Problem with switching to AHCI mode

[gyster]

Thanks again. Looks like it installs the same driver I got from Asus. I contacted Asus support for help with the eSata drive not being detected, but he was not able to help. He also told me that if I set mode to AHCI, nothing would be displayed on the main bios screen.

At Seagate's website, they have a link to download a utility that "might" help when a drive is not detected, but you apparently can't actually just download the file! Even though it's listed for the Black Armor drive that I have, I have to email support so they can send me a link. grrr!

[Pietro sk]

Thanks again. Looks like it installs the same driver I got from Asus. I contacted Asus support for help with the eSata drive not being detected, but he was not able to help. He also told me that if I set mode to AHCI, nothing would be displayed on the main bios screen.

i confirm that on mine too, with ahci no drives are listed in drives page, (bios beginning)
only at the last page - boot drive lists

[Am486DX100]

Oh man, this is really embarrassing. .....

When weaving through the cable jungle , it's easy to not see, overlook or loosen something that one normally would correctly connect.

I do not see any embarrassment here, but I know that I've done this a time or two myself.
*Twiddlling my thumbs, looking up at the sky and whistling.*

...

I do not know if eSata drives are listed in " diskmgmt.msc ". I'm still on WinXP. As for Windows 7, I don't know.

...

[gyster]

Hey Pietro, thanks for confirming that...at least I won't spend any time trying to correct something that's working as designed. Although I'm not sure why it's designed this way - I forget what you can configure there when running in IDE mode.

Man, I thought I was working very methodically, and it kinda sucks to miss something like that power connector. Experience is a good teacher though, and next time, I'll definitely look at the simple things.

[AussieFX]

Mate we all do it so don't worry.
The best advice I was ever given was don't be afraid to tinker, unless you do something really stupid you won't hurt the hardware and at the worst you'll need to do a full os re-install.
The only way to learn is to do it yourself, so don't be afraid.
There's always people here you can talk to if you get stuck.

I'be never used eSATA but in theory it shouldn't be any different to a standard drive. Is it formatted?

[Am486DX100]

Mate we all do it so don't worry.
The best advice I was ever given was don't be afraid to tinker, unless you do something really stupid you won't hurt the hardware and at the worst you'll need to do a full os re-install.
The only way to learn is to do it yourself, so don't be afraid.
There's always people here you can talk to if you get stuck.

I'be never used eSATA but in theory it shouldn't be any different to a standard drive. Is it formatted?

Seconded

In WinXP, any unformatted SATA drives that are not part of a RAID set will not show up, (but is listed in BIOS). I had to run " diskmgmt.msc " and format the drive before it would be listed on " My Computer ". I have not used the eSATA port on this board...yet. I wouldn't mind knowing the answer to this question myself.

Does Windows 7 have " diskmgmt.msc "?

.....

By Gyster
...
Man, I thought I was working very methodically, and it kinda sucks to miss something like that power connector. Experience is a good teacher though, and next time, I'll definitely look at the simple things.

It could be a small distraction that throws one off like: a ringing telephone, a skipping CD player, a pet wanting to be fed, a GF/wife/kids/ALL 3, toilet break, someone at the door or "Oh $h1+! My pizza!!!" that burning pizza in the oven.

...

Edit: And I almost forgot this one. Anytime that you are reading a forum post that causes you "to" spray out your cola, coffee, tea or beer onto an exposed and electrically active piece of hardware or non-skinned, (non-"condomized"), keyboard!!!

...

[gyster]

LOL AM486.

My 4 month old (boy) is pretty demanding. That drive is a Seagate Black Armor WS110, and it's foratted in ntfs Aussie. I have it connected to an eSata port on the case. That connection has a standard sata connector on the motherboard end, and is connected to one of the sata ports on the board. (I've tried moving the three drives around, and no matter which port they're connected to, the internal drives are always detected, but the external is not - not even in bios). This happened when I had the drive connected to my old system (Asus P5WDG2 WS Pro) and I reinstalled raid drivers because there was an exclamation point by that in device manager (I did not have a raid array however - and the exclamation point had been kinda bugging me for months before I decided to try and remedy it) and then it started working again. It also worked on this system until last weekend I disconnected it and connected it via usb to my laptop. When I reconnected to this system via eSata/Sata, it wasn't detected - only when I connected via usb.

I'm not sure if Win7 has diskmgmt.msc, this laptop has vista, and I'm rendering an animation at the moment with that new system. It does have some disk management utilities (I think it's under system tools in the start menu).

Oh, I did a sim last night that my old system completed in about 15 hours...in about 1 hour 15 minutes. I'm thrilled with the advice I got here on this build. Also the encouragement really helped me keep trying, I've said it bunch, but I really mean I appreciate that you guys take your time to do this, really cool.

[AussieFX]

That has me stumped then.
Like you explain eSATA is really just a normal SATA connection that is routed to the back panel/case. I guess you have a brick to power it?

The only thing I can suggest is re-formatting the drive.
OR...Is there a bios configuration that needs to be set? Like there is for usb.

