2nd Hard Drive Problem

Seth Brundle · 04-09-2003 9:20pm #1

Trying to install a 2nd HD (thankx conZ) onto a system as slave. The current setup is as follows:-
IDE1
Master: 8Gb drive
Slave: 2Gb drive
IDE2
Master & Slave are CD Burner / DVD drives.
Gateway Pentium III (450MHz) on Intel WS440BX AA719570-208 Motherboard (BIOS: Intel Corp. 4W4SB0X0.15A.0012.P07 02/04/1999).
This has worked fine for ages!

The 2Gb drive is to be replaced by the 20Gb but when I insert it the system doesn't start (at all). If I insert it as master and the current master as slave then it starts up fine until it looks for the OS.
Questions:
Why is it doing this? Does it not like larger drives as slaves?
Have I any hope of inserting this as slave? I cant really insert the 2 HDs as masters unless I get 2 longer ribbons (to reach the 2 CDs). Would it just be easier to Ghost the current master and set the old master as slave?

gerire · 04-09-2003 11:44pm

Jumper settings on the back set up it as slave?

Seth Brundle · 05-09-2003 6:51am

yes - should have said. it is also in the correct place on the ribbon, etc.
AFAIK everything is correct.

Diabolus · 05-09-2003 7:17am

The answer to all master slave issues.
Put them both on cable select and put the ide cables in respective to which ones u want as master and slave.

Seth Brundle · 05-09-2003 9:51pm

Didn't work

If done that way it still doesn't recognise the 2nd HD and also doesn't start windows (just sits on black screen).
[edit]
I assume when you said 'put the ide cables (plural?) in respective to which ones u want as master and slave' you meant the usual practice of placing the master on the end of the ribbon and the slave in the middle.
Also I assume the IDE2 drives can be on usual master/slave system for this.

Diabolus · 06-09-2003 2:10am

The Boot Drive should be on the end of the cable.
The slave should be on the middle one.
As for ide cd roms and dvd's they can be connected in the usual master slave fashion.
I suggest you get an update for your bios as it might be out of date and not able to recognise ur hd.

Seth Brundle · 06-09-2003 11:27am

Believe it or not - I can't actually find info on the BIOS out there

Sir Random · 06-09-2003 1:27pm

What mobo have you got?

Seth Brundle · 06-09-2003 1:50pm

Mobo: Intel WS440BX AA719570-208
BIOS: Phoenix / Intel 4W4SB0X0.15A.0012.P07 02/04/1999

If the BIOS was out of date (1999?) and couldn't recognise the 20Gb HD as slave then why does it recognise the 20Gig as master and 8gig as slave if it was set up that way?

BTW the 20gig is an IBM Deskstar 34GXP
Cheers
Killian

Diabolus · 06-09-2003 2:10pm

Very interesting problem.
But it sounds like theres an option in ur bios to select which ide master or slave that u boot off. try look for such an option.

Diabolus · 06-09-2003 2:10pm

also have you tried a different ide cable?

Seth Brundle · 07-09-2003 11:46am

Don't see that option in the BIOS.
I have tried a few different IDE cables.
I reckon that it may be easier to Ghost the 8GB drive onto the 20Gb drive and just live happily ever after
What do you think?

kmb · 07-09-2003 9:27pm

Does the 20 gig detect in bios hdd detection?are your values in bios set to auto for all your ides?seems like the bios is not reading the same as the cable.IF you put the 20 gig in on its own will it boot as far as the os?put it in as slave and see what happens.if it doesent work you may have both set to master or slave.Just for trial use ide 1 for the 8 gig and 20 gig on ide 2 with no cdrom etc attached and see what happens.Check above and let us know..regards

Seth Brundle · 07-09-2003 9:39pm

The 20gig works fine unless it is set to slave on either of the IDE cables. All jumper settings are correct and BIOS is set for auto detection.
Both set as master (on different IDEs) works fine but my problem with that setup is that with the build of the Gateway system the IDE cables aren't long enough to go from the Mobo to the CDs and back to the drives

[I know about the place on Cork St. in Dublin!].
Furthermore, as I said in my first post, the system works fine with a 2gig in as slave - it is only when I put in a 20gig as slave.
It must be that it doesn't like a the largest drive as slave.

moridin · 08-09-2003 4:07pm

Try upgrading your BIOS. You've got version P07 and the latest version of that one is P14.

Visit http://www.gateway2000.co.uk/ftp/bios/desktop/tabor2/vp14.exe to get it if you have a TaborII motherboard

or

http://www.gateway2000.co.uk/ftp/bios/desktop/tabor3/vp14.exe if it's a TaborIII.

Seth Brundle · 08-09-2003 8:08pm

Upgraded the BIOS and still nothing:-
recognises 8GB but not 20Gb if 8Gb set as master & 20Gb set as slave
recognises 20Gb if both on cable select (but not 8Gb

)

kmb · 08-09-2003 9:48pm

is there any chance that you are putting the jumpers on wrong for slave?ie wrong pins?check makers web site if it isnt printed on disc.also are you using a old type ata 33 cable or new type ata 100?also did you try resetting cmos?

Seth Brundle · 09-09-2003 6:56pm

Jumpers are all on fine (printed on disk).
Drives are connected to the IDE cable fine.
Not sure whether it is ata33 or ata 100 cable.

moridin · 09-09-2003 7:31pm

... starting to sound like you need to run with your PC in that case... put the 20gb as the master and the 8Gb as the slave?

Seth Brundle · 09-09-2003 7:46pm

I reckon I'll just Ghost the system (or maybe if I have the energy do a fresh install of everything) and use the 20Gb as the master. Im just pissed off trying to figure out what is wrong (doesn't appaer to be anything

)
Thanks anyway folks
Killian

2nd Hard Drive Problem

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