RAID array boot issue- Help!!

hj2k_x

hj2k_x

Honorary Master
Joined
Jan 22, 2006
Messages
32,137
Reaction score
1,893
Location
/\/¯¯¯¯¯\/\
Hello there.

Here is the problem:

When adding a 2nd hdd to my machine, it hangs after the POST screen displaying the message:

Code: 
Mediashield IDE ROM BIOS 7.03
2005 Nvidia

Detecting array...

and then it just hangs there.

My setup is as follows:(dual-booting Ubuntu and Vista)

Motherboard: GA-M55PLUS-S3G
IDE HDD 20GB with Ubuntu Linux on it, set to IDE channel 0 Master
IDE DVD-writer set to IDE Channel 0 Slave

SATA 250GB HDD with Vista on it, set as IDE Channel 2 Master

IDE Channel 1 has nothing on it according to BIOS, also when I try to detect the hdd, nothing shows up.

The boot sequence is set to CD-ROM-->HDD-->HDD
and the hard drive boot sequence is 20GB Ubuntu-->250GB Vista.

I install the new 80GB hdd(which works fine as I just took it out of another PC) on the 2nd IDE cable, with nothing else on the same IDE cable. I have tried setting it to master, slave and single and it makes no difference.

In the BIOS, I have made sure that RAID is disabled(it has never been enabled) and I even tried changing the access mode of the DCD drive to LBA, as per some forums which I found via Google.

All that is on the 80GB hdd are apps and some movies.

Can anyone suggest a fix for this?? I don't know what else to try...:confused:
 
Our # 4 choice: Moving hard disks

This is lower down on our list as some companies - including ours - do warranty seal their PCs. Taking the cover off could affect your warranty. That said - you can take the hard disk out of the older PC and set it up temporarily in the new PC for the purposes of data transfer. The easiest way is unplug a DVD drive or CDRW in the new PC and use that cable for the temporary hard disk. The new PC will probably pick up the hard disk with no input from you but on some machines you may need to go into the BIOS and make a change or two in relation to IDE primary/secondary and master/slave settings and/or the boot sequence.

Note though that if your new PC has RAID or SATA you could end up with a PC that doesn't boot (unless you understand RAID arrays and how SATA drives are configured/setup). For example, you could plug your older hard disk in and find that the PC can't detect the RAID array and therefore can't boot into Windows. Or you may find that the hardware change you made (of swapping an optical drive for a hard disk) resets the BIOS and you have to configure the BIOS/CMOS as well as the RAID BIOS before the PC will see the RAID array and the Windows installation on it.
Click to expand...

From :http://www.bestpricecomputers.co.uk/entry/transfer_data.htm


This is the problem exactly. But there is no solution suggested here. I do not have a RAID array and do not want one. I only have one SATA drive. I am quite happy with things the way they are- I just want the 80GB IDE drive inside my computer...

Anyone want to give it a stab?? :p
 
Possibly try disabling any RAID options in your BIOS,make sure you check every corner of the BIOS. Haven't thought this through much but that's a first off thing to do. On second thought you can always flash it, last resort though. Wait, third thought just came through, clearing the CMOS is also an option, as eluded to in the paragraph you quoted.
 
Last edited:
Beta said:
Possibly try disabling any RAID options in your BIOS,make sure you check every corner of the BIOS. Haven't thought this through much but that's a first off thing to do.
Click to expand...

Hehe, we meet again :)

Could only fins a SATA-RAID controller option in the BIOS which was already disabled. Maybe I should check again, but I was pretty thorough the first time.
 
Got 2 more thoughts in my edited post.
:)
From a technical standpoint, we should first clear the CMOS. This will force you to set the boot options again, but might also clear any BIOS raid issues.
Open your PC case, look for the small silver battery on the m-board, pop it out and wait for 2mins to be safe and then pop it back in. Make sure all power to the PC is off.
 
Last edited:
Beta said:
Got 2 more thoughts in my edited post.
:)
From a technical standpoint, we should first clear the CMOS.
Open your PC case, look for the small silver battery on the m-board, pop it out and wait for 2mins to be safe and then pop it back in. Make sure all power to the PC is off.
Click to expand...

Really? I thought this was one thing you should never do? Will it not bugger up anything else, taking it out? I don't want to mess up that Ubuntu install I just got to dualboot so nicely :)
 
Yeh, it's gonna reset your boot priority, but we can set that back, BIOS are perfectly functional at there default or "optimized default" so I wouldn't worry, unless there is a specific setting you feel you should mention that you remember changing? If it does get screwed I will offer to come and fix your PC.
 
