ABIT IC7-G IDE controller issues.. help please

[bavalova]

hey.. i have a problem.. i set up my computer about 3 months ago...

ABIT IC7-G mobo
1 GB (512x2) Kingston PC3200 Dual Channel DDR 400mhz
Pentium 4 3.0ghz (@3.0 ghz :-D) 800mb FSB, 1 mb cache
ATI 128MB video card
2x40GB HDs
Toshiba 8x DVD-RW
Running Dual NEC MultiSync FP1350x 22" CRTs

okay.. everything was running smoothly after i RTFM and realized that running dual channel ram meant having to use slots 1 and 3 not 1 and 2. Then.. one on of my visits to Fry's i noticed they had these very nice Seagate 160 GB hard drives for $100 minus $50 mailin rebate so of course i couldn't pass up on the offer. I then proceeded to install it to my system.. my DVD-RW was setup on IDE channel 1 as Master and my 2 40GB harddrives were setup on IDE channel 2 as master and slave. When i first installed the harddrive on IDE channel 1 as slave to my DVD-RW, it didn't work and was interfering with windows and i said screw it, i don't have time to try and figure this out.. so i disconnected it.. For a while, i didn't use my DVD-RW because i didn't need to... but i noticed it stopped working.. i had no idea why.. everytime i boot the system, its recognized on the POST and everything but when i get to windows it never worked.. i thought it was a problem with windows and decided it was about time i formatted just for the sake of cleaning up my system so i did.. this time i switched the ide channels with my harddrives on channel 1 and instead of using my primary 40gb hd, i tried it with my new 160 gb hd.. and of course, it didn't work.. the windows xp setup started and then errored (can't remember what it said)... anyhow.. i took out that harddrive and put my original in.. the xp setup started again but when it got to the point where i had to choose my partition, it got a little wierd.. it was telling me i had to partion unpartitioned space, but wouldn't let me.. it recognized my hd, but wasn't doing anything with it.. it just makes no sense.. i then disconnected my secondary drive and tried again but encountered the same problem.. so then instead of using both ide channels i used just channel 1 for the DVD-RW and my primary 40gb hd.. and it worked.. but now i'm still having problems because i can't install my other drives.. ANY IDEAS PLLLLEEEAASSSEE!!!

 

[bavalova]

oh i forgot.. also, in device manager, it shows my other 40gb hd, but i can't access it.. JUST SHOOT ME! lol

 

[Praetor]

my DVD-RW was setup on IDE channel 1 as Master and my 2 40GB harddrives were setup on IDE channel 2 as master and slave. When I first installed the harddrive on IDE channel 1 as slave to my DVD-RW, it didn't work and was interfering with windows and I said screw it, I don't have time to try and figure this out.. so I disconnected it..

So, for the record and to be clear this was your original config:
0:0 -- DVDRW
0:1 -- EMPTY
1:0 -- 40GB DriveA
1:1 -- 40GB DriveB
And then you changed it to
0:0 -- DVDRW
0:1 -- 160GB DriveA
1:0 -- 40GB DriveA
1:1 -- 40GB DriveB

everytime I boot the system, its recognized on the POST and everything but when I get to windows it never worked..

1. Do you have SP1 installed (or a more recent service pack)?
2. Did you format/partition the drive?

this time I switched the ide channels with my harddrives on channel 1 and instead of using my primary 40gb hd, I tried it with my new 160 gb hd.. and of course, it didn't work.

Huh? "You tried it with your new 160GB drive" .... I thought you already had your 160GB drive on the first channel as per:
0:0 -- DVDRW
0:1 -- 160GB DriveA

the windows xp setup started and then errored (can't remember what it said)...

Was it a BSOD?

anyhow.. I took out that harddrive and put my original in..

Original? Originally you had:
0:0 -- DVDRW
0:1 -- EMPTY

didn't work.. the windows xp setup started and then errored (can't remember what it said)... anyhow.. I took out that harddrive and put my original in.. the xp setup started again but when it got to the point where I had to choose my partition, it got a little wierd.. it was telling me I had to partion unpartitioned space, but wouldn't let me.. it recognized my hd, but wasn't doing anything with it.. it just makes no sense.. I then disconnected my secondary drive and tried again but encountered the same problem.. so then instead of using both ide channels I used just channel 1 for the DVD-RW and my primary 40gb hd.. and it worked.. but now i'm still having problems because I can't install my other drives.. ANY IDEAS PLLLLEEEAASSSEE!!!

Well for starters it'd be nice to know the actual drive configuration (although i think the problem might be solved via SP1)

 

[bavalova]

omg.. i didn't even realize i didn't install SP1.. i did most of the windows updates.. i just didn't want sp2... i forgot that sp2 completely overwrites SP1 and it doesn't even show up on the windows update site.. had to search for it.. but i'm gettin SP1 atm.. i realize my previous post was somewhat long and unclear.. sorry.. if the SP1 doesn't fix it.. i'll reiterate.. thanks!

 

[bavalova]

crap... no go.. do you think maybe since i had SP2, its not showing? i really wanna avoid updating to SP2 if at all possible... its doesn't make sense.. because windows recognizes it and says its working properly.. i've even uninstalled it and reinstalled it and it says my new device is now ready to use... maaannn....

