.

 

[dreddfunk]

I'll do that--though as far as I can tell the drive isn't 'slow' in the sense of performance; it's just that the boot stalls at IDE detection 1 out of every 10-15 times.

When I get a chance I will unhook the optical drives and non-boot HD, and see if I get the same problem. I'll probably have to boot the thing several times in a row to test it because my problem is so, so intermittent.

Thanks for giving me a place to start.