I know Gigabyte have an f1 option upon entering the bios that "unlocks" extra features, does anyone know if Asus has this feature?

[Pietro sk]

yes- esata requires AC powersupply, it doesn´t work like usb

[Am486DX100]

...

I have it connected to an eSata port on the case. That connection has a standard sata connector on the motherboard end, and is connected to one of the sata ports on the board.
...
When I reconnected to this system via eSata/Sata, it wasn't detected - only when I connected via usb.

I'm stumped on that one too.

(Without seeing the system case...I'm just going to make some wild guesses.)

I'd want to double check the eSATA case connector. If it is a single plain cable, then the cable could be bad;I have no idea.

If the eSATA cable connects to a "block of connectors" and a different cable is used to connect to the motherboad, then check the "block". And hope that does not require any power.

What make is your system case? ......HAF932 case??

[gyster]

Catchin up...we've got a major plant outage coming up next week, so I'm working quite a bit more than normal (I work at an organic chemical processing facility). Yeah, there's a brick to power the drive, the case is a HAF932 (I really like it although it's steel, and kinda heavy). There's an e-Sata port on the front of the case, so the cable from the drive is e-Sata/e-Sata. I'm not sure exactly how it's configured, but coming out the backside of this connector, there's a standard sata cable that connectes to a sata port on the board. I got a response from Seagate today, but all they did was ask me questions that were (for the most part) answered in my initial email to them. :

My old system has the same setup - e-sata to sata case connection > sata port on motherboard. This drive still works on that one whether I connect via usb or sata.

[AussieFX]

OK, how about replacing the cable that runs from the motherboard to the esata on the case. Actually replace it, don't test it and reuse it. I've had sata cables give intermittent failures before.
If that doesn't help try running that cable directly to the external drive bypassing the through connector on the case (for testing purposes) and let us know what happens.

[Am486DX100]

OK, how about replacing the cable that runs from the motherboard to the esata on the case. Actually replace it, don't test it and reuse it. I've had sata cables give intermittent failures before.
If that doesn't help try running that cable directly to the external drive bypassing the through connector on the case (for testing purposes) and let us know what happens.

Let's hope that this narrows it down to a replacable cable.

[gyster]

Hey...Seagate support suggests reinstalling sata motherboard drivers. That's free and easy (once the system completes it current render...probably next week some time). If that doesn't work, I'll pick up a cable somwehere. Uh...Max (son) is filing a formal complaint...gotta go...

[AussieFX]

They don't give you enough sata cables with the motherboard?? Then again it is server gear.

Just use one of your known good cables from your existing drives then. No point buying one unless you know it's faulty.

Didn't you already install the motherboard drivers, I thought that was where the bios problems started?
I would try the cable before going down that road again.

[Am486DX100]

They don't give you enough sata cables with the motherboard?? Then again it is server gear.

Just use one of your known good cables from your existing drives then. No point buying one unless you know it's faulty.

Didn't you already install the motherboard drivers, I thought that was where the bios problems started?
I would try the cable before going down that road again.

I agree. Try a different cable, (hardware), first before installing/reinstalling any software. (If you don't have any cables and still install the software and it does work, then be sure to get a SPARE SATA CABLE!)

[gyster]

The board came with six sata cables...the drive has an e-Sata connection. And yes, the amd drivers are installed, and yes the first time I installed them, the system wouldn't post. I can pick a new cable for about $4, and as you mentioned Am, it doesn't hurt to have a spare. I doubt that the cable is the problem though because it never fails to detect when connecting to my old system. Maybe there's an issue with the case connector (female e-Sata with integrated sata cable to motherboard).

[Am486DX100]

...
Maybe there's an issue with the case connector (female e-Sata with integrated sata cable to motherboard).

Ok, the eSATA is an integrated cable.

This is the area that I am talking about. If your external unit works with a different system and doesn't work with this one, then I do not trust this case connector. Testing without using the case connector and getting a working result could be nice, but that would mean that the case connector is the problem.

I do not have this style of case connector. I only have an eSATA port on my motherboard.

[gyster]

It's going to be awhile...I'm about 1/4 of the way through a 700 frame animation. I ordered a momentus xt 500gb hybrid drive today because the 120gb ssd is already about 3/4 full, and I still have quite a few programs I need to install.

[AussieFX]

Any luck?

[Am486DX100]

Any luck?

The system must be running and this port issue seems to be on the back burner for now. Not that I'd blame him either.

...

[gyster]

Sorry for the delay...working 14 hours/day 7 days per week (I'm at work at the moment)...I should get next weekend off. I'm still rendering...windows installed some updates and rebooted for me a couple of days ago, and at that time, it was on frame 143 of 700. I'm really wondering if the 3ds Max file is corrupt because it's taking a really long time to render each frame. I have some Vue trees in the scene (quite a few of them) and when it gets to those, it takes a really long time to render. Anyway, I'm just letting it work even though I'm very tempted to work on some other projects...

[AussieFX]

Work should be banned when it starts interfering with your hobby.

[gyster]

I know! Where's the justice??? Here I am though...slaving away for the man...

[AussieFX]

Isn't that wo-man?