Last edited:
Beta said:
Yeh, it's gonna reset your boot priority, but we can set that back, BIOS are perfectly functional at there default or "optimized default" so I wouldn't worry, unless there is a specific setting you feel you should mention that you remember changing?
Click to expand...

A setting in the BIOS itself? Well all that was key there was resetting the hdd boot sequence to have the Ubuntu drive boot first...I think everything else is pretty standard.

I could just throw the 80GB drive in a USB enclosure and access it that way, but I already have 4 of those with drives in. That's why I wanted to put this one inside the PC. Didn't think it would be such a mission, though.
 
Well, it's definately not normal for such issues when adding a drive bro. Yeah external HDD's do rock. Let's be ballzy and clear the CMOS!
 
Beta said:
Well, it's definately not normal for such issues when adding a drive bro. Yeah external HDD's do rock. Let's be ballzy and clear the CMOS!
Click to expand...

Hehe. I'd love to be ballzy but this is the only PC I have to use and I need it every day. Don't want to come back here on my phone complaining to you that I can't get it to boot at all into anything :p

I am leaning towards chucking it in a USB enclosure for the time being :p

Do you think, if I bought a SATA drive and tried to install that inside the PC the same thing would happen?
 
It's hard to say if the same thing would happen, I wouldn't go spend on a drive just to find out lol! If it were a machine I was being paid to work on or one of my own I would reset the CMOS with no reservations. If you feel safer without doing that, that's also perfectly fine, another enclosure would look kinda elite stacked up! You're clearly in a comfort zone right now with your PC, so it's understandable.
 
Last edited:
hj dude go get the enclosure if your unsure man

your going to be the one sitting without pc if something goes wrong

enclosures are really cheap anyhow, plus you will have a mobile 80 gig drive

all you want is your data plus it will be mobile

resetting the bios is easy to sort out provided you have decent knowledge of the bios which beta does and im not sure if you do
 
Yeah, I certainly am in a comfort zone as you say Beta.

@killa, you are right that I am a complete noob when it comes to flashing or resetting the BIOS which is why I would rather steer clear.

The thing is, if I do put the drive in another enclosure then what am I going to do for more space? Almost all my drives are currently full and I was looking at investing in a 320GB SATA drive one of these days to ease the strain. But what will I do with it?? I can't put it in another enclosure as well- that would start getting ridiculous. Not to mention the thousand cables I currently have running off my desk :eek:

Grrr, why can't there ever be a nice, quick solution to my PC problems? :p

*sigh
 
put a sata drive in and stop buying ide if your mobo supports sata

Ide always has problems, you have to set your primary secondary blah blah blah

sata u plug it in and it works, plus sata drives are alot faster

so use this 80 gig as your mobile drive and buy a sata drive

you could also just take to your closest pc shop and see if they could fix up the problem, cost you an hour's labour but atleast you'll have piece of mind
 
Last edited:
killadoob said:
put a sata drive in and stop buying ide if your mobo supports sata

Ide always has problems, you have to set your primary secondary blah blah blah

sata u plug it in and it works, plus sata drives are alot faster
Click to expand...

Hehe, ya I stopped buying SATA when I got this new PC which supported SATA. My old one didn't, hence the stack of IDE drives in USB enclosures and out.

You reckon an additional SATA drive or two inside the machine won't give me the same issues then?
 
i highly doubt it man

sata is plug and play which is why i love it

i have never had a problem with sata not detecting drive's, they are always there unless broken or not plugged in correctly

i have 2 hdd in my pc 160's and 2 x 80 gig raptors all sata, all detect fine

you should also try and get off IDE because most mobo's these days only come with one ide port
 
killadoob said:
i highly doubt it man

sata is plug and play which is why i love it

i have never had a problem with sata not detecting drive's, they are always there unless broken or not plugged in correctly

i have 2 hdd in my pc 160's and 2 x 80 gig raptors all sata, all detect fine

you should also try and get off IDE because most mobo's these days only come with one ide port
Click to expand...

Ya, this is true. It seems, though, that when in a USB enclosure I can have as many of these devices attached to the PC as I have USB slots. There is never conflict then , not even when I have like 5 IDE devices plugged in via USB. I guess that's cos it's via USB :p
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X