System won't boot

Changeling · 05-30-2007, 04:32 AM

Ok Ok its my turn to ask for help.

I have two HDD and two DVD drives. If I connect up all 4 the system takes ages to start then says it can't see the boot sector. "invalid system disk" etc.

All IDE cables checked with known good cables.
master/slave jumpers checked and rechecked.

If I disconnect just one of the drives so I have primary master and any two others then the system starts normally.

Board Abit KD7
CPU athlon 2200
HDD1 Western digital 160gig
HDD2 Western digital 80 gig

chauffeur2 · 05-30-2007, 04:35 AM

Howdy,

"invalid system disc" means that there is a disc in one of the CD/DVD's...pull it out and it should boot. (or even a floppy if you have one)

Regards,

Changeling · 05-30-2007, 05:07 AM

Nope thats not it. Both DVD drives are empty. Further it would require a bootable CD. and the system would prompt for boot from CDROM.

chauffeur2 · 05-30-2007, 05:32 AM

Please don't think I'm trying to tell you to 'suck eggs'...but I'm trying to cover all bases here.

Are the HDD's connected on the same IDE and plugged into IDE0 on the board.

Regards,

Tumbleweed36 · 05-30-2007, 05:56 AM

Clarification please. You said it would run three fine. Will it run the two hard drives and one CD and work fine, or are you only unplugging one hard drive for it to work properly? Trying to find if it is the hard drive scenario that is the problem or just having four drives.

Tumbleweed36 · 05-30-2007, 05:58 AM

Is it possible that either the Boot Order or the Hard Drive Priority (if this board has one) is defaulting to the hard drive without the OS on it when they are both connected? Might be worth a look to hook it all up, then enter the Bios setup menu and check that one and make sure you have it listed to the one with the OS when both are hooked up. Stranger things have happened. In this case (if that is possible), the board would default to the one drive hooked up if you have only one hard drive connected.

Changeling · 05-30-2007, 06:45 AM

I can only use three ide devices. All permutations tried.

bios currently set to boot from IDE0 all other options are disabled.

Current thinking is the mainboard IDE controler is on its way out.

Tumbleweed36 · 05-30-2007, 07:13 AM

You might be correct on that one about the IDE controller. Might be worth a shot to try the drives as Cable Select and see if that helps. Reload the chipset drivers to see if that helps..........I am grasping at straws, but will keep thinking.

**hwm54112** · 05-30-2007, 07:29 AM

I agree with tumble on this. If it's a via chipset, check for new drivers. One of their chipsets had an issue with serialization of the primary ide controller on an abit board that exhibted this symptom. Don't know what that means though

Changeling · 05-30-2007, 08:18 AM

Coooo now that is worth knowing thanks. As it turns out I do have an Abit board with a via chipset.

For the record. The cable select setting was designed for and exclusive to Compaq PC's. That is to say that the CS setting may work on other PC's but in the main if it aint a Compaq don't bother.

It was one of those clever ideas that never really caught on.

Tumbleweed36 · 05-30-2007, 01:30 PM

I do know for a fact that it does work on other computers and I had never heard (lots of things I haven't heard) who it was designed for.

However, about 95% of manufacturer's who make drives ship them with the cable select setting as default. There are also many proprietary units that are shipped using cable select settings. Therefore, I would give it a try.

I don't think it is useful only to Compaq because I have had others that would not work on Master/Slave and they did work on Cable Select. I have also had the reverse happen. You have to decide, just wanted to shed a little light on my experience with Cable Select and how it can be very useful in certain situations.

05-30-2007, 04:32 AM	#1 (permalink)
Changeling Registered User Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: UK Posts: 423 OS: XP, Waiting for Vista serivce pack 1 before I commit.	System won't boot Ok Ok its my turn to ask for help. I have two HDD and two DVD drives. If I connect up all 4 the system takes ages to start then says it can't see the boot sector. "invalid system disk" etc. All IDE cables checked with known good cables. master/slave jumpers checked and rechecked. If I disconnect just one of the drives so I have primary master and any two others then the system starts normally. Board Abit KD7 CPU athlon 2200 HDD1 Western digital 160gig HDD2 Western digital 80 gig __________________ If it ain't broke don't fix it! Last edited by Changeling; 05-30-2007 at 04:33 AM.

05-30-2007, 04:35 AM	#2 (permalink)
chauffeur2 Manager Emeritus Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Adelaide, South Australia Posts: 10,180 OS: Xp Sp3 with all updates + Vista™ Ultimate SP1. My System	Re: System won't boot Howdy, "invalid system disc" means that there is a disc in one of the CD/DVD's...pull it out and it should boot. (or even a floppy if you have one) Regards, __________________ Dave T. Submit New Articles If it works, Don't fix it! Especially if Bill Gates had anything to do with it!!

