[mythtv-users] OT: Boot Failure Follow-up

Michael T. Dean mtdean at thirdcontact.com
Sun Mar 5 21:53:00 UTC 2006


On 03/05/2006 02:41 PM, Mercury Morris wrote:

>I removed the original A8N-SLI Deluxe motherboard and installed a new one.
>
>The same error occurred!  Unbelievably, the BIOS on the new motherboard
>still saw only the First SATA Master hard disk, and not the second one!
>
>So, I replaced the SATA signal cable between the second hard disk and the
>motherboard, and the problem went away.
>
>The lesson I learned from this experience is:  When the BIOS doesn't see
>all the hard disks, try replacing the cables first.  It's much easier than
>replacing a motherboard.
>

I was helping a friend diagnose a failed hard drive on his Myth box just 
over a year ago.  I concluded the drive's electronics got fried since 
the BIOS wouldn't even recognize the drive.  So he went out and bought 
what turned out to be a $200 IDE cable that came with a free 300GB HDD.  
:)  That was the first time in my life I've ever seen an IDE cable just 
"die" while a system was running (gave up in the middle of a football 
game he was recording/watching with a group of people).

At least in his case, he could continue to use the old drive and just 
add the new one.  Using two motherboards is more expensive--that 
involves buying new CPU, RAM, HDD, ...

Mike


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