Plextor PX-716 sata / nForce 4

[SkyBum]

Against my better judgement (and the advice of Zepper not to...) I decided to go ahead and buy the PX-716sa (sata) DVD burner. Curiosity had the better of me as to whether this would work with the silicon image sata controller on the nForce 4, and since I could easily return it if problems arose, I decided to give it a whirl.

After installing it and re-enabling the silicon image sata controller in BIOS I booted up and opened My Computer. The process freezes each time I do this and upon using control panel to close it, I'm stuck at the desktop image with no toolbars or icons. From here all I can do is ctrl/alt/del and reboot. Unplugging the sata cable before booting puts everything back to normal.

Any suggestions as to what steps I might try from here?

Mobo BIOS 1003, everything else is default drivers or off the disc.

 

[Zepper]

Tsk, tsk...
I thought SATA on the nForce 4 chipset was integrated - not a separate chip. In any case, make sure the RAID function for the SATA chip is disabled in the BIOS. ATAPI drives cannot function when the chipset is in RAID mode. And tell me the number of the SI chip on your mobo.
. There is also a 1004 BIOS. I suggest updating.

.bh.

 

[SkyBum]

Chip says:

Silicon Image
SataLink
Sil3114CT176
QA3912.1
0447
ADADE2

Yes, I noticed after enabling SATA raid in bios that I was unable to boot at all, I was hanging at a black screen after the windows load screen.

 

[Zepper]

Edited in info about new BIOS in earlier message, please reread.
. Are two of the SATA ports integrated into the nF4 chip and the other two off the 3114? If so, you probably want the ATAPI drive hooked to an integrated (native) port - but I guess theoretically it should work with either as the integrated is SATAII which is supposed to support ATAPI and the SI has always supported ATAPI.
. I guess I'm answering my own questions. Apparently you have up to 4 ports off each controller. So I guess you have to have both the NV drivers and the SI drivers installed if you want them all to work. Are you seeing both controllers in Device Manager?
. There are some relevant entries in the Asus FAQ for the SLI Deluxe, check them out.

.bh.

And if your Plextor isn't at least at Firmware rev. 1.04 - update that too.

 

[ohnnyj]

Do you have anything else on the SI ports? The way I have mine setup right now is two 74GB Raptors in RAID0 on ports 1&2 of the nVidia controller, a 400GB Seagate on the third port, a 34GB Raptor on the 4th, and the Plextor on the first port of the SI controller w/no other drives. I tried placing the Plextor on the nVidia ports (number 3 to be exact) but after I enabled RAID on the first two ports it froze in Windows, even though RAID was not enabled on its own port (this was all with BIOS 1002, I have not tested with other BIOSes but this has me thinking...).

 

[SkyBum]

I have only the single raptor and the plextor involved in this equation.

Raptor is on the (black) Sata port 3 and I've tried the Plextor on ports, 2 and 4. Turns out the raid was never enabled (my mistake), something else was causing the hang at load screen. Anyhow, it's booting now with the plexi installed again.

Device manager shows the drive as working properly (driver = 5.1.2535.0)

EDIT: Ok if I insert a disc, the "My Computer" window stops responding and after ending it with Task Manager I get stuck at an empty desktop (wallpaper only). As soon as I eject the disc I get my desktop back so at least that is progress, no more rebooting at least.

I guess the bottom line here is whether or not nForce 4 supports ATAPI because the manual lists that as a requirement for this drive just as Zepper pointed out earlier. I can't find any info on that subject at all.

 

[Zepper]

Note in info re. Plex 716 Firmware v.1.04: "Fixed a bug which could result in data corruption on ASUS A8N motherboards.".. So one could gather that the drive works after a fashion with A8N mobos.
. And be sure to only install the 64-bit drivers if you are running the 64bit version of Windows. You should probably automatically prevented from installing 64-bit drivers on the 32-bit ver of Win, but who knows.
. I was looking through the info on the Plextor site and it looks like the SATA drive works in RAID mode with most of the mobos. So give that a shot too.

. Well, I have to hit the sack now. Have fun and LMK of any breakthroughs.

.bh.

