Lost HDD

[tori]

Hi

On my computer:

IDE:
Primary master :HDD (and the OS win98SE)
Secondary Master: HDD
Secondary Slave: CDROM

The computer sippped recognizing the both HDD (It still can recognize the CDROM)

I tried automatic detection via the bios but, nada.
I tried using only one cpmponnet at a time,and changing places, but nada.
I try using the HDDs on another computer and there they could be recognized.

Is there anything else I can do to solve this problem?

Thanks

[nanosani]

Try changing the datacables of the drives with different combinations.

[tori]

Thanks

I tried, nothing....

[zach_boyce]

did you check the connectors on the motherboard also maybe the jumpers?

-Zach Boyce

[tori]

I did,

Nothing yet.....

[DaveSW]

So did they use to work together, have they suddenly stopped working, or is this the first time you've tried them in this system?
What happens if you disconnect the power and data cables from everything else in the system, and just boot with one of them?

[tori]

They used to work together

What there is to desconnect:

There are only:
2 HDDs
CDROM
Floppy
Keyboard
Mouse
SDRAM
Screen

What shall I try?

Thanks

[DaveSW]

unplug one cdrom, one hard drive, one floppy, - basically make it so there's only the motherboard and the hard drive, together with the devices that you will need to see if it's working.

Try a few of the different connectors on the power supply to see if any of the cables are damaged.

When you say they used to work together, is that in this machine?

[tori]

Yes, this machine used to work together

Anyway I tried as you have said using it with one HDD only according to your suggestion, but stlll, It doesn'r recognize.

It says: Primary Master HD fails
Secondary Master HD fails
Floppy Fails (this was added since I unplagged it)

About My HDDs:

One of them is newer (ATA 66) I use it as a primary with the OS on it

Second HDD is an old a sower one, I use it only for low frequent use (I didn't install the OS on it because i think it would slow it)

I tried checking the both HDDs on another machin - they could be rcognized and worked.

Somethime, during the last day I'm trying making my computer recognize the HDDs, I happens that it recognize the CDROM (usually) and fewer times it did recognize the old HDD. But about the primary one on this machine nothing.

Thanks for your support' any more suggestions please?

Thankyou

[tori]

Ohh,

After 24 long hours of trying every combination tho make my machine back to life, I found a partial, but I'm not sure a stable solution.

Secondary Master : CDROM
Secondary Slave : Old HD (not system)

Primary Master :none
Primary Slave: New HDD (OS HDD)

Bios:

Secondary Master : CDROM
Secondary Slave : Old HD (not system)

Primary Master :New HDD (OS HDD) (althoug there is nothing)
Primary Slave: New HDD (OS HDD)

Explain:

When machine starts (what does it say):

If the OS HDD is on the Primary Master (phisical and bios) It says "Primary
Master HDD fails"

If the OS HDD is on the Primary Slave (phisical and bios) It says "Primary Slave HDD fails"

If the OS HDD is on the Primary Master (phisical and bios entering the HDD both in primary master and slave) It says "Primary Master HDD fails"

If the OS HDD is on the Primary Slave (phisical and bios entering the HDD both in primary master and slave) It says Primary Master HDD fails, Click F1 to continue, I click F1, and the system goes UP (Ohh)

But, still the OS (win98se) stops, so the only way it works now is the safe mode.

OF course this is not enough for me.

Meanwhile i'm running the surface scan disk to check for errors.

Thanks for reading my long story :)

Please, Is there any chance I can use the machine propertly (without the F1 at the beginning an on a normal mode)

Thanks again, I would be glad for more siggestions

[DaveSW]

sounds like you haven't changed your bios settings to reflect the new hard drive arrangements. Have you?

[tori]

I guess, one can be confused of my long describtion.....

But I surely changed the settings and it is explain exactly in my description above.

Thankyou

I there are suggestions' please submit anything on you mind

[DaveSW]

sounds like the bios isn't taking your changes properly... try updating your bios by downloading the latest version from your mobo manufacturer.

[tori]

But I'm using it for the last two years without no hardware and software change.

The scandisk has found that there are no error on HDD
But I cannot use the OS at normal mode' only Safe mode

Thankyou

[DaveSW]

what make and model are the drives? some fail in odd ways

[Thong_Ispector]

One thing I did not see in the above posts was to set the cmos drive select to Auto.
Dont try to set them manually...

Since this machine has been working for years could we have a cmos battery failing..?

[tori]

A miracle,

I do not know why... but the system back to recognize the HDDs

Thanks

NOw, the question about clusters at the next thread