BIOS Not Showing Proper HD Settings? 2

[ErikRP]

I have recently installed a K7SEM mobo.

I am having difficulties with my Fujitsu hard drive (MPE3102AT). I am getting a lot of hanging and freezing, both in Windows and in DOS mode. I started thinking it might be some sort of hard drive problem because the problem seems to appear when I access the drive (but not everytime I do).

So, I ran the Fujitsu diagnostic program and voila, I came up with an error code of B199E3. After a bit of searching of what the codes mean I find out that it is an "other error". D'oh!

I checked my new BIOS and see that the CHS settings do not match the settings that Fujitsu has for my drive. Fujitsu shows:
Cyl H S
MPE3102AT 16,383 16 63 10.2 GB

My BIOS though is showing as:
10248MB 19,857 16 63

The MB total is more or less the same, but could the difference in the cylinders be causing the problem?

Of course, I'd just change the settings and see if that makes the difference, but I can't. I have few choices under the HD Type - User, Auto or Not Installed. Setting to User does not let me change the CHS settings, just LBA, Blk Mode, PIO, 32 Bit mode. I'm not sure why I can't, but nothing lets me get to change those settings. (Note, if I need to clear the CMOS, please advise how I should do this safely. I have heard horror stories about what NOT to do to clear this mobo CMOS.)

My questions are: 1. would the different cylinder settings give me this sort of hanging and 2. why can't I change my CHS settings on this mobo? (There doesn't appear to be anything on the mobo website to say that I can't change CHS manually).

Many thanks!!!

 

[gargouille]

Just set it to Auto and see...doubt it will make performance difference...is it a new hard drive?

Did you load the Sis chipset drivers?
The drivers are very important...well, not as important if you run XP, 'cause XP has lots of native chipset drivers.
But it would remove that from the equation if you used the drivers. What OS?

How much RAM is installed? What's your video card?

There are lots of things that will cause freezes and it's often a RAM or video driver issue.

 

[chaps]

I have found that hanging and freezing is often due to incorrect memory clock, buss, or CPU speeds. You need to go into bios and try under clocking, or do some default settings. I have had problems with some brands of memory- it has to match the board, or be recommended by the manufacturer. Also with the ECS boards you need a good power supply an AMD/P4 Recommended power supply that has at least 20-28 amps on the 3.3-volt rail is often recommend. And you have to have good ventilation and heat sink contact with the processor. It is possible the Bios is not right for your hard drive, but I kind of doubt that is the problem-I would use a boot utility like EZ bios to check it out.

Good Luck!

Mike

 

[ErikRP]

I've loaded the installation disk that came with the mobo, which is the video, audio and LAN drivers. Is that what you're referring to?

No, it's not a new drive, just had its 3 year anniversary.

I have 256Mb RAM, less 64 dedicated or whatever to the onboard video, which is my only source of video, i.e. no AGP card.

I haven't tried switching the RAM from one slot to the other (it's in slot 1 where the store installed it).

I'll try to find a memory tester to confirm that isn't the problem.

I've tried setting it to Auto and I just froze it up trying to reinstall IE 5.5.

Like I said, I don't know how much it matters that the cylinders are set differently in the BIOS than what the HD manufacturer says, but that's where I'm leaning for the answer.

Thanks!

 

[ErikRP]

Hi Chaps,

Thanks for the suggestions. The CPU is overclocked actually came that way. It's a Duron 850 "specially tuned" to be AMD XP1200+. That was done at the factory or wherever, but I have no idea how to change it, if it is even the problem.

As for the power supply, it's a 350Watt unit, but if I read the side of the supply the 3.3V setting is 12amps. I don't know if that's a big problem, but that's the case that they sold me with this mobo.

I'm not sure about using something like EZ Bios. I don't really want something else if I don't need it.

I'm still curious about the cylinders setting...

 

[gargouille]

You were already getting freezing, so doubt that the change to auto detect would cause it...the BIOS should auto detect the drive and see the correct cyl. etc. on its own.
The only thing I'd do with the BIOS is to restore the defaults...there should be a setting to do it...just change to them and exit, making sure you're saving the settings.

Memory tests and others here:

http://www.vml.co.uk/Frameset/Frameset master.htm

The diagnostics are OS specific...just watch which ones you're getting.
You have plenty of ram, as long as you're using default settings in the BIOS.

Freezing is also sometimes OS related...you still don't say but it must be 98 or ME...one way of telling more about what's causing it is to boot to safe mode and do the IE 5.5 reinstall.
If it freezes there, you've likely a hardware issue.

