Win2k, Abit BE6-II & ATA-66

[BladeRunner 0]

Hi people,

OK, up until thirty minutes ago I had a fully functioning Win2k installation.

I still do to a degree.

I have just replaced my old motherboard with an Abit BE6-II.

This part of the installation went OK, Win2k detected all the new hardware devices and runs fine.

However I have 2 ATA-66 HD's so I want to use the on-board ATA-66 controller (It's a Hot Rod 66)

On the first boot Win2k detected this controller and installed all the required drivers from the floppy I got with the MB.

However, now when I attach my HD's to the ATA-66 controller WIn2k hangs on boot-up at the 'Starting Windows screen'

It wont go in Safe Mode either.

If I remove the drives from the ATA-66 controller and plug tem back into the standard IDE controllers it boots fine, hence I can get to this page and type this message

Anybody give me any clues?

 

Thanks in advance

[rbarbier 0]

Doesn't the BE6-2 have the HPT366 onboard? Maybe that is your problem. You are using the wrong drivers for the board. Use the newest drivers on hpt site for the HPT366. This should help you. Also check Abit site for the newest bios for this board.

http://www.abit.com.tw/english/download/index.htm

http://www.highpoint-tech.com/Index-4.htm

 

 

 

 

[This message has been edited by rbarbier (edited 11 April 2000).]

[BladeRunner 0]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply.

No go, still nothing, still just hangs on boot-up.

Neither High-Point or Abit mention Windows2000 installation.

They give instructions as if I was using the add-in card.

Followed them totally.

What I did:

 

Installed new Motherboard, attached HD's to on-board ATA-33 controller.

Booted into Windows2000.

New hardware detected, installed drivers from the High-Point floppy disk included with MB.

Prompted to re-boot PC, did so.

On re-boot the second ATA-66 controller was detected.

Prompted for drivers again, installed, re-booted when prompted.

Allowed Windows 2000 to load, got message 'Windows has finished setting up your new hardware'.

Powered down PC, moved HD's from ATA-33 controller to ATA-66 controller using the correct cable and cable configuration etc.

Switched PC on, went into BIOS, set second bootable option to ATA-66 controller.

ATA-66 BIOS screen shows both my HD's.

Windows 2000 start loading, hangs at 'starting Windows' screen.

Safe mode, hangs at the VGA 'Starting Windows' screen.

 

Eeegads, I go through all the hassle of choosing my MB (see massive thread) and then hit problems

 

Cheers for any input.

[Crash99 0]

Your best bet is to do a clean install of win2k w/ the hardrive attached to the regular ide channel, then after its running, install the hpt drivers for win2k. After they are installed, then switch the hard drive over to the ultra 66 controller...try to leave cdrom devices on the regular ide channels...fyi, I have the same mobo, the performance gain is minimal if any at all...when it worked for me, it took a little longer for win2k to boot...I ended up disabling them in the bios b/c there were too many conflicts between my s/b live and scsi card that was already there, and it just wasn't as fast...also, I tried to get to you on the last thread, but you had already left

[Pagongski 0]

Dont give up just yet, blade, since i was one of the culprits that made you go Abit. :-)

Is your hd a Western Digital one by any chance? I ask this because the WD hds can have the ATA66 on/off, so that might cause a problem when you try to change it to the ATA66 controller without having the ATA66 option turned on in the hd. (you can turn it on/off using the disk at Western Dig site, the tools disk they have, forgot the exact name)

Something like that happened with my BP6, everything is fine now and this is what i did:

- clean win2k install, connect your ATA66 hd on the ATA66 controller, no other hds connected, cdrom on normal ide cable and controller.

- boot from the win2k cd, watch out for the message on that bottom white bar asking if you want to install a third party SCSI or RAID card, press F6.

- eventually, the win2k installation will ask you to insert the drivers on diskette for the controller you want to add, that will be the hot rod66 diskette that comes with the board. :-)

- from then on its simple, install win2k as usual, the hd will be recognized normally and everything will work. hopefully.

 

Let us now if you still have problems, ok?

[Pagongski 0]

Another thing...crash99 said the performance difference on the regular ide and the ata66 is minimal, its not that minimal on some systems, like mine.

That problem you (crash99) had with your sblive i had too, its because you cant plug any pci cards that use irqs, on the 3rd pci slot because it conflicts with the ATA66 controller. The ATA66 controller shares the irqs that the 3rd pci slot uses too. :-) Its a simple fix, i had that problem, my sblive didnt work well at all, i found out about that sharing problem and just switched the sb to the 4th pci slot, everything worked fine from then on.

ATA66 boosts speed access quite a bit if your hd is ata66 capable (btw, blade, is your hd ATA66 capable?? if it isnt then theres your answer to all your problems)

[Crash99 0]

actually, aside from the pci conflict slot 3, i still had probs b/c I had it filled w/ cards...once I solved the ultra66 conflict, my decoder card conflicted w/ the sb live, then the scsi card conflicted w/ the sb live...talk about a field day...eventually i just built a 2nd machine and put the scsi card and decoder card in that one...had every slot filled before that, much more spacious now...anyways, hope bladerunner is up and running now

[BladeRunner 0]

Hello people,

Due to now, after a re-format of the HD's, having a non-working PC, I've had to wait until I get into work before posting

CUrrent status is:

Totally wiped PC.

