Major Boot/IDE problems! Please Help!!!

[Rowlf]

First I'll tell you the problems. Then I'll give you my specs. Get
comfy. I think there is a gremlin in my rig.
<B>THE PROBLEM</B>
A typical boot of my computer goes like this:
Boot to bios. The IDE check shows my STA Hardrive and my DVDRW drive.
Primary Master: STA80216 (or whatever my normal Seagate HD id is)
Primary Slave: DVDR Generic
Secondary Master: None.
Secondary Slave: None.

Everything is peachy until it gets to the Verifing DMI Pool. Where . . .
it . . . . . hangs . . . . . indefinately.
Reset. Reboot.
Press DEL. Auto check IDE devices in BIOS. Where . . . . . it . . . ..
.. hangs . . . .. . . . .
Reboot. BIOS now reads something like this:
Primary Master: CT^&.. o or some gibberish (not the usual Seagate ID).
Primary Slave: none.
Past the IDE detection and DMI pool, I get this message - Disk failure,
unable to boot. Please insert bootable floppy.

As you see, my DVDR is no longer detected, and BIOS seems to have
invented an ID for my HD. Grrreaaat. And it won't boot.
So, to stick a bandaide on it, I do this:
Shut down. Open side up. Put my IDE cable that runs both my HD and
DVDRW into the secondary IDE slot.

Boot.
Primary Master: none.
Primary Slave: none.
Secondary Master: STA80216
Secondary Slave: DVDR Generic

And my computer boots fine. Windows runs fine.
Until I get a BSoD very randomly (sometimes right away, sometimes not for
days) The cause of the BSoD says something different most of the time,
but just recently it was some AVAST! anti-virus file.

Reboot. Repeat everything above.

Except sometimes the only way I can get my HD to boot is by completely
disconnecting my DVDRW.

But eventually I'll get a BSoD anyway.

WTF? Can anyone help? Is it a hardware issue? A software issue?

<B>THE SPECS:</B>
As promised, here are my system specs.
Windows XP Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600
Asus motherboard A7N8X2.0
AMD 2600 @ 2079Mhz
BIOS - Phoenix Technologies, LTD ASUS A7N8X2.0 ACPI BIOS Rev 1005,
5/14/2003
768.00 MB RAM
ATI RADEON 9600 SERIES


<B>WHAT I'VE DONE</B>
Have repaired installed numerous times.
Have updated every driver I can think of.
Have run chkdsk /f
Have run boot virus scans.
Have run Ad-aware thoroughly.
Have run Spy-Bot Search and Destroy thoroughly.

<B>Possible Contributing Factors</B>
I used to have an ATI All-In-Wonder 9800 installed. (not overclocked). As
you may know, it requires additional power fueled by a cable from the
PSU. I noticed a few months ago that the white molex plug on my ATI was
dark brown (burnt) at the power lead. At that time I thought it was my
PSU, so I swapped it out. It did it again. So I swapped out my the 9800
for my old 9600 (goodbye Elder Scrolls IV).
However, the problems above continue to happen.

I am seriously considering throwing my computer off of the highest cliff
I can find.

Need any more info?

Please, can someone please help? Or at least point me in the right
direction?

Thanks!

*** ***

 

[JAD]

first clear the CMOS and /or reset ESCD (configuration data)

 

[Rowlf]

Thanks. I already tried that too, forgot to post. I put my optical on one
IDE controller and my HDD on the other, same result, my BIOS spitting
chinese at me.

Well, I just reset my BIOS, we'll see how that goes.

Would a f'd up BIOS cause a short power flux to my ATI card, causing the
power cord to get hot? Like I said, the PSU wasn't the problem (running a
400 watter, plenty of power as I'm not running major coolers or leds or
anything . . . just drives and fans...).

Anyway, thanks for all the help everyone. I'll see if this works... If
not, you'll hear back from me I'm sure. . .

*** ***

 

[John Doe]

<B>Possible Contributing Factors</B>
I used to have an ATI All-In-Wonder 9800 installed. (not
overclocked). As you may know, it requires additional power fueled
by a cable from the PSU. I noticed a few months ago that the
white molex plug on my ATI was dark brown (burnt) at the power
lead. At that time I thought it was my PSU, so I swapped it out.
It did it again. So I swapped out my the 9800 for my old 9600
(goodbye Elder Scrolls IV). However, the problems above continue
to happen.

Try using the ATI utility to remove all ATI driver files, before
installing the drivers for the 9600. Try using a different version.

Good luck.

 

[Chris Hill]

First I'll tell you the problems. Then I'll give you my specs. Get
comfy. I think there is a gremlin in my rig.
<B>THE PROBLEM</B>
A typical boot of my computer goes like this:
Boot to bios. The IDE check shows my STA Hardrive and my DVDRW drive.
Primary Master: STA80216 (or whatever my normal Seagate HD id is)
Primary Slave: DVDR Generic
Secondary Master: None.
Secondary Slave: None.