I'd also visit ECS' website to make sure you have the latest drivers for the mobo...and just look and see what the latest BIOS supposedly fixes. Not going there, yet, but that may be in the end one of the suggested fixes.

You may have to revisit the hard drive testing...don't overlook finishing the job...just 'cause it threw you a curve. Bone up on the readme.txt that came with the diagnostics to be sure you understand the test and dont' be satisfied with getting an error and then just stopping when you can't find the error code. If there's an error code...it's not put there to ignore...that's what you're running the tests for in the 1st place.

 

[gargouille]

Another thing to try...right click on the drive in Device Manager and choose properties and enable DMA mode...if it's not. If it is, turn it off.

I'd still visit ECS and download latest chipset drivers...

And, still be interested to know what happens in Safe Mode installing IE 5.5

 

[gargouille]

BTW, the cylinder so on info I'm seeing at Fujitsu site relate to LBA (logical block addressing) mode...which could change things IF your motherboard/BIOS handles large drives...and the drive wasn't formatted with it.

The drive should also appear somewhere in the BIOS as DMA mode 2 or 4...looks like.

I'm leaning farther away from the drive being the problem...I WOULD make sure I'd done the hd testing right before I walked away from it.

Keepin' ya' busy?

LOL

 

[ErikRP]

Whew! Plenty of suggestions, so here's a few thoughts/results...

Changing the BIOS to Auto didn't make things better or worse, and it didn't show the manufacturer's settings - the BIOS still doesn't match what Fujitsu's website shows.

Yes, I'm running Win98, first edition.

There is a newer driver for my BIOS, however I am not sure what has changed in this latest release. It's a pretty new board, so I'm sure that it can support larger hard drives.

There wasn't any documentation that came with Fujitsu's diagnostic test. I ran the test as indicated and came up with an error code. When I looked up the error code it specifically showed it as "Other error". (

http://www.xenex.co.uk/drivers/Diagnostics/hard drives/fujitsu/Status_Code_FJDT1.PDF)

I assume that's their way of saying something is up, but they don't know what. There must be something wrong, but how "wrong" it is, I don't know.

I have tried using Safe Mode. Scandisk let me finish, however I am now trying to use Partition Magic 7 and it is frozen. So it looks like Safe Mode doesn't help things.

Back to the drawing board...

 

[gargouille]

Ummm...followed your link...your hard drive flunked the comprehensive test...yeah, the exact error message is muddy, but it got a failing grade.
1st digit=what test performed=comprehensive (B)
2nd digit=pass/fail/gray=failed (1)
3rd & 4th digit=99=other error (99)
5th digit=type of product model=3rd digit of model name (E)
6th digit=
Well, you get the idea.

 

[ErikRP]

Right, so my hard drive has some "other error", which could be anything as far as I know. I am waiting to hear back from Fujitsu Canada (I'm guessing it won't be soon). So there is SOMEthing wrong with the drive. Now whether that is what is causing the hanging or not, I don't know.

I really don't want to go down this path, but is it possible/likely that a complete low level format of the drive would correct this problem?

 

[chaps]

You can use EZ bios as a test, the utility will tell you all kinds of things about your hard drive. And let you know if the board bios is, or is not compatible with the hard drive. The processor can be underclocked in the bios by reducing your multiplier numbers, or by reducing the buss speed numbers.

Mike

 

[Cindy1]

Do you have a hard drive that you know is good and test it in the computer? If it's locking in safe mode and giving you errors then backup what you can and replace the drive. You should be able to see the correct settings of the drive in the bios. Locking is common in bad hard drives. Good luck and keep us posted.
Cindy

 

[ErikRP]

Chaps - I don't think I can control whether this board is overclocked or not. I'm new to overclocking however I don't have anything in my BIOS that refers to multiplier numbers or anything like that. My only BIOS options are pretty simple things. Someone else familiar with this board with a bit more knowledge might be able to back me up on that.

I will try the EZ Bios and see what if anything new that tells me. Thanks!

Cindy - I was thinking the same thing actually. This hd was actually my secondary. I had a heck of a time trying to install Win98 on my original primary drive (I didn't want to format that drive either). I will try and get rid of the Windows that was on it and use it as a test to see if everything works.

Thanks for the help!

I'm still puzzled as to why my BIOS (which is pretty new) gives me different cylinders settings for a 3 year old HD. Would this cause the sort of problems that I'm experiencing. If it would, does anyone know why I can't change the settings for the CHS portion of the drive information (only LBA, Mode, etc are able to be changed)???

 

[ErikRP]

Ok, now I'm lost.

First of all, EZ-BIOS is impossible to find.

