EX85-UD5: drives not detected in BIOS setup

EvanOfCaerleon

EvanOfCaerleon

EvanOfCaerleon

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[I posted this at a Gigabyte-users forum and then I remembered this forum, so trying here too, OCUK support has been first-class, it's just a little tricky with new BIOS versions and perhaps older profiles]

I've flashed the latest BIOS from the thread and I'm applying an overclocking profile from a USB stick

That works fine but now I can't select a drive to boot from, my hard drives are not appearing in the set Boot Priority menu

Before I hit the Reset BIOS button at the rear of the motherboard, cautious, has anyone seen this or any ideas please?

Peter

Normally with BIOS on optimised defaults, my IDE and USB drives are listed as discovered in BIOS setup
DrivesNormallyListed.png




My boot drive (and another drive on another IDE channel) is on channel 5 for some reason - but normally the IDE drives are working fine like this
2.png




After applying an overclocking profile I see only the USB stick (used to apply a profile) - but no other drives to select to boot from
NoIDE_Drives.png


[and a follow-up to a reply]

First of all, do not apply any overclock profile from a previous BIOS onto a new BIOS.

I checked with support at overclockers.co.uk who supplied the guaranteed overclocked bundle, support there tells me that I can flash to the latest BIOS and their profile will work with the latest BIOS

The drives are not being found by BIOS so I cannot boot from my normal boot drive

Load optimized defaults, then save and apply and reboot back to the BIOS. Then you will need to manually tweak and find new overclock settings per this BIOS as they all differ and could need more or less of any given voltage or setting, and may also have new settings not available in previous BIOSes, which is why you should not use old saved profiles on a new BIOS

Thanks lsd. [excellent helpful chap at the tweaktown forums] I do get a 'Voltages have been changed, cannot proceed' error (shot below) but I expect that because the OCUK profile does change voltages and frequencies

you should not use old saved profiles on a new BIOS

Generally yes one shouldn't, at least not without getting advice from say overclockers.co.uk who created the overclocked bundle in the first place

A profile is just a database of BIOS settings. They could read the settings out to me over the phone or send them in a template by mail - but that's why we have downloadable profiles for USB sticks

In this system my drives were detected while the BIOS was running the same profile I received form OCUK, the backup overclocked profile. Now they're not being detected

Does anyone know if a BIOS profile writes over a default profile in all settings, or does it do something like replace all cat words with dog - selective replacing or writing over, that's what I would like to know

Then if profiles write over all parameters/settings, I'll know that the latest BIOS is doing something

Which BIOS was current when I got the system in May last I wonder, shipped to me 28th May 2009. Then I can replace the current BIOS with that original BIOS and everything should work again at 4GHz

be sure you set your SATA Settings in Integrated peripherals properly before going into the Hard Disk Boot menu. If you use RAID, then you will need to set RAID in advanced [age, then save and apply and reboot back to the BIOS, then you will find your array in the disk priority list

I don't run SATA drives, only IDE and USB: and you can see in the shot above that BIOS does identify the hard drives IDE and USB in the default BIOS profile. Load an overclocked profile, drives go missing

I'm wondering how an overclocking profile could cause IDE and some external USB drives to be unidentified by BIOS, whereas the USB stick/drive connected directly to the motherboard is discovered

Peter

bootfailure.png
 
Try connecting the HDDs to the blue SATA ports and not the white ones. See if that solves your problem.

EDIT: Actually, before you do that, once you have applied the OC profile go into the BIOS > INTERGRATED PERIPHERALS and scroll down to ONBOARD SATA/IDE DEVICE, make sure this is set to ENABLE and that it is in IDE mode. If it is/was set to DISABLE then this would explain why the motherboard was not recognising the HHDs. I would still use the blue SATA ports though.

2ND EDIT: Going by your screenshots doesn't it say that you are using a BIOS version numbered F9k??? The latest non-BETA version is F7 so perhaps it would be an idea to flash back to this? I couldn't even see a version F9k on Gigabytes website, just the BETA F9e.
 
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There are load of people using F9k BIOS for the UD5, I can't see it being the cause of this, it's more than likely what you have explained in your 2nd edit that is the cause of his problem..

I had a similar issue with my Dad's PC, and that's how I sorted his out.

