Boot device priority not respected on Asus P7P55D-E

petejigsaw · 15 Oct 2010 at 14:16

I have a new PCS machine running the P7P55D-E motherboard, into which I have now put a Crucial C300 64GB SSD as the boot/OS drive.

The SSD is connected to one of the SATA3 6GB ports on the mobo and is running using the Windows 7 native drivers rather than Marvell.

All is well and the PC boots and runs OK. However, when I connect additional HDDs to the SATA2 ports on the mobo, the system refuses to boot. Checking the BIOS reveals that as soon as additional HDDs are connected, the 'boot device priority' gets changed from the previous set-up of:

1. DVD Drive
2. SDD
3. Removable Device

to:

1. DVD Drive
2. 1st HDD
3. Removable Device

In other words, the SSD is removed from the boot device priority list rendering the machine useless. The BIOS doesn't allow the option to configure it back again.

Is there an issue with such a configuration, or a way around this so as to make sure that the boot device list remains unaltered when additional HDDs are connected?

I need to use the SATA3 port to maximise the C300s read speeds so don't want to have to concede it to a SATA2 port just to get the system running properly!

All SATA devices are set to ACHI mode, the Marvell Controller in BIOS is set as enabled and the SATA3 port is enabled at 6GB/s.

It seems that the BIOS is unable to include the SATA3 ports within the normal boot device priority list, so dumps them if SATA3 connections are found. Surely the six SATA2 and two SATA3 ports should be usable together in any combination???????

Any ideas on what's going on?

Reality|Bites · 15 Oct 2010 at 14:39

In the bios,

Boot menu.

You will have boot priority and hard disk drives as the first two sub menus yes?

select hard disk drives

press enter on hdd 1 and select you ssd.

Cosimo · 15 Oct 2010 at 14:45

3 drives are available to boot from:
HD
CD
Removable
It can only be one of each type which is normal.
The hard drive you select must be the first one in the hard drive option in the boot menu.

So go:
Boot Menu
Hard Disk Drives
Set your SSD to be the 1st drive.
You will now be able to select the SSD as your HD for booting in the boot priority menu.

petejigsaw · 15 Oct 2010 at 15:25

Thanks Guys

However, I don't have a 'Boot Menu' > 'Hard Drives' option!

I simply have:

1. 'Boot Device Priority'
2. 'Boot Settings Config'
3. 'Security'

2 and 3 are not relevant, and 1 only contains the option to move DVD, removable and HDD around in the boot priority.

As far as can see, there is no way of making sure the SSD is the top of the listed hard drives........or am I being dim?

Arghhhhhhhh!!!!!!

Orcvader · 15 Oct 2010 at 15:28

Maybe it's under the Boot Settings Config? The SSD Might've been placed under the list of HDDs.

petejigsaw · 15 Oct 2010 at 15:42

Thanks Orxvader

Just had a good look through the BIOS manual online and there is certainly no option of 'Hard Disk Drives' within the 'Boot Settings Config' submenu either........

Have I got a pup pof a motherboard that won't allow the SATA3 ports to be specified as bootable if SATA2 HDDs exist as well.........?

:mad:

Cosimo · 15 Oct 2010 at 15:48

petejigsaw said:
Thanks Orxvader

Just had a good look through the BIOS manual online and there is certainly no option of 'Hard Disk Drives' within the 'Boot Settings Config' submenu either........

Have I got a pup pof a motherboard that won't allow the SATA3 ports to be specified as bootable if SATA2 HDDs exist as well.........?

It's not in the manual but is in the bios, have a look.

Greebo · 15 Oct 2010 at 16:18

On your first hdd screen where you set ide/raid and everything it will list your hard drives.

It could be that once your hdd are added, the ssd is no longer 1st hard drive but if you select 1st harddrive on your boot priorities you should be able to change it to 2nd,3rd etc so change it to match whatever the system is reporting the ssd as.

Cosimo · 15 Oct 2010 at 16:31

I'm surprised that your boot menu isn't similar to this :

CDROM drives and Security may be missing.