VT8237 doesn't like my new SATA 150 MB/s drive

[beatme101]

I've been tackling this problem for almost a week now. I've posted it
in two places:
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=26170.0
and
http://forums.viaarena.com/messageview.aspx?catid=20&threadid=76017&enterthread=y

And so far nobody has been able to come up with a solution. So I've
come looking for more people to hear my story and hopefully help me fix
this. I'll sum it up a third time, based on my posts in the second link
which were based on my posts in the first link:

I've bought a new WD4000KD drive. It's a 400 GB SATA. When starting up
the computer since installing this new SATA drive, it pauses for about
a minute on the BIOS logo screen, then continues on as if nothing is
wrong. Then during the loading of Windows, it pauses for a minute or
two. Then it continues on as if nothing is wrong. I finally get into
Windows, but the drive's not working. I have checked the connections,
but it's just not working. It's not showing up in My Computer. I
expected this, so next I checked in Computer Management | Disk
Management. It's not showing up in there either. So I went into the
Device Manager, and noticed a problem that was not there before I
installed this SATA drive: VIA SATA RAID Controller is showing a
problem. I check out it's properties to see this: "This device cannot
start. (Code 10)"... So, I uninstalled it and then reinstalled it from
the CD. I've done an incredible amount of fruitless searching for a
solution to this. The only other thing I've turned up is this in the
event log for an event ID 4 from viamraid: "Driver detected an internal
error in its data structures for . " .. Wow. Not helpful. Okay. I've
discovered that some motherboards, including mine, have problems with
300 MB/s drives. But this drive is 150 MB/s, so that can't be the
problem, right? The solution was a jumper thing to cap it at 150 MB/s,
but not only does my hard drive not have any instructions on the labels
for what jumpers do what (very perplexing, I've only encountered one
other drive, a very old PATA, that lacked jumper instructions), but my
drive seems to already be a 150 MB/s drive. If there is still something
I have to do with the jumpers to get this to work then it is impossible
as Western Digital will not give any instructions on it from their web
site and I do not want to start playing around randomly/blindly with
jumpers until the thing starts to smoke. I've checked the cord is in
securely, and even tried the other SATA slot on my motherboard. I don't
have another SATA cord to test it with, but it's brand new, taken out
of it's plastic wrapping for the first time about 10 minutes before
plugging it into my hard drive.

I really don't want to have to take it back to the store. It was
amazingly difficult to find, and I guarantee I will not find anything
different with an equal or higher capacity in my region without paying
less than a dollar per gig.



P4 2.6 GHz
1.5 GB DDR RAM
Windows 2000 Profesional
Motherboard Model: P4M800CE-8237 (That's what diagnostic programs call
it, anyway. I call it by the name written on it and on the manual:
P4M80-M4)
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Southbridge chipset: VT8237 (this is one of the ones known to have a
problem with 300 MB/s SATA drives)
The problem drive: WD4000KD
(http://www.wdc.com/en/products...riveid=159&language=en)
2 other hard drives: a 40 GB (the one with the OS on it) and a 300 GB,
both PATA.
550 Watt power supply with a SATA power cord
ATI RADEON 9550

 

[Rod Speed]

I've been tackling this problem for almost a week now.
I've posted it in two places:
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=26170.0
and
http://forums.viaarena.com/messageview.aspx?catid=20&threadid=76017&enterthread=y

And so far nobody has been able to come up with a solution.
So I've come looking for more people to hear my story and
hopefully help me fix this. I'll sum it up a third time, based on my
posts in the second link which were based on my posts in the first link:

I've bought a new WD4000KD drive. It's a 400 GB SATA. When starting
up the computer since installing this new SATA drive, it pauses for about
a minute on the BIOS logo screen, then continues on as if nothing is
wrong. Then during the loading of Windows, it pauses for a minute or
two. Then it continues on as if nothing is wrong. I finally get into
Windows, but the drive's not working. I have checked the connections,
but it's just not working. It's not showing up in My Computer. I
expected this, so next I checked in Computer Management | Disk
Management. It's not showing up in there either.

So I went into the Device Manager, and noticed a problem that
was not there before I installed this SATA drive: VIA SATA RAID
Controller is showing a problem. I check out it's properties to see this:
"This device cannot start. (Code 10)"...

That is the problem.

