Problem with IC7 max3 and new NEC 3500a

[MIDIman]

I have an IC7 max3, second to most recent BIOS. Sata is disabled and configuration is like this:

IDE1 - master - Seagate 160gb - System
IDE2 - slave - Seagate 80gb
IDE3 - master - Sony DVD-RW 510a
IDE4 - slave - Seagate 160gb

I replaced the Sony burner with a brand new NEC 3500a. Computer boots past BIOS, but halts before the WinXP logo with "Insert System Disk etc" error.

I pulled the 160gb Seagate - computer boots. If I pull the NEC burner, the computer boots.

I tried putting the drives on cable select - nothing.

The IDE4 160gb used to be a system drive in another system (Windows system folders removed, but the drive was not formatted). It is listed as (Active) in the WinXP Disk Management.

I then place a similar 120gb Seagate on IDE3 - i.e. one that was a System disk, but is still in tact (so in this case, all four Seagates). I reformatted it (though, oddly, its still listed as (Active) in Disk Management - what does this mean?) in WinXP. I then removed the IDE4 Seagate 160gb and replaced it with the NEC. Sure enough, it boots.

So whats so special about that 160gb? A bit confused here...I'm doing a test burn now.


My plan right now is to move all the data from the 160gb to the fresh 120gb, and reformat the 160gb.

Any ideas welcome.

 

[MIDIman]

Odd - so I reformatted the 160gb, and still have the same problem on boot.

I switched the two - 160gb as master and the burner as slave, and the computer boots. Why can't the burner be master on ther second IDE channel?

 

[mboy]

Double check the jumper settings on your drive.

I would have to double check later, but I believe my 3500a is a slave on my 2ndary IDE controller.