05-30-2007, 05:07 AM	#3 (permalink)
Changeling Registered User Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: UK Posts: 423 OS: XP, Waiting for Vista serivce pack 1 before I commit.	Re: System won't boot Nope thats not it. Both DVD drives are empty. Further it would require a bootable CD. and the system would prompt for boot from CDROM. __________________ If it ain't broke don't fix it!

05-30-2007, 05:32 AM	#4 (permalink)
chauffeur2 Manager Emeritus Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Adelaide, South Australia Posts: 10,180 OS: Xp Sp3 with all updates + Vista™ Ultimate SP1. My System	Re: System won't boot Please don't think I'm trying to tell you to 'suck eggs'...but I'm trying to cover all bases here. Are the HDD's connected on the same IDE and plugged into IDE0 on the board. Regards, __________________ Dave T. Submit New Articles If it works, Don't fix it! Especially if Bill Gates had anything to do with it!!

05-30-2007, 05:56 AM	#5 (permalink)
Tumbleweed36 Asst Manager Hardware Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Posts: 18,026 OS: XP Professional	Re: System won't boot Clarification please. You said it would run three fine. Will it run the two hard drives and one CD and work fine, or are you only unplugging one hard drive for it to work properly? Trying to find if it is the hard drive scenario that is the problem or just having four drives. __________________ ---------- I don't receive email notifications of replies to subscribed threads. (Internet provider policy) Therefore, if I don't respond to your post within 24 hours, please send me a reminder PM and include the link to your thread.

05-30-2007, 05:58 AM	#6 (permalink)
Tumbleweed36 Asst Manager Hardware Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Posts: 18,026 OS: XP Professional	Re: System won't boot Is it possible that either the Boot Order or the Hard Drive Priority (if this board has one) is defaulting to the hard drive without the OS on it when they are both connected? Might be worth a look to hook it all up, then enter the Bios setup menu and check that one and make sure you have it listed to the one with the OS when both are hooked up. Stranger things have happened. In this case (if that is possible), the board would default to the one drive hooked up if you have only one hard drive connected. __________________ ---------- I don't receive email notifications of replies to subscribed threads. (Internet provider policy) Therefore, if I don't respond to your post within 24 hours, please send me a reminder PM and include the link to your thread. Last edited by Tumbleweed36; 05-30-2007 at 06:00 AM.

05-30-2007, 06:45 AM	#7 (permalink)
Changeling Registered User Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: UK Posts: 423 OS: XP, Waiting for Vista serivce pack 1 before I commit.	Re: System won't boot I can only use three ide devices. All permutations tried. bios currently set to boot from IDE0 all other options are disabled. Current thinking is the mainboard IDE controler is on its way out. __________________ If it ain't broke don't fix it!

05-30-2007, 07:13 AM	#8 (permalink)
Tumbleweed36 Asst Manager Hardware Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Posts: 18,026 OS: XP Professional	Re: System won't boot You might be correct on that one about the IDE controller. Might be worth a shot to try the drives as Cable Select and see if that helps. Reload the chipset drivers to see if that helps..........I am grasping at straws, but will keep thinking. __________________ ---------- I don't receive email notifications of replies to subscribed threads. (Internet provider policy) Therefore, if I don't respond to your post within 24 hours, please send me a reminder PM and include the link to your thread.

05-30-2007, 07:29 AM	#9 (permalink)
hwm54112 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 2,233 OS: WINXP	Re: System won't boot I agree with tumble on this. If it's a via chipset, check for new drivers. One of their chipsets had an issue with serialization of the primary ide controller on an abit board that exhibted this symptom. Don't know what that means though

05-30-2007, 08:18 AM	#10 (permalink)
Changeling Registered User Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: UK Posts: 423 OS: XP, Waiting for Vista serivce pack 1 before I commit.	Re: System won't boot Coooo now that is worth knowing thanks. As it turns out I do have an Abit board with a via chipset. For the record. The cable select setting was designed for and exclusive to Compaq PC's. That is to say that the CS setting may work on other PC's but in the main if it aint a Compaq don't bother. It was one of those clever ideas that never really caught on. __________________ If it ain't broke don't fix it! Last edited by Changeling; 05-30-2007 at 08:21 AM.

05-30-2007, 01:30 PM	#11 (permalink)
Tumbleweed36 Asst Manager Hardware Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Posts: 18,026 OS: XP Professional	Re: System won't boot I do know for a fact that it does work on other computers and I had never heard (lots of things I haven't heard) who it was designed for. However, about 95% of manufacturer's who make drives ship them with the cable select setting as default. There are also many proprietary units that are shipped using cable select settings. Therefore, I would give it a try. I don't think it is useful only to Compaq because I have had others that would not work on Master/Slave and they did work on Cable Select. I have also had the reverse happen. You have to decide, just wanted to shed a little light on my experience with Cable Select and how it can be very useful in certain situations. __________________ ---------- I don't receive email notifications of replies to subscribed threads. (Internet provider policy) Therefore, if I don't respond to your post within 24 hours, please send me a reminder PM and include the link to your thread.