So, I uninstalled it and then reinstalled it from the CD.

What CD ? It should be the one that came with the motherboard.

I've done an incredible amount of fruitless searching for a solution to this.
The only other thing I've turned up is this in the event log for an event ID 4
from viamraid: "Driver detected an internal error in its data structures for .
" .. Wow. Not helpful.

It is saying that its a driver problem.

Okay. I've discovered that some motherboards, including
mine, have problems with 300 MB/s drives. But this drive
is 150 MB/s, so that can't be the problem, right?
Correct.

The solution was a jumper thing to cap it at 150 MB/s, but not
only does my hard drive not have any instructions on the labels
for what jumpers do what (very perplexing, I've only encountered
one other drive, a very old PATA, that lacked jumper instructions),

The jumper documentation should be on the WD web site.

but my drive seems to already be a 150 MB/s drive.
Correct.

If there is still something I have to do with the jumpers
to get this to work then it is impossible as Western Digital
will not give any instructions on it from their web site

Bet its there somewhere. Not that its likely to be relevant.

and I do not want to start playing around randomly/blindly with
jumpers until the thing starts to smoke. I've checked the cord is
in securely, and even tried the other SATA slot on my motherboard.
I don't have another SATA cord to test it with, but it's brand new,
taken out of it's plastic wrapping for the first time about 10
minutes before plugging it into my hard drive.

The problem appears to be the driver. What happens to the
Device Manager entry and the error log if you boot without the
drive physically connected ? That should eliminate any possibility
of any problem with the drive or the cabling or the jumpering if it
still reports the same problem with the sata controller.

I'd try the latest driver from the motherboard manufacturer's web
site and try the latest bios flash if a later one is available too.

I really don't want to have to take it back to the store.
It was amazingly difficult to find, and I guarantee I will
not find anything different with an equal or higher capacity
in my region without paying less than a dollar per gig.

P4 2.6 GHz
1.5 GB DDR RAM
Windows 2000 Profesional
Motherboard Model: P4M800CE-8237 (That's what diagnostic programs call
it, anyway. I call it by the name written on it and on the manual:
P4M80-M4)
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Southbridge chipset: VT8237 (this is one of the ones known to have a
problem with 300 MB/s SATA drives)
The problem drive: WD4000KD
(http://www.wdc.com/en/products...riveid=159&language=en)

That has got mangled in the middle, it should be
http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=159

 

[sbb78247]

I've been tackling this problem for almost a week now. I've posted it
in two places:
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=26170.0
and
http://forums.viaarena.com/messageview.aspx?catid=20&threadid=76017&enterthread=y

And so far nobody has been able to come up with a solution. So I've
come looking for more people to hear my story and hopefully help me
fix this. I'll sum it up a third time, based on my posts in the
second link which were based on my posts in the first link:

I've bought a new WD4000KD drive. It's a 400 GB SATA. When starting up
the computer since installing this new SATA drive, it pauses for about
a minute on the BIOS logo screen, then continues on as if nothing is
wrong. Then during the loading of Windows, it pauses for a minute or
two. Then it continues on as if nothing is wrong. I finally get into
Windows, but the drive's not working. I have checked the connections,
but it's just not working. It's not showing up in My Computer. I
expected this, so next I checked in Computer Management | Disk
Management. It's not showing up in there either. So I went into the
Device Manager, and noticed a problem that was not there before I
installed this SATA drive: VIA SATA RAID Controller is showing a

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

now you did remember to turn the raid function off in the bios, right? one
drive does not make a raid array.

 

[Paul]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

now you did remember to turn the raid function off in the bios, right? one
drive does not make a raid array.

<<snip>>

There is some driver selection advice here.

http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx?PageID=5&ArticleID=467

Paul

 

[beatme101]

Yes, the CD I reinstalled it from was the CD that came with the
motherboard.

I installed the latest driver for the controller from here:
http://www.biostar-usa.com/mbdownloads.asp?model=p4m80-m4
But it didn't help, the computer still shows it as having the same
error.
I have unplugged the drive and tried booting, it no longer paused for a
long time on the BIOS splash screen or on the Windows loading screen,
and the error showing for the controller disappeared, Windows once
again claiming "The device is working properly".
The last thing I want to do is a BIOS update. I am quite fearful that
it will fail and cost me alot of time or end up having to replace the
motherboard just because I failed in an unsure attempt to get one hard
drive working.



