Problem with A7N8X SATA configuration.

[ShyGuy91284]

I already made an earlier post on this problem, but am now going to summarize it a bit better.

I have an A7N8X Deluxe system, and have just started using SATA with a Maxtor 160 GB HDD. Since using this, I have gotten a couple of chkdsk's occuring after a startup after a clean shutdown finding errors on the HDD, eventually leading up to a "C:\Windows\system32\config\SYSTEM" missing or corrupt and the directory unreadable due to corruption. Anyone else have a similar problem and/or have a fix? I'm going to be running Linux on it for now to see if it's the OS or a faulty HDD.

 

[mechBgon]

What revision is your motherboard's printed circuit board? This will be in very, very small white letters on the surface of the motherboard, a little below the big white "A7N8X" logo. And once you know that, what BIOS revision do you have on it? You may benefit from a BIOS update. It's important to only use BIOSes that are for your PCB version (there are two types, the 1.xx and the 2.xx). The SATA controller's ROM is evidently embedded in the A7N8X Deluxe's own BIOS.

 

[ShyGuy91284]

rev 2.0, And I belive the BIOS is the newest one, 1007.

 

[DOSfan]

I know very little about this topic...

But I was looking over the Asus web page earlier (trying to help someone else), and knew I saw something about SATA in their FAQ.

Here is the link.

http://www.asus.com/support/faq/qanda.aspx?KB_ID=82966&SLanguage=en-us

I do not know if it will do you any good or not. /shrugs

 

[ShyGuy91284]

I thought it could be a possibility, but on my xth install (which is my most recent) I decided to not install that at all, and it's still having problems. I checked the XP System error logs, and I've got a bunch of Warning #51s scattered throughout the life of the install, and some Error # 9s and 11s scattered less frequently. The info for these say it could be a bad drive and/or cable. You think that could be it, or is it likely still a driver problem?

 

[ShyGuy91284]

Well, HDD stopped responding during a linux install. This sounds like a hardware problem. I'm just hoping it's a faulty hardrive so I can send it back and not a bios/mobo/SATA controller problem. Anyone else have my mobo running w/ this HDD w/ no problems?

 

[mechBgon]

I have one more suggestion to try: set your memory timings to "User Defined" and ensure that the RAM is set to run at "Sync" or "100%" of the CPU's bus speed. Set the memory timings pretty relaxed, such as 3-3-3-8, and the memory voltage to 2.7 volts, and try one more time. Not knowing precisely what your modules are, or your CPU, this is a sort of blanket recommendation; if you give the details on those, I might be able to give more-targetted recommendations. Good luck ShyGuy91284

 

[ShyGuy91284]

My memory is a single stick Corsiar CMX512-3200LLPT.

 

[mechBgon]

Ok, and knowing your CPU would help too. But whatever the case, start with 2.7 volts on the RAM and 2.5-3-3-8 timings, and set the RAM to run at 100% of CPU FSB speed. Sync'ed operation is best for nForce2 even if it results in the RAM running slower than its rated speed. Good luck!