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Thread ID: 61793	2005-09-16 23:06:00	200GB seagate barracuda problems	BlackNBlue (8897)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
388816	2005-09-16 23:06:00	Hi all, :) Need a little help here. Sorry, will be a little lenghty. Recently got a PCDVR card for CCTV and a new seagate barracuda hard disk for it to write to, also upgraded the memory. Since then, I have had periodic resets and initially I thought it was the PCDVR card and S/W that was playing up, now I am thinking it may be the hard disk. Reason for thinking that is I have had occassions where the drive was not detected during a power up, and when I try to scan the harddisk using the discwizard for windows (by Seagate), it always fail halfway indicating that there is a hardware reset being initiated. I have also notice that when reading or writing to that drive, it is a little slow. The hard disk was added using discwizard. Format and partitioned it using the same s/w to H: (121Gb) and I: (73.4Gb) at 4Kb cluster size [I have quite a lot of drives and partitions]. When I try to do a scandisc on H: using windows XP tools, the process was terminated with the error message that it cannot find index for I:\ blah blah?!?!! Anyone have any clues what might be wrong? My hardware list is as follows 120GB Maxtor Diamond MAX+9 33/7200 (this drive works okay, though a little noisy) MSI K7N2 Delta-L AMD AthlonXP 2800 [2.08GHZ 333] OEM MSI GeForce FX5200 128MB 1GB SDRAM 200GB Seagate Barracuda 100/7200/8M (very quiet, but disappointing) Sorry if it is a little lengthy , just thought I should state all the facts. Thanks in advance	BlackNBlue (8897)
388817	2005-09-16 23:09:00	What did u format the 200 GB in? FAT32 or NTFS?? If FAT32, you'll have probs with files, if any get over 4 GB . I would also check, whether the hdd's are in PIO or DMA mode, in the BIOS or in XP . If PIO, thats one reason, why things maybe going slow .	Speedy Gonzales (78)
388818	2005-09-16 23:14:00	Powersupply . Faulty ram (the new stick) Loose cable . Faulty/damaged IDE plug on the mobo Crook harddrive . Take your pick and eliminate them as the cause . I have to ask, did you install it all yourself? (interesting factiod, 99 . 9999999 percent of returns I get for faulty hardware are when the owner installs it themselves)	Metla (12)
388819	2005-09-18 01:11:00	thanks for the reply, The HD is NTFS, sorry speedy gonzalez, but I am not sure how to answer the second part of the answer, how do you find out if the HD is in PIO or UDMA mode and what do you mean by in the BIOS or XP? When I went into the BIOS, all it shows was IDE Primary Slave Auto, Access Mode is set to Auto, Capacity is 200 Gb, Culinder 65535, Head 16, Precomp 0, Landing Zone 65534 and sector 255 . Melta, I installed this myself, I build the PC myself in the first place . I think I took real care installing, wearing an anti static strap while doing so . I have checked the cabilng, they are all secure, the HD is securely fastened with screws and doesn't look crook to me . However, i don't know how to test the RAM though, I don't have a multimeter so I am not sure if the power to the HD is okay also . As far as I could recall, after I installed the HD, power up the PC, but windows couldn't see the HD, I have to download from seagate the discwizard S/W, then run the SW to format and partition it . Today, the HD played up again after I have installed a fan, I took out the HD, check for any physical problem and put it back in but didn't work, just as I was about to give up and power it one last time, it worked again!! I have also noticed the number of non-detection has increased . The HD also sounds funny when the motherboard is detecting IDE drives . (maybe it is my imagination) . Sorry for the long post but I am not sure if I should return the HD . Thanks for reading BNB	BlackNBlue (8897)
388820	2005-09-18 01:34:00	You can check whether the hdd/cd is in PIO or DMA mode by using Nero Infotool, / configuration tab if its installed (under the IDE entry) . Or under the IDE entry in the BIOS . Or device manager / ide ata / atapi controllers / primary or secondary ide channel / advanced settings - Beside current transfer mode / transfer mode (Depending on which IDE connection the hdd/cd is plugged into - Primary or Secondary) .	Speedy Gonzales (78)
388821	2005-09-18 02:20:00	memtest86 (http://www.memtest86.com/) will test out your ram	Prescott (11)
388822	2005-09-18 03:21:00	I'd be testing the power supply.	pctek (84)
388823	2005-09-22 20:50:00	Thanks for the reply guys. I will get a multimeter sorted out to test the power, I have downloaded memtest86 and will burn the ISO image when I am brave enough to reboot (it is on 24/7) my PC and hope the hard drive will come up again :P Speedy Gonzales, I went to check the device manager as you suggested and the "Secondary IDE channel properties" advance settings show the following Device 0 Device Type: Auto Detection (greyed out) Transfer Mode: PIO only Current Transfer Mode: PIO Mode Device 1 Device Type: Auto Detection (greyed out) Transfer Mode: DMA if available Current Transfer Mode: Ultra DMA mode 2 I am not sure how to interpret that...:P	BlackNBlue (8897)
388824	2005-09-22 21:05:00	Thanks for the reply guys . I will get a multimeter sorted out to test the power, I have downloaded memtest86 and will burn the ISO image when I am brave enough to reboot (it is on 24/7) my PC and hope the hard drive will come up again :P Speedy Gonzales, I went to check the device manager as you suggested and the "Secondary IDE channel properties" advance settings show the following Device 0 Device Type: Auto Detection (greyed out) Transfer Mode: PIO only Current Transfer Mode: PIO Mode Device 1 Device Type: Auto Detection (greyed out) Transfer Mode: DMA if available Current Transfer Mode: Ultra DMA mode 2 I am not sure how to interpret that . . . :P Whats on this IDE connection?? A hard drive or a cd/dvd / burner?? Device 0 Device Type: Auto Detection (greyed out) Transfer Mode: PIO only Current Transfer Mode: PIO Mode This is why things are slow . It should be (whatever this device is) on DMA NOT PIO . And whats on this IDE connection?? A hard drive or a cd dvd / burner? Device 1 Device Type: Auto Detection (greyed out) Transfer Mode: DMA if available Current Transfer Mode: Ultra DMA mode 2 Device 1 looks OK, but Device 0 might be the one having a problem, whatever is on it .	Speedy Gonzales (78)
388825	2005-09-26 21:52:00	Thanks again Speedy G, I am a little confused, when setting up the PC, the manual instructions was to plug in the first HD into IDE1 (primary IDE connector), that was what I did, I then connected both my CD-ROM (Master) and DVD-CDRW (Slave) into the secondary IDE (2), I then use the extra connector on the ribbon cable of IDE 1 to connect my barracuda harddisk . So if I am not wrong I should have . Primary IDE Master Drive - Maxtor 6Y120L0 Slave Drive - Seagate Barracuda ST3200822A Secondary IDE Master Drive - LG CD-ROM CRD-8400B Slave Drive - ATAPI COMBO DC4801 And the advance settings on the primary IDE is as follows . Device 0 Device Type: Auto Detection (greyed out) Transfer Mode: DMA if available Current Transfer Mode: Ultra DMA Mode 6 Device 1 Device Type: Auto Detection (greyed out) Transfer Mode: DMA if available Current Transfer Mode: PIO Mode So if I am not wrong, my barracuda was set to use DMA if available but stuck to using PIO mode for some reason, is that correct?? And in answer to your question, the Device 0 on secondary IDE is my LG CDROM drive so it should be right because it is quite an old drive and I don't think it supports DMA . Thanks again for the help . BNB :)	BlackNBlue (8897)
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