P4C800 Deluxe and Raid problems

H

Harald

Hi,

I have a puzzeling problem. Had 2 Segate SATA 160GB disks connected to the
onboard (Promise) controller. Rverything was stable and the macine never
crashed.
Nedded more storage so I bought 2 extra identical disks plus a Pacific
Digital (PD) Talon 4 port SATA controller. Added the controller to the
system and installed the latest drivers. Used Drive Image (and also tried
Ghost) to transfer the contents to the new RAID0 array on the new
controller. When I tried to boot from the new array the error message "disk
read error" or disk I/O errror pops up.
Tried the two other disks, as I know they are OK on the Promise controller,
with the same result. Install XP, but installation hangs a few times.
Eventually manage to install XP, and most of my apps. Have backups of my
data files on DVD's so have not lost any data.
My system is now 2*Raid0 arrays on the PD controller. If I try HD-Tach it
reports "Disk read or write error on any of the arrays. Have also tried
various undelete programs, but they report that the MBR is damaged. CHKDSK
does not report any error, neither does Drive Image if I try to create an
image on the other array. If I try to restore the image I get the same error
messages as before, or Drive Image reports a read error in the image file
(so I have to reinstall XP, getting used to it after about 10 times).
The worst thing ist that I can not burn any DVD, Nero does not report any
problems, and I can see they have been burned, but they do not contain any
data but appear as blank disks on the 3 PC's I have access to. (Same with
+R, -R, +RW, -RW)
If I try to boot an original CD (ex. XP), it takes about 10 minutes before I
get to the first welcome screen. Reading DVD's or CD's in XP is also
painfully slow.
I have tried the controller in every slot,but I get the same problem.
I have tried to move the controller to my wife's PC, ASUS A7N8X-E, and it
works perfectly there and the performance ix excellent with no errors of any
kind.

My PC contains P4, 3.06, 2*512MB Apacer PC3200 runnning Dual Channel (Tried
2*512MB PC2700 from wife's PC), Sapphire Radeon 9500 (Have also tried an old
Matrox MII PCI graphics card and Wife's Radeon 9200).
BIOS 1016 seems to work better than 1017.
No overclocking or tweaking, XP, both SP1 and 2.
So I have changed everything in my pc (also the PSU) except MB and CPU (they
work without a problem without the Talon card)

I have contacted Pacific Digital, and they are aware of CD boot problems
with certain ASUS boards, but have not encountered any of the other problems
I experince. Their service reps are are extremely efficient and helpful.
Have tried 3 different Talon BIOSes.

So I am at a loss, the controller works perfectly in another PC, my PC works
perfectly without the controller, my PC uses AMI BIOS, The other AWARD.

If any of you out there have any suggestion as to what else I can do, please
let me know, any tip will be highly appreciated.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post.

Ben
 
P

Paul

"Harald" said:
Hi,

I have a puzzeling problem. Had 2 Segate SATA 160GB disks connected to the
onboard (Promise) controller. Rverything was stable and the macine never
crashed.
Nedded more storage so I bought 2 extra identical disks plus a Pacific
Digital (PD) Talon 4 port SATA controller. Added the controller to the
system and installed the latest drivers. Used Drive Image (and also tried
Ghost) to transfer the contents to the new RAID0 array on the new
controller. When I tried to boot from the new array the error message "disk
read error" or disk I/O errror pops up.
Tried the two other disks, as I know they are OK on the Promise controller,
with the same result. Install XP, but installation hangs a few times.
Eventually manage to install XP, and most of my apps. Have backups of my
data files on DVD's so have not lost any data.
My system is now 2*Raid0 arrays on the PD controller. If I try HD-Tach it
reports "Disk read or write error on any of the arrays. Have also tried
various undelete programs, but they report that the MBR is damaged. CHKDSK
does not report any error, neither does Drive Image if I try to create an
image on the other array. If I try to restore the image I get the same error
messages as before, or Drive Image reports a read error in the image file
(so I have to reinstall XP, getting used to it after about 10 times).
The worst thing ist that I can not burn any DVD, Nero does not report any
problems, and I can see they have been burned, but they do not contain any
data but appear as blank disks on the 3 PC's I have access to. (Same with
+R, -R, +RW, -RW)
If I try to boot an original CD (ex. XP), it takes about 10 minutes before I
get to the first welcome screen. Reading DVD's or CD's in XP is also
painfully slow.
I have tried the controller in every slot,but I get the same problem.
I have tried to move the controller to my wife's PC, ASUS A7N8X-E, and it
works perfectly there and the performance ix excellent with no errors of any
kind.

My PC contains P4, 3.06, 2*512MB Apacer PC3200 runnning Dual Channel (Tried
2*512MB PC2700 from wife's PC), Sapphire Radeon 9500 (Have also tried an old
Matrox MII PCI graphics card and Wife's Radeon 9200).
BIOS 1016 seems to work better than 1017.
No overclocking or tweaking, XP, both SP1 and 2.
So I have changed everything in my pc (also the PSU) except MB and CPU (they
work without a problem without the Talon card)

I have contacted Pacific Digital, and they are aware of CD boot problems
with certain ASUS boards, but have not encountered any of the other problems
I experince. Their service reps are are extremely efficient and helpful.
Have tried 3 different Talon BIOSes.

So I am at a loss, the controller works perfectly in another PC, my PC works
perfectly without the controller, my PC uses AMI BIOS, The other AWARD.

If any of you out there have any suggestion as to what else I can do, please
let me know, any tip will be highly appreciated.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post.

Ben

ZL4-150 controller:
http://pacificdigital.com/products.asp?gpcid=7&cid=41&scid=135&ItemID=773

Downloads page:
http://pacificdigital.com/dl/pafiledb.php?action=category&id=19

If you download the BIOS file, it has a release notes that says:

"Changes from version 3.07

Fixes boot issue on some ASUS mother boards"

No idea what that means, but maybe flashing the controller card
flash chip will help.

HTH,
Paul
 
H

Harald

Hi,

Have tried 3 different bioses on the controller incl. the latest v. 03.08

Ben
 

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