# Secondary IDE Drive on Motherboard



## kevinvu99

This is my first time building a computer so i have no other way to fix this problem.  My secondary IDE drive doesn't seem to cooperate.  I try fixing the BIOS, testiing it in the device manager, changing from ultraDMA ribbon to non-ultraDMA ribbon, fixing the drive from slave to master and vice versa, and switching the harddrive from primary to secondary, basically everything.  All i am trying to do is to get the secondary Ide drive to read my dvdrom.  I know that my dvdrom is working properly because i trie switching it to the primary ide drive and it worked.  AFter doing all the switching and testing the message "working properly" still appear so i don't know what the problem is.  Is there any other thing i can try so i can get my it to read my DVD rom thanks in advance and my motherboard is ASUS hope it helps. Please write to me at kevinvu99@yahoo.com thanks


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## zkiller

you should have a primary and a secondary IDE port on your mainboard. each of these have both a master and slave. just make your HDD the master on the primary IDE port and the dvd rom can be the master on the secondary IDE port.


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## kevinvu99

zkiller said:
			
		

> you should have a primary and a secondary IDE port on your mainboard. each of these have both a master and slave. just make your HDD the master on the primary IDE port and the dvd rom can be the master on the secondary IDE port.



Maybe i wasn't being clear in my question.  I have the hdd on the primary ide master, and the cdrw in the primary slave.  I want to put the dvdrom in the secondary ide master but when i boot the computer, the computer did not pick up the dvdrom, it picked upt the hdd and the cdrw thats it.  Is there a way i can fix so that when i boot the comp it will catch the dvdrom.


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## zkiller

did you set your secondary master to "auto" in your bios?


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## kevinvu99

Yes i've done that too.


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## zkiller

does bios find the drive or is it just windows that doesn't see the drive?


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## kevinvu99

The Bios doesn't find DVD drive , but when i check the BIOS and the device manager, they said that the Secondary is working properly.  Thats the problem that i need help on.  If it is working properly it should pick-up the DVD drive auto during boot up, right? But for some reason it doesn't and  that's what get me mad at the stupid ASUS motherboard.


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## zkiller

is the dvd drive the only drive on the secondary ide? if so, make sure that the jumpers on the drive are set properly. try having it set to master and if that doesn't do it, try setting it to cable select. also make sure that in bios the secondary ide is set to auto and not any form of manual configuration.


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## kevinvu99

I think i might have found the problem, i think i need to download another BIOS version because this one might not work.  I have a P4S533-MX Asus motherboard and i tried the bios version 1006 last time i think i should try an older version what do you think zkiller?


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## Rick G

I just ran across your thread and wouold suggest you visit the Asus site and download the newest driver. Not sure about Asus but my MSI has an auto setup for the new bios otherwise make sure you have a new boot disc in dos before loading the new driver.
You didn't mention if there is power to the new dvdd or just not being able to use it?  Does the tray open when it's supposed to? Does it work fully functnial when alone without the other drive?
Also what power supply are you using, is it the right size, please advize and let us know what the specs are on the psu.

Aint buildin a new puter fun? I'm om no. 4 now.


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## kevinvu99

Ok the DVD works fine with the Primary Drive. THE POwer, everything onthe DVDd is working fine also.  And the 1006version of the bios is the newest so i don't think its the bios anymore.  I think its the secondary drive that is being defective. I've tried everything that zkiller told me but its all the same.  the power supply is 300 w and i'm using 115w.


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## zkiller

just a thought... have you tried configuring your drives differently? just swap the dvd and cd drives to where the cd-rom is on the secondary and the dvd-rom on the primary IDE. just to see what happens. just trying to narrow down where the problem is. 

and to answer your question, i don't think an older bios version will solve the problem. the thing about flashing your bios is that it might solve one problem while creating serveral new ones. especially when installing an older version! i advise you not to go this route unless you are 100% confident and knowlegdeable in what your are doing.


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## Rick G

You don't say what and how many devices you have total, but sure you have mobo, floppy, hdd, dvd, dc/rw, video card, sound(?), modem(?) lan(?) etc.  If you are not running a good quality psu, you may br running out of juice when it's all connected.  Possible to try a larger name brand psu? 300 watt usually runs below 300 and your system is close to mine and 350 is barely enough when all devices connected.  Worth a try.


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## kevinvu99

Rick G whatever you just ask me, i have them all. And i will try to change from 115w to 300w to see if it changes anything.  zkiller, i have tried to switch the dvd and the cdr also but then the secondary won't read the cdr.


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## Rick G

If you have all that stuff, there's no way your just using 115 watts, look at my system specs, not to different from yours and I'm running out of power with a high end 350 watt psu. Your cpu takes 100 watts and ram takes a bunch more, each fan takes 5 watts, etc, etc ,etc. You said you were going to switch to a 300 watt psu, do you mean that you have a bigger psu that's not in the computer? Keep in mind that almost all PSU's state the high end of wattage and really run at less, mine is 350 but is actually a 335 and thats a good one. Some psu's are rated at 400 watts and under testing actually put out less than 250. Not my numbers, but from power supply testers and reviewers. I'm really thinking PSU here.

DON"T GIVE UP, learn from all this, thats how we all got edercated in this puter stuff. Trial and error and making mistakes, hang in there Bud!


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## kevinvu99

thanks for all the help Rick G, but i got it to work.  For some reason i took everything apart and put it back again and the dvdr worked this time thanks for all the help


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## kevinvu99

oh i forgot to thank zkiller , thanks man


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## St3baS

*My MOTHERBOARD IS STUFFED*

Hey people i need some help.

a few weeks ago my  computer was acting very stange (file corruption errors and stuff) so i decided to format after a while.

after the format i tried to reinstall windows and it hung.  so i tried again and it worked this time onlyy i couldnt install any thing else 

i tried to backup my information onto another hard drive but it kept resetting every 5 minutes or so. i figured out that if i put both hard drives or hard drive and cd rom on the primary IDE it would work fine but it i try copy from one IDE to another IDE slot it just resets the computer.

Could this be a problem with the motherboards secondary IDE bus.

the motherboard is still under warranty. Will i be eligable for a swap out.

or is my problem something completly diffrent????

oh yes i can copy from primary ide to secondary ide perfectly in PIO mode only.

btw the hard drive has no bad sectors or anything.

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## meanman

sounds like the jumpers on the baqck of your cd and dvd drives are set wrong also the master goes on the end of the ide cable and the slave in the middle of the cable


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