:moon:

 

[Zepper]

More info:
Re: A8N-SLI IDE CDROM Errors
I think it is more or less specific to the PX-716A. Plextor Europe has released an updated v1.04 of the firmware that addresses issues with the PX-716A and nForce4 based boards (though they don't come out and say it). I know I challenged Plextor to test it a couple of weeks ago... Apparently they took my advice (and the advice of countless others) and corrected the issue. The updated firmware is working for me now on my A8N-SLI Deluxe. Poke around Plextors Euro site and see if they have an updated firmware for your device...

SithTracy
AN8-SLI Deluxe w/ 3500+ Winchester
Leadtek PX6600TD-256
2x512 Corsair XMS RAM (2-2-2-6)
2xSamsung 160MB SATA Hdiscs (JBOD)
Plextor PX-716A
BenQ DW1620
Antec Sonata
Antec NeoPower 480
--------------------------------
DVD/CD/RW/ROM

There are some problems with getting Serial-Ata Divers to work, so I certainly would not go that route. There are no benefits for doing so, other than a small reduction in cable clutter, but that really isn?t worth it. Good DVD/CD/ROM drives are Lite-On and older Toshibas such as the SD-M1802. For a DVDRW we?d pick a NEC 3500A or 3520A.
------------------------------------

Apparently there is also a 1.005 Beta BIOS for the A8N SLI Dx too.

And a 1.04u for the 716 per CDFreaks.

.bh.

Really going to bed now!

 

[SkyBum]

Wow. Thanks for all the support Zepper!

I will address your suggestions tomorrow evening and post results.

 

[SkyBum]

Updated to 1.04u. This seems to have fixed the hang problems in that it now recovers without having to eject the disc but otherwise I am still not able to read from it. I.E. clicking on the device in My Computer still hangs and then crashes to blank desktop but then momentarily recovers. I still have not yet been able to access the disc in the drive.

Perhaps some tweaking in bios will get me there though, from posts ive seen elsewhere some have had success. I'm not about to give up yet.....

 

[cryogenic666]

Very odd... you were able to write firmware to the device, so obviously the drive and port are communicating fine.

 

[Zepper]

Did you install the Adaptec ASPI layer software? I know it says its for SCSI but it fixes some IDE optical drive strangeness too. So humor me, just do it.
.bh.

 

[SkyBum]

Sorry, I've been extremely busy with work the last couple of days and have not even had time to boot my machine until a few minutes ago. I'll have some time to get back into this problem in another day or two.

I'll post results as soon as I have any. Thanks for the help!

 

[mooncancook]

I have the same drive on a DFI NF4 Ultra. Got a Raptor on 3, Maxtor on 4, and Plextor on 1. Never had a problem. My only complaint about the drive is that it sucks at reading CDs. Can't even read my HL2 CDs which is new and without scratches. So it forced me to use an old IDE DVD-ROM drive, which sucks coz i want all sata.

 

[Murd0ck]

This dosen't happen to be a DVD-r data disk does it? Prodisc? Does it hang with any disk you try?

 

[SkyBum]

Today, I can't even boot my PC if the drive is connected. Soon as I unplug the sata cable all is well. the disc that was hanging before was a commercial DVD movie disc.

 

[Murd0ck]

What is your boot drive sequence in bios?

 

[SkyBum]

Boot sequence origionally was:
1st: HD
2nd: CDROM
3rd: Disabled
4th: Disabled

I also tried it with all disabled except 1st: harddrive and was able to boot fine but with the drive connected I only see my wallpaper with no taskbars or desktop icons. I can launch task manager but thats it. I then set the boot sequence to 1st: CDROM and disabled the other 3. It booted from my windows cd just fine.

The plextor passed the self-test, device manager sees the drive and says it's working properly. Seems like I am randomly getting 1 of 3 problems upon booting with the drive connected.

1. Black screen after windows load screen.
2. Windows loads but no taskbar or icons (only the desktop wallpaper)
3. or, boots ok, everything is fine until i insert a dvd, the movie does not auto launch powerDVD and if I open the drive in "My Computer" it hangs until I eject the disc (this happens with multiple comercial dvd's but have not tried with a CD under windows).