 

[Praetor]

omg.. I didn't even realize I didn't install SP1

Heehee

had to search for it.. but i'm gettin SP1 atm

If im not mistaken thats SP1a you're downloading? (a technicality yes, but a somewhat significant one as SP1a has a different core kernel)

crap... no go.. do you think maybe since I had SP2, its not showing? I really wanna avoid updating to SP2 if at all possible... its doesn't make sense.. because windows recognizes it and says its working properly.. i've even uninstalled it and reinstalled it and it says my new device is now ready to use... maaannn....

Now perhaps you'd outline your actual drive config

 

[bavalova]

are u suggesting i should just get SP1 and not SP1a?

ok.. my current drive config is 0:0 DVD-RW 0:1 40Gb hd (where my os is installed). 1:0 40 gb hd (misc storage drive) 1:1 empty

 

[Praetor]

are u suggesting i should just get SP1 and not SP1a?

No.

ok.. my current drive config is 0:0 DVD-RW 0:1 40Gb hd (where my os is installed). 1:0 40 gb hd (misc storage drive) 1:1 empty

Ok so now that that's settled, what problems do you still have (I assume you've gone through the process of checking device manager and making sure that the drives are partitions etc)

 

[bavalova]

lemme outline it from day 1

0:0 40 gb (primary with OS)
0:1 40 gb (misc storage)
1:0 DVD-RW
1:1 empty

this was working fine..

then i got a 160 gb hd which i added as 1:1 so let's recap
0:0 40 gb (primary with OS)
0:1 40 gb (misc storage)
1:0 DVD-RW
1:1 160 gb (misc stuff)

this didn't work... dunno why.. it also interfered with windows and i just unplugged it cus i didn't have time to figure it out.. then i realized my DVD-RW stopped working... i then decided to format and reinstall windows using the 160 gb hd as primary and the same storage drive i had as secondary.. so i did this:

0:0 DVD-RW
0:1 empty
1:0 160 gb (to install os on)
1:1 40 gb (misc storage)

this didn't work and the windows setup would error as soon as i it finished doing its first little pre-installation config...

i then proceeded to try my other 40gb harddrive as the primary once more... so at this point:

0:0 DVD-RW
0:1 empty
1:0 40 gb (to install os on)
1:1 40 gb (misc storage)

and this didn't work.. it got a step further in the install process though.. it showed me the 2 drives, both as unpartitioned space... it told me to format one to install the OS on but when i went to do that, it wouldn't do anything.. just still said unpartitioned space.. so i took out the second drive hoping it was just some kind of glitch.. so now i had:

0:0 DVD-RW
0:1 empty
1:0 40 gb (to install os on)
1:1 empty

this also didn't work.. same deal... so then i just took my 40 gb hd and put it on 0:1 and this ended up allowing me to install windows... so i was at

0:0 DVD-RW
0:1 40 gb (to install os on)
1:0 empty
1:1 empty

and yes, i tried a load of different IDE cables and such... i even just flashed the BIOS and am still getting nothing... its recognizing the drive.. but not allowing me to access it..

i'm at:
0:0 DVD-RW
0:1 40 gb (with OS on it)
1:0 40 gb (misc storage, not working)
1:1 empty

i know that was long but it hopefully made sense.. thanks

 

[bavalova]

i wanna say that theres something wrong with my second IDE controller because nothing on that controller really seems to be working.. but it does show up and everything...

 

[Praetor]

then I got a 160 gb hd which I added as 1:1 so let's recap
0:0 40 gb (primary with OS)
0:1 40 gb (misc storage)
1:0 DVD-RW
1:1 160 gb (misc stuff)

this didn't work... dunno why.. it also interfered with windows and I just unplugged it cus I didn't have time to figure it out.. then I realized my DVD-RW stopped working... I then decided to format and reinstall windows using the 160 gb hd as primary and the same storage drive I had as secondary.. so I did this:

Some possibilities:
- Lack of power requirements
- The IDE cable became loose
- You somehow deactivated the secondary IDE channel in BIOS
- Master/Slave conflict ot Master/Slave-CableSelect conflict
- Lack of SP1

i wanna say that theres something wrong with my second IDE controller because nothing on that controller really seems to be working.. but it does show up and everything...

I tend to agree, now that you've flashed to the BIOS try loading defaults?

 

[bavalova]

Some possibilities:
- Lack of power requirements
- The IDE cable became loose
- You somehow deactivated the secondary IDE channel in BIOS
- Master/Slave conflict ot Master/Slave-CableSelect conflict
- Lack of SP1

-If power were the issue, would it still be recognized and have the driver installed? also, how do you explain that it worked before?
- IDE cable is fine.. i've tried multiple IDE cables too
-Maybe, but i flashed the BIOS and restored all defaults..
-Checked all my jumpers... all correct...
-Installed SP1 already.. used to have SP2... do you think i should try SP2? i really don't want to but if you think it may fix it (although i can' see why it would) i would be willing to install it.

I tend to agree, now that you've flashed to the BIOS try loading defaults?

done it all my friend.. done it all.. lol

 

[Praetor]

-If power were the issue, would it still be recognized and have the driver installed? also, how do you explain that it worked before?

1. If the drive doesnt have power then.......
2. "Before" you had a differnet configuration and thus, different power requirements

do you think I should try SP2?

No