SATA Controller Card Sil3114 Issue

[Spikey217]

So I only have two SATA ports on my mobo that I've exhausted. I needed extra ports so I purchased a SYBA PCI-SATA controller card that used the Silicon Image 3114 chipset. It was delivered today. I installed the card and I can't seem to get it functioning properly.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16815124020

I have a 160GB 7200.9 Seagate that I'd like to run on the card. I just need the card for expansion rather than RAID functions so I installed the base BIOS on Silicon Image's website. I installed the BIOS through the built-in flash option located in the card's property page in the device manager. I installed the proper drivers as well (the latest). When I have the hard drive plugged in, the card recognizes it and it shows up in the Storage Manager as raw. I try to format the drive and set a single primary partition but it fails to format. I've tried quick format which fails. Regular format takes about 15 minutes and ends up failing at the end as well.

I've tried putting a hard drive that is already formated and partitioned onto the controller card but Windows won't recognize the drive as being formatted. If I plug the hard drive back into the mobo's controller, it is recognized properly. If I plug the 7200.9 that won't format properly into the mobo's controller, it will format without problems and work like it should. When formatted and then put back into the Syba controller card, it will not be recognized again.

Anyone have experience with this controller or the Silicon Image 3114 chipset? Anyone know a resolution to the problem? Is it just a bad card?

 

[Spikey217]

up

 

[Spikey217]

Still having trouble...

 

[Severian]

if two different drives have issues on the card, but work fine on the native SATA controllers, then it's either a driver issue, or you do in fact have a bum card......

 

[Spikey217]

The thing is, I thought it was a bum card. So I RMA'd it. I received the replacement today and it's doing the same thing. I've tried every driver imaginable on Silicon Image's website with no luck. Everything seems to install fine. The controller card recognizes the drive but it refuses to format.

I've e-mailed SYBA but still waiting for a response. Are there any other SATA controller chipsets that are relatively inexpensive other than the Sil3112/3114? Non-raid with two ports or four ports.

 

[Severian]

you say you flashed the BIOS of the card, did you try it before flashing the BIOS? maybe try flashing it back to the original BIOS? possibly something went awry during the flash.

I'd also try the card in a different machine, just to make sure this isn't just some idiosyncrasy with your existing hardware

 

[Spikey217]

The original BIOS is a RAID BIOS. I've tried the card with the original BIOS but the hard drive doesn't show up in Windows XP's storage management so I can't format or access it at all.

It gets more interesting. The manual (a tri-folded sheet of paper with directions to install drivers) states that the card can be used in a non-RAID manner with the non-RAID (or as they call it, base) BIOS and base drivers. The package included a cd which doesn't include the base BIOS. SYBA's own website doesn't include the base BIOS. I would like to add that SYBA's drivers that are included on the cd are just old versions of Silicon Image's own drivers that are found on SI's website.

SYBA's website is no help at all. The image they use for the product is different than the product that Newegg ships.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16815124020
http://www.syba.com/product/43/02/05/index.html

Their FAQs are simple with no information. Their "knowledge base" is either under construction or is just empty. They don't seem to answer e-mails quickly as I'm still waiting.

I guess that's what I get for buying a cheap solution. I'll try it on my buddy's computer next week.

Are there any inexpensive but RELIABLE PCI-SATA (two or four port) solutions out there? No RAID functionality needed. I'm just looking for storage expansion.

 

[Spikey217]

bump for alternative chipsets

 

[Spikey217]

bump