BIOS freezes with SATA HDD

[organicpuzzle]

I started a new build with an ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe and used a tested and working Seagate 400gb SATA drive from another computer. When I first booted up I was getting a lot of freezing randomly during BIOS and Windows set up, so I thought it was my Patriot ram fighting with my motherboard (ASUS doesn't recommend this ram, but Patriot assured me it was completely compatible). Turns out MemTest runs fine. when I put my IDE drive in the setup runs perfect. I would automatically say the SATA drive was failing, but how could this cause lock ups in the BIOS? the paging file isn't even in use in BIOS is it? I use a SATA DVD burner and it works great, so it's not just the mobo or cable. SATA is enabled in the BIOS and configured properly as far as I know and I was able to use the drive for about a day without problems. Any ideas? Thanks.

[crenn]

Have you tried updating the BIOS? If not, do so, it may be a known problem with that motherboard.

[Xperiment]

I cant see a HDD causing problems within BIOS. As crenn said, try flashing the bios with the latest version form the ASUS webiste, failing that try reseting CMOS via the jumper/switch.

Linkage (http://support.asus.com/download/download.aspx?SLanguage=en-us)

[organicpuzzle]

I tried all that. Flashed CMOS with no results, then updated the BIOS. Talked to ASUS and they didn't understand after three emails and two phone calls. They didn't tell me anything useful. I'm going to try a brand new SATA today (as soon as it gets here) to see if it was just the HDD.

[Greco101]

Hope it was just the HDD otherwise you got yourself a weird problem and this thread's going to be pretty long lol.

Welcome to TBCS!

[organicpuzzle]

I get blue screens during fdisk (or whatever it's called these days) trying to install this new HDD. I tried booting up with my IDE and the SATA on secondary, but it froze like before. I've tried everything. I'm extremely frustrated. I've tried changing every combination of BIOS settings and every combination of cables to slots. Please help before I smash something! Thanks.

[Omega]

It's either a motherboard driver error (ie, the drivers on the mobo, like ide and SATA controllers), or something else like that.

So... Replacing the mobo would probably be a good idea.

[xmastree]

FWIW, my Asus K8V-VM doesn't like two IDE drives (on prinary channel) and one SATA drive. It works with just the PM and the SATA, or just the PM and PS, but not all three.
Eventually I used a PCI/SATA interface card and that works fine.

[AKA_RA]

Whats your PSU rated at, and is it a decent brand?

[xmastree]

Whats your PSU rated at, and is it a decent brand?
Is that for me? It was a 400W but I replaced it with a 650 to no avail.

[AKA_RA]

The PSU question was directed at organicpuzzle.

Although...

in response to your post, xmas, reading your post again reminded me of the interesting way my MB, Asus P5LD-2, manages HDDs and HDD channels. It doesn't list my SATA devices as SATA, instead when its posting, it lists all SATA channels/devices as IDE channels in addition to listing all typical IDE channels. I also don't recall needing SATA drivers for XP during install, which was nice ^_^ It may be that your MB simply disables your sec IDE channel when SATA is being used.

[organicpuzzle]

I use a 530w Hiper PSU. It's been working great since I got it a few months ago. I guess I forgot to post the specs of the build, that might help.

AMD X2 6000+
M2N-SLI Deluxe
Patriot RAM 2x(1GB) 4-4-4-12
EVGA 8800GTS

[Martin]

After two days of pulling my hair out I have found that when a SATA HDD is connected, then only one IDE HDD can be connected on the primary channel and only one IDE HDD can be connected on the secondary channel. I can also connect an IDE DVD to either the primary or secondary channel (but haven't tried with two IDE DVD's - one on each channel). During all the above I also had a SATA DVD connected.

The motherboard is (perhaps soon to be "was") an ASUS K8V-VM.

[Greco101]

I recently had the same problem with my desktop... it was only reading one cd drive and stuck there for a few minutes reading IDE which I have none of.

It'd also hang at the windows loading screen... were you experiencing that too?

I haven't read the entire thread yet so hopefully you got an answer by now. :oD

[xmastree]

The motherboard is (perhaps soon to be "was") an ASUS K8V-VM.
So is mine...

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showpost.php?p=135809&postcount=8