IDE2 not working properly

[slappy]

Hi people. I've got a real stumper here.

8 months ago my mobo fried and I had it replaced with a cheap board (M7VIG400) by an even cheaper tech. Everything worked. OK. Now I'm going to add another hdd so I open the case and see my hdd connected to IDE2 and my cd-rom and cd-rw connected to IDE1. No problem, I'll just switch them. Turn power off. Do the switch. Turn power back on. Now the problem. No post. Just black screen. Comp powers up but get nothing. Remove one of my cd's and everything works fine. Bios is set to auto and sees everything. For some reason I cannot put two devices on IDE2. Tried every combination (including no hdd), every jumper setting, and new cables.

Any clues people?

[Cricket]

Try clearing the CMOS and then connect up the drives the way you want them.

What kind of cables are you using? 40 wire or 80 wire IDE ribbon cables?

:) Cricket

[slappy]

hi cricket

using 80 wire. will try clearing cmos and let you know the results.

thanks

[slappy]

cleared cmos. reinstalled devices and no go. I have to remove one device on IDE2 to boot. I did notice a popup that said my norton autoprotect driver is not loading but I don't think this is the problem because whatever is happenning is happening before the post. Anymore suggenstions?

[oryx]

In the bios try changing the auto setting to none for the second CD-ROM. I think the second device will still be detected by Windows if that gets you by the post. You'll have to set the bios setting and power down before you reattach the second CD-ROM.

[slappy]

hi oryx

did what you suggested and no go. let me check a few things and tell me if i'm wrong.

When you power up the bios chip reads the mbr and if everything is ok the system posts and then the boot info is loaded to ram and the boot process continues. As this problem is before post, perhaps i have a corrupted mbr. What do you think?

[oryx]

When you power up the bios chip reads the mbr and if everything is ok the system posts and then the boot info is loaded to ram and the boot process continues. As this problem is before post, perhaps i have a corrupted mbr. What do you think?

Don't think your problem is due to a corrupted mbr. Only after the system successfully posts (i.e. writes messages to the screen), does it look for a bootable device. You did say you could boot when only 1 CD-ROM is connected. The problem is when you connect both of them.

All of this still suggests a jumpering problem. What kind of optical devices (manufacturer) are you using? They may not get along with each other or may have some odd jumpering requirements.

[slappy]

the devices are generic (cd-rom and cd-rw) and work together ok on ide1. switch to ide2 with same settings and nothing. either device works ok alone. i'm getting very confused.

[slappy]

Thanks People!
I think the problem is with the mobo as everything else has failed. Going back to the supplier to see if he will own up to it.
Great forum. Thanks again!