ECS 945-M3 (V 1.0a) - Any Hard Drive as Primary Slave - reports errors

[timez]

Hi,

 

I have a very strange problem.

 

I hope someone can help with this - This is for my own personal PC.

 

I have an ECS 945G-M3 (V 1.0a) Motherboard.

 

http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWebSite/Pro...uID=24&LanID=0

 

 

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I have two Pata (IDE) Hard Drives -(Samsung SP1604N and SP1604N/R) but whichever one i have as Primary Slave - will report errors (bad sectors) in the hard drive manufactures diagnostic program and also smart errors in windows etc.

 

If i put it as Master - It works fine.

 

There is only one IDE connector on the motherboard - therefore 2 devices (Master and Slave)

 

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Windows reports no errors - if i use chkdsk - it doesnt find a single bad sector (neither does any other program - only the manufactures diagnostic program) - also the hard drive is very slow in the diagnostic program compared to the one at master position - once into windows it seems it gets its full speed back again.

 

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As i say - swapping the two drives Master / Slave position - results in the new drive as slave reporting the exact same errors - and the new one as master - reports no errors any more

 

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Things ive tried...

 

* Using a new IDE cable - no change

 

* Putting the 'slave' drive - where master would go on the cable (the end) - no change

 

* Using a drive from another computer (not a samsung) - no change

 

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My thought is the controller has devolped a fault - and has given up being able to work a slave drive

 

I am looking into getting a PCI IDE Controller card to work around the problem - the adapters seem to slow them down and its going to be a FSX (Flight Simulator X) Drive.

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Below are some screenshots of a drive as slave from HD Tune - as i say - its not the hard drive - as putting any other drive as slave (or using a new IDE cable) - results in the exact same problem)

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]1718[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]1721[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]1720[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]1719[/ATTACH]

 

 

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Thank you so much if you can help me and hopefully wont need to get the PCI card? Or should I?

 

Timez

Edited November 7, 2012 by timez

[KenB]

Hi,

 

I have deleted your other duplicate post.

 

A strange problem indeed.

 

Your IDE cable - is it 80 or 40 wires ?

 

When you connect the drives I assume that you have the jumpers set appropriately to Master and Slave ?

 

Have you tried the CS ( Cable Select ) option ?

 

Try taking the CMOS battery out for 2 mins and re-setting the BIOS to defaults.

[timez]

IDE Cable is an 80 Pin one.

 

Yes hard drives were correctlly set as master / slave.

 

I tried cable select for both (and thats what it is on atm) - but exactlly the same issue.

 

- I will reset the bios later and let you know what happend.

 

(do i have to mess about with the cmos battery? - cant i use the reset cmos jumper instead? - thats how i normally reset the bios)

 

Thank you.

 

Timez

Edited November 8, 2012 by timez

[KenB]

cant i use the reset cmos jumper instead?

Yes - no problem :)

[timez]

Reseting the BIOS had - zero - effect :(

 

Time to order the PCI IDE Controller?

 

Timez

[KenB]

Time to order the PCI IDE Controller?

I can't think of anything else that it might be.

It would be worth giving this a try.

You will probably need a 2 port one ?

[timez]

It does come with two ports.

 

But as Master works fine on the motherboard port, I was going to keep Master there - And use what is now slave on the PCI card.

 

So as not to over tax one or the other - hopefully for speed purposes.

 

Unless you think it would be faster having both Hard drives on the two ports on the PCI card?

 

Timez

[KenB]

Unless you think it would be faster having both Hard drives on the two ports on the PCI card?

I don't think you would notice a difference - it is worth trying though.

[timez]

It may be just over a week before i can get it - but i will reply to this thread and let you know if it worked - and whats faster etc.

 

Thank you for your help :)

 

Timez