Device manager sees the drive and reports it as OK. The drive is bootable with a windows cd. What gives? Seems very odd that it is causing boot issues, yet can read a disc outside of windows.

Also, Zepper. What is the adaptec aspi layer? Where can I find info about installing it?

 

[SkyBum]

I just realized that the cause of the black screen hang after the windows load screen was because I was booting with a DVD in the drive so this is the same hang I'm getting if I put a disc in after windows loads. First the application stops responding (My computer, PowerDVD, Task manager or whatever else is open) and about 15 seconds later the entire system hangs.

Drive works fine outside of windows but windows hangs the minute it tries to read from the drive. Starting to look to me like a windows problem not a sata or atapi problem.

Zepper, i'll try the aspii layer now, other than that it's either re-install windows or save the hassle and just return the drive for a PATA version.

EDIT: No dice Zepper (I really should have listened to you before I bought this one). Time for a refund and plan B.

 

[Venomous]

Originally posted by: Zepper
Tsk, tsk...
I thought SATA on the nForce 4 chipset was integrated - not a separate chip. In any case, make sure the RAID function for the SATA chip is disabled in the BIOS. ATAPI drives cannot function when the chipset is in RAID mode. And tell me the number of the SI chip on your mobo.
. There is also a 1004 BIOS. I suggest updating.

.bh.

Generally, Nforce4 only supports up to 4 Sata devices. Depending on the mb manf, they may place anywhere between 2 and 4 sata's off the NF4.. They generally add an additional controller for 4 more ports.

Sounds like plextor needs to get off their butt and bring you guys a firmware update. Plextor hasnt been the same since leaving SCSI. Return that drive for a BenQ 1620 PRO

 

[ohnnyj]

Have you not yet tried the SI ports?

 

[SkyBum]

Well, I feel kinda like an idiot for not trying this sooner, but I finally got around to plugging this drive into one of the SATA RAID ports and suddenly all is well. I had not installed any RAID drivers (at least not that I recall) and for some reason I guess I just assumed that it should be connected on a SATA ports and not a SATA RAID port.

Anyhow, at least I have playback now. Have not tested writing yet but I will later tonight and post results here.

Anyone care to speculate why this drive works on the SATA RAID ports but crashes windows on the other SATA ports? And furthermore, why Plextor Tech Support could have overlooked such an obvious solution? Hell, they told me my only options were to re-install windows or buy a PCI SATA card. You'd think they would have figured that one out by now....

Happy camper at the moment, if the burn goes well I'll be in fat city again.

 

[Wild1]

Seems I had the same problem: Lockups and unable to read from the Pleator 716SA drive. Even had major problems getting the system to load windows with the 716SA - kept freezing during windows install after the drivers were loaded. Had to remove the 716SA and install win using an IDE CD ROM. Major PITA. After windows was loaded, tried to put the 716SA back into the mix but no go! Messed with everything I could think of. Had the 716 on the NVidia controller with 2 raptors in SATA 1 and 2 in a RAID 0 config (A8N-SLI MB). Plextor 716SA was also on NVidia @ SATA4. Installed SP2, loaded updated ver 1.04 firmware for the 716SA, and new NVidia chipset drivers (ver6.53). Still not working. Finally placed the 716SA on the SI controller. Windows found and added new hardware (3114 RAID controller, and "SI Pseudo Device SCSI Processor Device"). Finally able to read from the 716SA! Appears Plextor has some more work to do on their drivers. So for other users, this may be the only workaround for now.

If anyone has any luck enabling the 716SA on the NVidia controller with a similar H/W config, please let me know. I'd like to disable the SI controller from my system to reduce overhead but it appears I am stuck with it for the moment.

 

[Bar81]

It's not Plextor, but rather nvidia and its board partners that have some work to do. When the drive works on some BIOS revisions but not others it tells you that the nForce3/4 chipsets are still of the same subpar quality nvidia's chipset products have always been compared to Intel chipsets.

 

[taumau]

sorry skyburn.. but didn´t quitte get it how you resolved the problem!! You simply connected the 716SA to a SATA RAID port? that´s it?