AHCI-enabled m/b cannot boot with drive in port 04 or 05

[denbigh1974]

I have a Supermicro m/b X7DWA-N ver 1.1 in a p.c. that was put together in 2008. It sports two Intel Xeon 2.6GHz processors.

The m/b has a 631xESB/632xESB I/O Controller Hub (Enterprise South Bridge 2) that integrates an Ultra ATA 100 Controller, six Serial ATA host controller ports, plus various other controllers.

Up to now, I've always configured the BIOS so that the SATA controller mode is "Compatible" (BIOS automatically detects the SATA and PATA drives and places them in Legacy Mode).

In doing so, I can only install SATA HDD or CD-ROM devices in SATA ports 00, 01, 02 and 03. Drives in ports 04 and/or 05 aren't detected.

I would now like to use ports 04 and 05, so I have set the SATA controller mode to "Enhanced" in the BIOS and enabled SATA AHCI.

However, now when I boot up, I never get past the AHCI controller screen. The screen freezes after ports 00, 01, 02 and 03 are recognised and before HDD in port 04 is recognised. Error code in top right of screen is 23 (see photograph). Only way to boot with AHCI enabled is to remove drive in port 04. How can I get system to boot with AHCI enabled and a drive in port 04?

I have inserted a photo of the screen when it hangs. In this example, I had a Windows 7 boot drive inserted in port 01 and another HDD in port 04.

 

[varkanoid]

First thing I would check is to see if you are on the latest BIOS and if not update it.
Secondly with AHCI enabled is the HDD in port 4 detected if your put it on port 0?

 

[denbigh1974]

First thing I would check is to see if you are on the latest BIOS and if not update it.
Secondly with AHCI enabled is the HDD in port 4 detected if your put it on port 0?

Thanks varkanoid.
I had updated the BIOS but your second point has proved very helpful...

One of the disks, a Maxtor DiamondMax Plus9 120GB SATA (made in 2004) is perhaps causing the problem.

When I install all the drives except the Maxtor then the p.c. seems to boot ok! I have shown the updated screen photo below which is taken just prior to Windows loading.

But when I install the Maxtor HDD, the AHCI controller boot hangs when it reaches the port occupied by the Maxtor drive. (I have tried the Maxtor in port 02 and port 05; same result)

The Maxtor drive works fine in Legacy Mode. Is it possible that an old SATA drive would not load in AHCI mode?

But making progress!...thank you for your assistance

 

[denbigh1974]

Could be my vintage SATA drive that's the problem

One of the disks, a Maxtor DiamondMax Plus9 120GB SATA (made in 2004) is perhaps causing the problem.

The model code on my drive reads as Maxtor YAR51EWO. I don't think this supports AHCI.

On the upside, I now have the AHCI controller loading four HDDs and one DVD-ROM

Will have to buy a new HDD to test the remaining SATA port.

 

[denbigh1974]

Success

Will have to buy a new HDD to test the remaining SATA port.

I bought a Western Digital 'Green' WD5000AZRX.

Now drives in all ports are detected.

I can't boot from the Pioneer DVR215 DVD drive but I can read from it once booted. Apparently this is a known problem with this drive. I tend to use USB flash drives instead of CDs to load software anyway. I think optical drives might be on their way out.