8RDA+, problem with IDE channels?

[fourfa]

I'm building a new machine - Athlon XP 2100+ (Tbred B core), EPox 8RDA+ board, 1GB Samsung PC2700 memory, new Maxtor 120GB ATA133 drive with a fresh install of Windows XP Pro (installed via a friend's machine).

Memory checks out OK, board POSTs, can access BIOS. the BIOS recognizes the drive, both in the BIOS screens and in the startup screen. Hard drive has power and spins up. Can boot into DOS on the floppy drive.

HOWEVER: once past the BIOS, it seems unable to boot from anything on the IDE channels. If I boot to DOS, I can't switch directories to the CDROM or HDD. "Not a valid drive" is the result. Won't boot from the HDD (booted fine on my friend's machine). Won't boot from a Windows XP CDROM.

In the BIOS, both IDE channels are enabled. I've tried three different ATA133 IDE cables with no change.

Anything I should look for?

[golfer49]

Make sure hard drive in JUMPERED as MASTER and is on the END of an 80 pin cable, and plugged into IDE 1. Slave deivces should be hooked to the middle connector on any cable and jumpered for slave.

[fourfa]

yep, first thing I checked, no change.

[Áedán]

If you run something like FDISK, does the disk show up in FDISK?

Given that the BIOS autodetects the drives, the IDE channels work. (If the IDE doesn't work, then it wouldn't be able to recognise the drives!) You can try limiting the transfer speed, in case something is going wrong there. (IE, drop the drive to PIO or something slower than UDMA5).

If the drive shows up in FDISK, then the machine is seeing the disk fine.

Áedán

[SteveI]

My first guess would have been jumpers... but since you've already tried that...

I don't have a solution... but a bit of info..
When you boot off floppy what is the floppy's os?
It may explain why you can't access the HDD and CDROM... you would need CDROM drivers loaded, and for the HDD... if it is NTFS, you would need the appropriate boot disks to access that as well.

On the other hand, since you are unable to boot from either device... what errors do you get exactly when you try?

[drewski]

ok, stupid question, but did you fiddle with the boot order settings in bios?