Yes, the RAID option is off. In the BIOS I have an option called SATA
Mode, it can be set only one of two things: RAID or IDE. I have it set
to IDE, which is how it always has been set.

 

[Rod Speed]

Yes, the CD I reinstalled it from was the CD that came with the
motherboard.

I installed the latest driver for the controller from here:
http://www.biostar-usa.com/mbdownloads.asp?model=p4m80-m4
But it didn't help, the computer still shows it as having the same
error.
I have unplugged the drive and tried booting, it no longer paused for
a long time on the BIOS splash screen or on the Windows loading
screen, and the error showing for the controller disappeared, Windows
once again claiming "The device is working properly".

The last thing I want to do is a BIOS update.

I dont see you have much option now that you have tried the other obvious possibilitys.

Is a later version actually available ? If so it may well fix that problem.

I am quite fearful that it will fail and cost me alot of time

It shouldnt if you do it carefully.

or end up having to replace the motherboard just because
I failed in an unsure attempt to get one hard drive working.

Thats unlikely if you do it carefully and dont do it when mains failure is likely.

 

[Paul]

Yes, the CD I reinstalled it from was the CD that came with the
motherboard.

I installed the latest driver for the controller from here:
http://www.biostar-usa.com/mbdownloads.asp?model=p4m80-m4
But it didn't help, the computer still shows it as having the same
error.
I have unplugged the drive and tried booting, it no longer paused for a
long time on the BIOS splash screen or on the Windows loading screen,
and the error showing for the controller disappeared, Windows once
again claiming "The device is working properly".
The last thing I want to do is a BIOS update. I am quite fearful that
it will fail and cost me alot of time or end up having to replace the
motherboard just because I failed in an unsure attempt to get one hard
drive working.



Yes, the RAID option is off. In the BIOS I have an option called SATA
Mode, it can be set only one of two things: RAID or IDE. I have it set
to IDE, which is how it always has been set.

www.viaarena.com is the official driver site for Via. They have a download
page. You can get a RAID driver or the PATA/SATA IDE driver from there.

http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx?PageID=420&OSID=1&CatID=1180&SubCatID=172
http://www.viaarena.com/Driver/via_pata_sata_+ide_v160a(20061101140444).zip

Paul

 

[beatme101]

Okay, I will do a BIOS update soon. I think a new version is available,
I'll check what version I have and compare it to the online one and do
the update if mine's older. What I fear is not necessarily a loss of
power, although that is more common in my house than in other houses
because the switch box in the basement isn't very tolerant and alot of
rooms are wired together under one fuse.. What I fear is the horrible
standard of using a floppy drive. I know the ridiculous frequency at
which floppies fail; I get as little as 10 uses out of any one floppy
disk regardless of what computer(s) I use it in before thinks start to
become corrupt and unread/write-able.. I take good care of my floppy
disks, too.



Okay, I can accept that that is the official site for the VIA drivers,
however I really am doubting how much a Windows driver can help my BIOS
with it's problem recognizing the SATA drive. If my BIOS can't
recognize it and experiences the extra minute long pause during startup
just like Windows, what are the chances Windows will be cured? And even
in the unlikely chance I can get Windows to recognize it without my
BIOS recognizing it, I will still have that extra minute of delay at my
BIOS splash screen that I do not want.

 

[beatme101]

Okay, I have updated my BIOS. It now has a new pretty splash screen,
but that's the only difference I've noticed. It still does not display
my hard drive, and I get all the same delays and errors as before.

 

[Rod Speed]

Okay, I will do a BIOS update soon. I think a new version is
available, I'll check what version I have and compare it to the
online one and do the update if mine's older. What I fear is not
necessarily a loss of power, although that is more common in my house
than in other houses because the switch box in the basement isn't
very tolerant and alot of rooms are wired together under one fuse..
What I fear is the horrible standard of using a floppy drive. I know
the ridiculous frequency at which floppies fail; I get as little as
10 uses out of any one floppy disk regardless of what computer(s) I
use it in before thinks start to become corrupt and unread/write-able..

That usually isnt a problem with a bios flash, either the floppy
is readable and you can flash with it or it isnt and you cant.

You dont usually produce a bad flash with a flakey floppy.

