Shuttle SS51 problems.. please help

[Neal]

hello, I cannot install an OS onto my shuttle SS51.. here are the specs
Shuttle SS51
1.7 P4
512mb corsair xms2700 ram
40gb seagate barracuda IV HD
samsung 32x/16x cd-rw/dvd combo
floppy
ati radeon 7500le 64 mb

anyways when I try to install an OS.. the computer won't boot from either floppy or cd drive.. I have tried everything (different cd drives) different os's and nothing works..

could it be a bad ide controller on the motherboard?
has anyone else had similar problems with their shuttle ss51?

please help..
thanks

 

[Zepper]

I'm assuming this is a new system you just built and you have double and triple checked all your cables and connector pins (make sure none are bent or missing (pin 20 on IDE should always be missing). If those are OK, clear CMOS (w/ ac cord unplugged from wall or AC switch on PSU turned off (if there is one)), power on, go directly into BIOS and make sure settings are correct--do no OCing at this point use std. NOT turbo settings. Exit and save BIOS settings. See if it won't boot from floppy now (of course you have all settings in BIOS related to FD properly set, right).
.bh..

 

[Neal]

yup.. everything is connected properly and all th settings in bios are standard..
any other tips?

 

[foofoo]

hi,
i have a similar system, ss51, p4 1.8a, 512 samsung, gainward gf4ti4200, toshiba cdrw/dvd, wd120se.
mine worked fine right off with no problems.
is the cdrw set to master? (some mbds like intel wont look for slave if master isnt present).
does the bios see the cdrw drive?

 

[Zepper]

You didn't mention whether you had cleared CMOS per my last post and any other specific directions in your manual or mfr's web site?

 

[Neal]

yup.. I have cleared the cmos.. I think the ide controller may be bad?
when I turn on the computer bios recognizes the drives .. but i tried installing a HD with windows already on it and when you get into windows, the HD shows up but the cd drive is not found..

 

[Neal]

oh yea both the HD and cd-rw/dvd drive are set as masters.. all the cables are secure and in the proper direction

 

[foofoo]

hi,
have you done the usual things?
try the cdrw in another machine to see if it works?
swap cable between cd and hd to see if it's the cable (or possibly the ide channel)?

if it makes it into windows and doesnt error out than it's most likely something like a bad cdrw or cable.
if the hd that you are booting with is running win 200/xp try looking into the event viewer and see if you are getting any errors on your ide controllers. most ide chipset problems show up there and get an event written to the log.
good luck.

 

[Neal]

hey thanks... I havent tried swapping the cd-rw.. I will try that today but it is getting power and sounds like it is reading the disk.. it just never shows up in windows (when I swapped in a HD with win98 already installed) the HD is on the primary channel and cd-rw on secondary channel.. so I have pretty much narrowed it down to be an IDE controller problem (unfortunately I cannot check the long since it has win98).... I will be checking the HD in another computer now.. and report back...

also I am pretty sure its not a cable/jumper error as I have double checked everything.. I have built quite a few systems and never had a problem so I guess we'll see..

does anyone know how newegg's return policy is?

BTW I had it looked at by an "expert" and they think it is an IDE controller as they swapped in another cd-drive and still couldn't get it working

thanks!

 

[foofoo]

i've had to rma a few or more things to newegg before. including a mb with a bad ide controller. they are fast and reasonable. if that's it, you shouldnt have any problem.
you might try using a "regular" 80 pin ide cable. maybe the one they sent is bad?
good luck.