Everything is peachy until it gets to the Verifing DMI Pool. Where . . .
it . . . . . hangs . . . . . indefinately.
Reset. Reboot.
Press DEL. Auto check IDE devices in BIOS. Where . . . . . it . . . ..
. hangs . . . .. . . . .
Reboot. BIOS now reads something like this:
Primary Master: CT^&.. o or some gibberish (not the usual Seagate ID).
Primary Slave: none.
Past the IDE detection and DMI pool, I get this message - Disk failure,
unable to boot. Please insert bootable floppy.

As you see, my DVDR is no longer detected, and BIOS seems to have
invented an ID for my HD. Grrreaaat. And it won't boot.
So, to stick a bandaide on it, I do this:
Shut down. Open side up. Put my IDE cable that runs both my HD and
DVDRW into the secondary IDE slot.

Boot.
Primary Master: none.
Primary Slave: none.
Secondary Master: STA80216
Secondary Slave: DVDR Generic

And my computer boots fine. Windows runs fine.
Until I get a BSoD very randomly (sometimes right away, sometimes not for
days) The cause of the BSoD says something different most of the time,
but just recently it was some AVAST! anti-virus file.

Reboot. Repeat everything above.

Except sometimes the only way I can get my HD to boot is by completely
disconnecting my DVDRW.

But eventually I'll get a BSoD anyway.

WTF? Can anyone help? Is it a hardware issue? A software issue?

<B>THE SPECS:</B>
As promised, here are my system specs.
Windows XP Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600
Asus motherboard A7N8X2.0
AMD 2600 @ 2079Mhz
BIOS - Phoenix Technologies, LTD ASUS A7N8X2.0 ACPI BIOS Rev 1005,
5/14/2003
768.00 MB RAM
ATI RADEON 9600 SERIES


<B>WHAT I'VE DONE</B>
Have repaired installed numerous times.
Have updated every driver I can think of.
Have run chkdsk /f
Have run boot virus scans.
Have run Ad-aware thoroughly.
Have run Spy-Bot Search and Destroy thoroughly.

<B>Possible Contributing Factors</B>
I used to have an ATI All-In-Wonder 9800 installed. (not overclocked). As
you may know, it requires additional power fueled by a cable from the
PSU. I noticed a few months ago that the white molex plug on my ATI was
dark brown (burnt) at the power lead. At that time I thought it was my
PSU, so I swapped it out. It did it again. So I swapped out my the 9800
for my old 9600 (goodbye Elder Scrolls IV).
However, the problems above continue to happen.

I am seriously considering throwing my computer off of the highest cliff
I can find.

Need any more info?

Please, can someone please help? Or at least point me in the right
direction?

Get another cable and put each drive on a channel by itself, it will
be easier to diagnose and will work better that way. If problem
persists, disconnect the optical drive and see if problem improves.
If it doesn't your problem could well be a failing hard drive.

 

[microluck]

Maybe your computer has no enough power in main box, so it cann't
support DVD and HD

 

[Turkylurker]

After clearing the CMOS everything worked beautifully last night.
This morning, I boot, I got the same problems, until I stuck the boot CD in
my DVDRW drive . . . then windows almost booted fine, except I can't access
my Second HD. So, problem still exists.

Yes, my PSU is 350w, which is PLENTY. Remember, sometimes the error
occurs when my comp is stripped down to only an ATI video card and an HD.
But thanks for the reply.

Why would clearing the CMOS work last night on a few restarts even, then
this morning be all fouled up again?

*** ***

 

[Mike T.]

After clearing the CMOS everything worked beautifully last night.
This morning, I boot, I got the same problems, until I stuck the boot CD
in
my DVDRW drive . . . then windows almost booted fine, except I can't
access
my Second HD. So, problem still exists.

Yes, my PSU is 350w, which is PLENTY. Remember, sometimes the error
occurs when my comp is stripped down to only an ATI video card and an HD.
But thanks for the reply.

Why would clearing the CMOS work last night on a few restarts even, then
this morning be all fouled up again?

Dead CMOS battery. Settings survive restarts, but do not survive shut
own. -Dave

 

[JAD]

After clearing the CMOS everything worked beautifully last night.
This morning, I boot, I got the same problems, until I stuck the boot CD in
my DVDRW drive . . . then windows almost booted fine, except I can't access
my Second HD. So, problem still exists.

I think you have a bunk harddrive...run diag on the second HD and check the
cabling

 

[johns]

When I get problems like this, I just strip the thing down to the
simplest config and test. If anything looks weird, I toss the mobo and
ram right away, and get a new mobo bundle that has been tested
and verified. From that point, I start adding back, and I can always
spot any other flakes. You will never troubleshoot a bad mobo and
fix it .. esp an ASUS mobo. Generally, in an upgrade, the old cpu
and ram doesn't match the mobo, so out they go. Then you've got
a chance.

johns