It would be worth buying a pack of new floppys.

I take good care of my floppy disks, too.

Yeah, they're a complete pain in the arse, well past their useby date now.

I wish the industry would get off its arse and supply bios flashers as ISOs.

Okay, I can accept that that is the official site for the VIA drivers,
however I really am doubting how much a Windows driver can
help my BIOS with it's problem recognizing the SATA drive.

Yeah, you'd expect that the motherboard manufacturer
would have the correct drivers for that motherboard.

If my BIOS can't recognize it and experiences the extra
minute long pause during startup just like Windows, what
are the chances Windows will be cured?

Some bios do take some time to timeout on the
SATA port that doesnt have a drive installed on it.

And even in the unlikely chance I can get Windows to recognize
it without my BIOS recognizing it, I will still have that extra
minute of delay at my BIOS splash screen that I do not want.

The bios flash might well help with that if a later one is available.

 

[Rod Speed]

Okay, I have updated my BIOS. It now has a new pretty splash screen,
but that's the only difference I've noticed. It still does not display
my hard drive, and I get all the same delays and errors as before.

Maybe there is some quirk with that particular drive.

I'd personally try a different drive model now.
I realise that you'd rather not do that, but that
would be better than an unusable drive.

 

[Shoo]

FWIW that problem sounds similar to the old Data is Invalid problem that you
can get with XP.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/841567
I wonder if there is an equivalent problem in Win2k

 

[Rod Speed]

Maybe there is some quirk with that particular drive.

I'd personally try a different drive model now.
I realise that you'd rather not do that, but that
would be better than an unusable drive.

The newegg reviews arent that encouraging with that motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/CustR...SortField=2&SummaryType=ALL&Pagesize=&Page=18

 

[sbb78247]

Okay, I have updated my BIOS. It now has a new pretty splash screen,
but that's the only difference I've noticed. It still does not display
my hard drive, and I get all the same delays and errors as before.

has it occurred to you that the drive is borked out of the box? you know
that does happen from time to time.

with WD, anything is possible these days. have you bothered to run the data
lifeguard to even see if it can see or determine the drive is ****ed?


--
sbb78247

resident redneck alt.os.windows-vista
alt.os.windows-xp


you aint from around here, are ya' boy!

 

[sbb78247]

<<snip>>

There is some driver selection advice here.

http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx?PageID=5&ArticleID=467

Paul

and if the drive is ****ed? as you can see he has the raid function turned
off and if the latest drivers are installed, then they will install the
correct driver.


--
sbb78247

resident redneck alt.os.windows-vista
alt.os.windows-xp


you aint from around here, are ya' boy!

 

[sbb78247]

The newegg reviews arent that encouraging with that motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/CustR...SortField=2&SummaryType=ALL&Pagesize=&Page=18

OI!

--
sbb78247

resident redneck alt.os.windows-vista
alt.os.windows-xp


you aint from around here, are ya' boy!

 

[Ed Medlin]

The newegg reviews arent that encouraging with that motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/CustR...SortField=2&SummaryType=ALL&Pagesize=&Page=18

I think you are actually being nice by using "aren't that encouraging"
Rod.............You are going to mess up your rep..........


Ed

 

[Rod Speed]

I think you are actually being nice by using "aren't that encouraging"
Rod.............You are going to mess up your rep..........

I enjoy jerking around those who obsessively read
all my posts trying to find something to nit pick |-)

 

[DaveW]

Windows 2000 does NOT have SATA drivers included in it. You have to upgrade
to Windows XP with SP2 to get included SATA drivers. Your alternative is to
install Windows 2000 based SATA drivers from your motherboard's Installation
CD.

 

[beatme101]

I don't want Windows XP or Windows XP SP2, not just because of the
cost, but because I would much rather have the more stable and faster
Windows 2000 Professional. Besides, I don't need SATA drivers that
come with Windows XP SP2 when I have the SATA drivers that I already
mentioned before, which came from my motherboard's CD, which I did
mention reinstalling from said CD, and which I did mention updating
from my motherboard provider's web site. Oh, and drivers for Windows,
regardless of the version of Windows, won't help my BIOS recognize
that I have a drive in the SATA port.

Not that I don't appreciate you trying.

If I can't figure this out by monday I'm gonna take the drive back, as
has been pointed out it could indeed be faulty.