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Thread ID: 76154 2007-01-22 23:09:00 Need help getting BIOS to find hard drive after DVD drive installed Eorr (2788) Press F1
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518439 2007-01-22 23:09:00 Thanks for viewing.

Problem occured when upgrading my CD writer to a DVD writer in my PC. The new DVD drive looks the same as the CD drive so I thought a straight swap would do, but the PC won't boot after swapping them - BIOS gets stuck when detecting drives.

Ok, a few points worth note:
1. hard drive on IDE 1 mobo connector with it's own 80-wire/40-pin cable - set to master on drive.
2. DVD drive on IDE 2 mobo connector with it's own 40-wire/40-pin cable - set to master on drive also (as each drive has it's own cable).
3. If I disconnect the IDE 2 cable from mobo, the PC boots fine - HD back to normal.
4. plug IDE 2 cable back in - hard drive doesn't even power up, but DVD drive door can open and close (while BIOS trying to detect drives) which proves power to DVD drive is OK.
5. Left BIOS detecting drives for about 20 minutes with no success.
6. Jumper on CD drive was set to master - also set jumper to new DVD drive to master thinking that would work - it's the recommended option for two drives on separate cables, I think?

My thoughts are to try an 80-wire/40-pin cable for DVD drive too, but the 40-wire cable worked fine with the CD drive, so I'm not confident that will change anything; and/or check master/slave jumpers again and try more options of master/slave/cs/none - but why would it work with the CD drive and do this with the DVD drive? I'm on a wild goose chase at the moment and would appreciate any wisdom from anyone.

Cheers, Chris.:dogeye:
Eorr (2788)
518440 2007-01-22 23:39:00 Hmm it SHOULD work. What you've done sounds right to me.

Just 1 hdd on IDE as Master.

And the DVD burner on IDE 2 as Master. And jumpered to Master.

Is the DVD burner connected from the end of the IDE cable not the middle of the cable?

If u go into the BIOS, does the DVD burner appear under IDE Secondary Master, if u go into the IDE Secondary Master option and press Esc?

I take it the CD has been removed altogether?
Speedy Gonzales (78)
518441 2007-01-22 23:44:00 The 80 wire cable change would be where I would start.

Then try both on cable select and plug them into the last plug on each ide cable
Rob99 (151)
518442 2007-01-22 23:50:00 I would put an 80 connector IDE cable on the burner too. If its only got a 40 connector cable on it atm.

You'll get better performance.

Just make sure if u replace it with an 80 connector cable, the blue end is on the mobo connection.
Speedy Gonzales (78)
518443 2007-01-22 23:54:00 Thanks for reply's.

First, the CD has been removed altogether with just the single dvd on IDE2, and a single HDD on IDE1.

I connected both drives to last connector on each cable and then tried using middle connectors with no change.

As far as BIOS settings go - I don't have access to BIOS with both drives connected. I could disconnect the HDD to boot into BIOS to check DVD channel setting, that might give a clue.

I'll have to wait till I've got more time to take drives out and check jumpers etc. and try cable swaps, but I will post a conclusion.

Yeah, I don't think there's anything else obvious - maybe a quirk of the mobo - Abit KN8 SLI.

Thanks again - sometimes it's easy to overlook something.
Eorr (2788)
518444 2007-01-23 20:40:00 Conclusion as promised . oops

The lesson for me is - if the BIOS can't detect drives, there's a cable connection problem .

I first checked the master/slave jumpers on the drives - decided to use a torch to avoid having to remove drives - in the process I noticed I had put the DVD drive cable back to front - ie pin 1 at the wrong end (despite reading the instructions (at night)) . Actually I assumed it could only go one way around, wrong! - so much for assumptions .

Jumpers set to master is correct for single drives on each IDE channel cable .

Late night mods - be careful . Another case of something resolving itself in the light of day, or of a torch .
:p
Eorr (2788)
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