2 IDE + 2 SATA

wdEvA · 28 Oct 2006 at 12:35

hey guys, i currently have 2 IDE HDDs and 2 Sata HDDs,

i would like to use one of my sata(raptor) as my primary drive, but it seems that if i were to connect 2 IDEs, one of them must be primary?

So i can only have1 IDE when i use a Sata for primary?

Thanks..

squiffy · 28 Oct 2006 at 12:36

If you mean boot, then look in the BIOS. You should be able to move drive boot priority up and down. In this case put your optical drive first, then the raptor. That way you can do a fresh install. After the install move the raptor to the first boot option.

wdEvA · 28 Oct 2006 at 12:42

i'm able to use my raptor when i only connect 1 IDE..

here is what happens:

When i connect all 4 HDDs with the OS in the raptor, during POST

it will only detect 3 HDDS,

Primary IDE Master: (Blank)
Primary IDE Slave : xxx HDD
Secondary IDE Master: DVD writer
Secondary IDE Slave: CD Writer
SATA1: Raptor
Sate2: xxx HDD

and it will keep on loading on the windows load screen..

both IDE HDDs are set to slave by jumpers..

rpstewart · 28 Oct 2006 at 12:50

OK, you're getting confused with the terminology here and as a result setting things up wrong.

What you need to do is set the Raptor as the boot drive - the boot priority needs to have SATA1 first.

The IDE drives then need to be set up as one master and one slave on the primary IDE channel - this is not the same as the boot drive, it's just the first IDE channel on the board.

hp7909 · 28 Oct 2006 at 12:51

wdEvA said:
{snip}So i can only have1 IDE when i use a Sata for primary?

Don't think so. First off, most mobos I've used/encountered address the SATA hard disk independently e.g. as first, second, etc & not primary & secondary (which they use to address IDE devices). Second, as said, if you look in the BIOS there should also be another option to arrange the order of HDs, i.e. Hard Disk Configuration or something in the Boot menu.

hp7909 · 28 Oct 2006 at 13:01

wdEvA said:
{snip}both IDE HDDs are set to slave by jumpers..

That's your problem right there. One hard disk has to be 'Master' via the jumper & the other one 'Slave'. You can put the jumpers on both to 'Cable Select' & then according to how they are connected on the IDE cable, one will be (Primary) master & the other slave.

Then in the BIOS under Boot menu (might be different on your mobo), make sure the hard disk you want to boot is the main or first among the other hard disks, then under Boot priority it should be one of the options along with Optical drive, removable storage, etc & NOT any of the other hard disk (IDE nor SATA)

wdEvA · 28 Oct 2006 at 13:23

okie problem solved! thanks guys!! din know about the boot piority thing..
Btw i've always havea problem when changing the OS from 1 disk to another..

When i first installed my OS into my raptor, the boot was on the raptor, but another partition in another HDD is labelled System, is this also caused by the boot piority?