Detecting Array.....

[backinsac]

Hi, my system specs are:

ECS nForce3-A Revision A1 motherboard; AMD Athlon 64 Processor 3000+ Socket 754 CPU; 2 PATA hard drives on IDE channel 1 as master and slave; 1 ASUS SATA DRW-24B1ST SATA dvd/cd burner; 2 Kingston 512MB DDR (PC3200) memory sticks. The motherboard bios is dated 9-16-05 and it the latest ECS has on their website.

I just installed the Asus dvd burner replacing an older unit. The older units drive door would not open, so it was replaced. The older unit was a PATA device which was installed on IDE channel 2 as master.

After I installed the new Asus burner and rebooted, the system bios was loaded and then I got a black screen with the message "Detecting Array...". This was before windows loaded. Thinking that somehow maybe Raid was enabled, I rebooted and went into bios to check settings. I verified that raid was not enabled.

Also through troubleshooting, I've noticed that when I boot up I get the detecting array message unless I go into bios and load default settings and save. If I do this, the system loads windows and everything is fine. If I start the computer and do not go into the bios settings, I get the detecting array message. If I go into bios, but do not load default settings, then I still get the detecting array message.

Could this be a cmos battery going bad? I do not get any cmos checksum error message nor bad cmos battery message. Also, if I unplus the Asus burner, the computer starts fine. Any input or suggestions are appreciated. Also, sorry for the long message, I am just trying to be thorough.

Thanks,

Cliff Notes:
1) Pata dvd burner not opening, replaced with Sata unit.
2) Now getting "Detecting Array.... message.
3) Can load windows if I go into bios and load default settings.
4) Why is this happening?

 

[Devilpapaya]

1) I'd contact ASUS, sounds like it may be a defective unit and they may have a fix or just send you a new one.
2) Mess around with the SATA controller setting in the BIOS, sometimes devices can be picky about that.
3) Flash the firmware on the dvd drive.

That's about all I can think of at the moment...

 

[KillerBee]

Since you freed up the 2nd channel
you could also try moving the current slave drive to the other channel as master and may notice a performance improvement.

(and hopefully the problem will also magically go away with the new settings)

 

[backinsac]

Thanks guys. Vtx, I'll give that a try tomorrow and see what happens. Devil, I don't think its a Asus drive problem, but I'll contact Asus tomorrow when I get a chance. I'll let you know what happens.

 

[backinsac]

Vtx, thanks man.

I did like you said and the moved the 2nd hard drive from slave on IDE 1 to master on IDE 2 and left everything else the way it was and the problem magically corrected itself. The system boots fine now and no more "detecting array" message.

Thanks again.

 

[KillerBee]

Woohoo - always good to get feedback - especially when something works (magically or not)