My Windows98 installation now seems to be OK, installed it with the HD's attached to the standard IDE controller.

Installed the Win9x drivers, moved the HD's over to the ATA-66 controller, all works.

Problem now is again with Win2000.

Boot from the CD & Press F6 when prompted to install other drivers.

I get to a screen that says 'please insert the manufacturers floppy disk containing updated drivers'

Do this, it lists the High-Point as a device it will install.

Continue.

I get to the Blue Screen with White writing saying Windows2000 Setup, Windows2000 Setup will now Start Windows.

The HD LED stays constantly on, but it doesn't progress any further than this.

 

I had picked up from the manual that slot3 shares IRQ's with the High-Point.

My configuration is:

AGP Slot - Matrox G400 Max

PCI Slot 1 - Adaptec 2940UW

PCI Slot 2 - SB Live! Value

PCI Slot 3 - Empty

PCI Slot 4 - Intel Pro 10/100 Network Card

 

Both my HD's are ATA-66 compatible.

A 22GB 7,200rpm IBM & a 13GB 5,400rpm Western Digital.

I checked on the Western Digital web page, and according to their specs this drive comes ATA-66 enabled.

I'm pretty confident that the hardware is connected correctly and both drives are ATA-66 complient & enabled due to Win98 now working fine.

 

Your further help greatly apprechiated

All in all the ABit board does seem good.

Solid build etc.

Just these dang ATA-66 Controllers

[rbarbier 0]

Try turning off Plug&Play os. Maybe there is a conflict with the Video card and the HPT366. Try this and let me know if it works. Maybe an irq problem. Can you set it manually in the bios? Not to sure. Never tried but let me know if this works please.

[BladeRunner 0]

My lunch hour is now over, so I guess it's time for a progress report

 

OK, tried disabling 'Plug & Play OS' in the BIOS still hangs at the same point.

Tried removing all cards not needed for installation, SB Live! & Intel Pro Network card removed, still hangs at same point.

I did have the Western Digital set as master (Due to wanting Win98 using the smallest drive) and the IBM as slave.

Decided that Win98 really wasn't needed.

Swapped Slave/Master configuration, and zapped both disks.

Setup still hanging at same point.

Have confirmed the IBM unit is ATA-66.

I ran the Western Digital HD checker utility.

This confirmed both that the drive was indeed ATA-66 compatible and it's current status was ATA-66 enabled.

The ATA-66 controller BIOS does correctly identify both HD's.

Then, for reasons unknown to me, I decided to detach the Western Digital drive from the chain.

With just the IBM unit attached the Windows 2000 setup program DOES continue past the point where it was hanging.

I didn't have time to run a full installation, but I did get to the point where it was asking about partitions and format types, a lot further than before.

I have no warranty on the Western Digital unit, but it looks like this might be faulty??

What I am hoping is:

I install Windows 2000 onto my IBM disk.

Once this is all set-up, I simply re-attach the Western Digital unit and away we go.

Anyone think this will/wont work?

 

Once again people of this forum, thank you for your ideas and help.

[BladeRunner 0]

As an after-thought.

[BladeRunner 0]

As an after-thought.

I have both the primary & secondary IDE channels disabled.

Not required as all my CD/ZIP devices are SCSI.

The ATA-66 controller has two channels, maybe I should consider placing the Western Digital as Master on the second channel by itself?

Not that I have a spare cable to try this, but one could soon be purchased.

[rbarbier 0]

What cable are you using for the WD drive? Make sure it is the right cable for UDMA66. I heard that WD (when UDMA66 first came out) didn't supply the correct cable for UDMA66 and this gave people problems.

[BladeRunner 0]

A special cable for UDMA-66??

Didn't know you needed any kind of special cable.

<joke> You have to keep in good spirits when things don't go according to plan

 

Well, I'm back up and running.

It's funny what was said in the last post about 'The Correct Cable' and Western Digital HD's.

I'm using the UDMA-66 cable that came with the ABit board, but I thought they were all the same.

However, as soon as I re-attach the ATA-66 confirmed & enabled HD to my chain, the PC goes back to hanging at starting Windows.

As soon as I remove it, and just have my IBM alone on the chain, Windows boots perfectly and everything runs fine.

Thanks to all who posted your ideas about the problems I was having.

All your posts helped.

Last question I guess.

What do you think is more likely to be the problem I'm having:

1. A faulty ATA-66 cable

2. The Western Digital Drive is dodgy.

 

I've kind of thought I'm now going to have to buy another HD, think I'll go for IBM again, but of course I'd rather spend £8 on a cable than £100+ on a new HD.

 

Thanks again.

[Pagongski 0]

I would get a new HD. :-( The WD hd is probably the one to blame, i have one myself and it was hell getting my system up running after i changed motherboard (i am back on my be6-ii too with a P3-550). WD hds are very sensitive or something, they dont get along with many people, i guess. :-)

When i have the chance i am going to change hds too. shhh, hope my hd doesnt hear this talk.

But i think you can get the system running with both hds if you use the IBM for boot on the first channel (primary) and then connect the WD on the secondary ata66. Make sure you watch the jumpers on the hds!! The WD is very very picky on this! ANd go to HPT66 bios (ctrl-H) and check which is the boot drive.

tells us if it works.