Second, I tried using my old 3GB HD. I erased as much of the old Windows as I could (including the hidden, read-only and system files) and renamed the other folders that I wanted to keep. I disconnected the first drive, tried to boot to this 3GB drive. I could scandisk ok, but when it came to the drive check during the Win98 install it has frozen twice.

I am SO tired of this. 8 days later and I am still not able to figure this out. I suppose it's possible to have problem with 2 drives, but what are the odds? Especially when I didn't have problems prior to this new board. So what could the problem be??? As Windows hasn't even been installed, I don't see that it could be a conflict with too much. This is an all-in-one board and there is nothing else installed. I still haven't checked the RAM, but is that possible? I left the Hardware Monitor running all night and it didn't freeze - that was suggested as a check against bad RAM.

Ideas???

 

[DJPhil]

Wow, you've really run the gamut here. I feel your pain

Pardon if these questions have already been answered, directly or by implication, my browser ability is hampered by being in safe mode. I'm beating on my own problem and file xfering in prep for a slash/burn.

All of the following is HDD or Motherboard(MB) related, as I am assuming(I know, assuming ) your positive error code in HDD testing is at least a priority if not the major problem.
Some thoughts . .
Could this problem be cable/IDE channel related?
Perhaps a cranky MB IDE controler?
Any notable recent potential for an ESD(static electricity) event on the MB or HDD controller (though I suppose there's no wat to tell )?
Is the CMOS setting for the HDD=ATA-66 (UDMA-4) or higher?---If so be SURE you're using an 80 pin cable.
What error codes are there besides 'other'?---Is it safe to rule them out?

Also, about the CHS weirdness . . .
Just went through this way messy dirve recovery. A friend of mine installed win2K on his laptop and in the install process both blanked and began to repartition his firewire 80GB drive. In the process of trying to recover some 55GB of edited video we had to pop the firewire case and hook up the IDE drive inside to a tower to do low level recovery. I ran in to many problems with older systems not being able to address all of the drive geometry. Some capped at 64GB and some at 32GB(?). This apparently has to do with the spec the MB IDE controllers were written for (ATA-66, ATA-100,etc.). I learned a lot about LBA and CHS. The 80GB drive came up with all sorts of strange geometry in different computers (when it came up at all) and I had a difficult time forcing CHS. In the end, I just plain couldn't in fact. There's always the possibility that the controller in the firewire case used some weird geometry or partition scheme.
LBA has been the quicker/easier way to do it for a while and seems to be the rule. If your drive was jive to begin with and kerflopped without cause I doubt it was due to incorrect LBA/CHS settings. You got prime advice from Gargouille about setting your CMOS to auto. Performance probably won't suffer and who needs zoom when you're just trying to make it work. For more on LBA/CHS/UDMA etc. just do a search on Google or whatever engine floats your boat. Me? I can't wait for Serial-ATA to take over.

Hope I helped. I trust if I've botched a detail someone will straighten me out.

DJP

 

[chaps]

Try this:

Go into your bios and try: load optional settings

If the Setup Utility configuration is incorrect, it may cause the system to malfunction. It can even stop your computer booting properly. If it happens, you can use the clear CMOS jumper to clear the CMOS memory which has stored the configuration information, or you can hold down the Page Up key while rebooting your computer. Holding down the Page Up key also clears the setup information.


For this mainboard, you must use 168-pin, 3.3V unbuffered PC100 or PC133 SDRAM memory modules.

The switching power supplier MUST support the specification as the following table for AMD K7 CPUs.

CPU Duron
SPS 150W(min)
+5V 14A(min)

Mike

 

[fluxvoovoo]

I have found it helpful in these situations to run a debug string to clear both the cmos and HDD - then performing manual fdisk/restore etc. A good set of debug strings can be found at the following:

http://www.computerhope.com/rdebug.htm#5

 

[ErikRP]

Chaps, from what the side of my power supply shows, my +5V appears to be 40amps. However my +3.3V side shows as 12 amps. Earlier you said that I should have 28+ amps. What sort of impact would this have on my system? There is a note in my mobo manual about the +5V setting, but nothing about 3.3 that I can see.

I'm curious about my RAM, trying to check that now.

I have a bad feeling that I might be starting to chase shadows - thinking it's everything. I definitely have an error message on one HD, the other looks ok but having problems with it too.

 

[ErikRP]

Just ran the DocMemory RAM Diagnostic (v2.0) and my RAM passed. Any reason why I should continue to be concerned about the RAM?

Oh, and a note about the RAM. The built in video card uses the RAM - up to 64MB, currently set to 16Mb. I've tried varying the amount and nothing seems to change.

The search continues...