Mobile rack issue

BIOS update, EIDE card, or overlay software? (FAQ Hard disk recognition)
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Maxix
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Hey guys,

I have digitus 5,25" HDD rack.
AWARD bios (more details in next post).

Bios just dont seem to like this new hardware. I pluged rack into HD connetion, the one main hd was on.

I am in dead end here, what do you suggest?
Bios update?

tnx

m.
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Maxix
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Here we go:

I have digitus 5,25" HDD rack.
Award DIOS v6.0
on
ASUS A7V-E ACPI BIOS Revision 1002b
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soupy
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Why not start by giving us a product link for the HDD rack?
Flash your BIOS at your own risk.
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Maxix
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soupy wrote:Why not start by giving us a product link for the HDD rack?
Yes, sorry.

Producer: www.digitus.de
but I think you wont find much there.

Out of the manual:
Model:
ATA66/100(K)1F
Suports:
3.5"/2.5" HDD, LS-120, MO, Zip etc...
Connetcions:
4 pin for power and I/O cable (IDE cable or ULTRA WIDE SCSI cable) - the same thing as for plain hard drive.

I dont get it, it is the same thing as plain HD, so why it is not recognized?

S**t... ;-(
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soupy
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Does the HDD work without the rack?
Flash your BIOS at your own risk.
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Maxix
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soupy wrote:Does the HDD work without the rack?
Yep.
It works now, but it still escapes me why the hack Red Hat HDD is not recognized.

I run Win 98SE on one HDD and Linux on the other one. Win boots up, Linux doesn't.
In bios linux HDD is not recognized, it takes 5-10s if I set it to probe it manually...

Should I upgrade bios?

To sum up, rack is working, HDD is recognized (the one Win is on), but not the HDD on which linux is installed...
Wonders never stop...
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soupy
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Ok, so you're using the rack to swap hard drives, right?

Are both drives exactly the same? Is your HDD configuration set to AUTO/LBA?
Flash your BIOS at your own risk.
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Maxix
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soupy wrote:Ok, so you're using the rack to swap hard drives, right?

Are both drives exactly the same? Is your HDD configuration set to AUTO/LBA?
Yes, I am using rack to swap HDDs.

No, they are not exactly the same, one is Western Digital , the other is Quantum Fireball.

Yes, in bios, configuration is set to AUTO/LBA.

I am starting to think this rack thing was not such a good idea...
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Maxix
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soupy wrote:Ok, so you're using the rack to swap hard drives, right?

Are both drives exactly the same? Is your HDD configuration set to AUTO/LBA?
One more detail:
HDD are not read by bios even if they are not plugged in via rack (apart from the one win is on).
First I thought master/slave jumpers were to blame, but now I tried both HDD (the one with red and another blank one) with jumpers set to master, but they are not detected by bios...

Thank you.
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soupy
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Ok, let's clarify again, because I'm getting confused.

You have a Windows HDD. What is it, and what size? Does it work in the rack? Does it work on it's own?

You have a Linux HDD. What is it, and what size? Does it work in the rack? Does it work on it's own?

Are there any other HDDs involved, or just the two?
Flash your BIOS at your own risk.
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Maxix
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soupy wrote:Ok, let's clarify again, because I'm getting confused.

You have a Windows HDD. What is it, and what size? Does it work in the rack? Does it work on it's own?
Yes, Quantum Fireball 30GB.It works in the rack and it works on its own, as master hdd.

soupy wrote: You have a Linux HDD. What is it, and what size? Does it work in the rack? Does it work on it's own?
Western Digital 6GB. Its not detected by bios when set as master. Not working on its own via rack nor on its own...
soupy wrote: Are there any other HDDs involved, or just the two?
Yes, one more, blank. Formated to FAT 32, Western Digital 4.3GB.
Doesnt work on its own as master, it is not detected by bios when set as master, not on its own nor via rack.
When set as slave, it works just fine...

Tnx 4 your time, really.
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KachiWachi
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I think it's time to go back to the basics.

Remove all the drives and the rack.
Test each drive by itself, on each motherboard port, set as both master and slave.
Try another HDD ribbon cable.
If the drives all work by themselves, try combinations of master/slave on the same port.

I would set AUTO/AUTO in the BIOS...in case one of the drives isn't LBA for some reason...

I'm thinking the Quantum is OK...what about slave mode though?
The 6GB Western might be dead...what about slave mode though?
The 4.3GB Western might be crippled, since it works as slave (again...connected to the port or to a master?).

Once the drives and motherboard ports are verified, then add the rack.

Some drives also might not like working with others, dependant on their position as master or slave, since the slave drive utilizes the masters controller in order to work in that position.

Also remember that the master "should" be on the end of the cable, with the slave in the "middle" of the cable. The "longer" end of the cable "should" be connected to the motherboard port. Pin 1 is "usually" the one closest to the power connector. The cables should also be 18" (if I remember correctly??) maximum, even though there are longer ones sold, and "may" work perfectly fine in any given instance...
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Maxix
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KachiWachi wrote:
The 4.3GB Western might be crippled, since it works as slave (again...connected to the port or to a master?).

Some drives also might not like working with others, dependant on their position as master or slave, since the slave drive utilizes the masters controller in order to work in that position.

Also remember that the master "should" be on the end of the cable, with the slave in the "middle" of the cable. The "longer" end of the cable "should" be connected to the motherboard port. Pin 1 is "usually" the one closest to the power connector.
Yes, 4.3 Western is done for, it is not working as master, SMART function in bios found an error...

Also, your detailed info on how hdds should be connected was very helpful. I didn't know master hdd should be at the end of a cable. Tnx!

It is working now, rack is in place and slave hdd is set and master hdds are all working (all 3 of them).

Tnx guys!!
Thats the second time I got quality answeres and help here. Respect to you all.

Cheers.

m.
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KachiWachi
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See IDE/ATA Configuration and Cabling - Single, Master and Slave Drives and Jumpering and Standard (40-Conductor) IDE/ATA Cables at The PC Guide...always a great source of info for me...

...though I thought that there was another reason for the master being at the end of the cable...something about one run "not" being connected between the 2 connectors closest together... I'll have to go look where I saw that.

Glad everything is now working :D !!
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