I've been using F9e BIOS since it first came out a few months ago, and it's solid, much better than F7, I don't know why there hasn't been an F9 final released yet.
 
I just mentioned changing the BIOS version as a last resort really - should have been more clear. I know many people are using F9e without issues but tbh it is the first time I have seen or heard of version F9k and that is why it raised my suspicions. As I said earlier, it is not even listed on the Gigabyte bios download page.
 
Yep.... on Gigabyte's bios page the latest is F9Beta so best to go back to the proven F7 bios unless someone can come up with a fix and point me towards a reliable bios upload site?
 
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Looks like the PATA controller is disabled by the overclock profile. You'll need to locate that and turn it back on. You're not looking for IDE - boith SATA and PATA are IDE, you're looking for PATA.

It may well interfere with the overclock. Is this a new build or an existing system?

From the manual;

SATA RAID/AHCI Mode
Enables or disables RAID for the SATA controllers or configures the SATA controllers to AHCI mode.
Disabled Disables RAID for the SATA controllers and configures the SATA controllers to PATA mode. (Default)
AHCI Configures the SATA controllers to AHCI mode. Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI) is an interface specification that allows the storage driver to enable advanced Serial ATA features such as Native Command Queuing and hot plug.
RAID Enables RAID for the SATA controllers.

Onboard SATA/IDE Device (GIGABYTE SATA2 Chip)
Enables or disables the IDE and SATA controllers integrated in the GIGABYTE SATA 2 chip.
(Default: Enabled)

Onboard SATA/IDE Ctrl Mode (GIGABYTE SATA2 Chip)
Allows you to decide whether to configure the SATA controller to AHCI mode.
IDE Configures the SATA controller to PATA mode. (Default)
AHCI Configures the SATA controller to AHCI mode.

So it looks like the post from ejr22 is 100% correct - Gigabyte are now calling PATA IDE as well, it's confusing people!
 
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Thanks all

I've done as you suggested EJ and flashed back to F7, hit Optimised Defaults, loaded the OCUK profile

Now all the USB and IDE drives are recognised (I only have IDE and USB drives, no SATA device connected)

But I get the 'NTLDR is missing, hit Ctrl Alt Del'

Now I know that the MBR is not found or recognised so I pop in the Win7 DVD and ask BIOS to boot up from the Win7 DVD so I can do a Repair Windows

Aaaggh I'm back in the original Groove of Doom where I can't get the motherboard to boot from the Win7 DVD to do a Repair. Other people report this problem (unable to boot from DVD) and I've had the problem on other motherboards, successfully booting from a DVD is hit and miss - or in this case not happening

I'm back (on F7) on optimised defaults to report back :)

After flashing back to F7, I now see all my drives listed and DMI Pool Data = Update Success

But- I can't boot to the Win7 DVD to Repair my Win7 install even though I've set BIOS to boot from CD-ROM (I think it's called in BIOS, rather than CD/DVD)

Onboard SATA/IDE drives is enabled and IDE mode is enabled so I'm not sure about PATA settings sorry but I'll check that if the Win7 repair can't be done because I can't boot from the Win7 DVD - that's a plan of action if I can get that working. I have Acronis Trueimage Home 2010 installed, I should mention that, but I don't think I've enabled the boot-time rescue check (I suspect that the Acronis function messes with the MBR)

Peter
 
You need to change your HDD boot device order - at the moment it's trying to boot from something else.
 
I have taken this direct from the Gigabyte UD5 User Manual so hopefully it helps. You say you are only using IDE, right? The UD5 only supports 2 IDE devices and they have to connect to a single (the only) IDE controller. As it says below, you will have to do some fiddling with the jumpers to get it configured correctly.
captureek.png


Also, this was taken from your HDD User Manual:
capturek.png


I know that there is an option to set HDDs to LBA mode, so you probably should try that. In fact, the 2nd picture of the BIOS screen that you have posted is where you can do this - just highlight the drive and press enter, you should be given 3 options, one of which is LBA.

Link to HDD User Manual: http://www.wdc.com/en/library/eide/2779-001001.pdf?wdc_lang=en
Link to UD5 User Manual: http://europe.giga-byte.com/FileList/Manual/motherboard_manual_ga-ex58-ud5(p)_e.pdf

It might be worth trying to dig out your DVD drive's manual also to see if there is any other settings to change which might help resolve this issue? It is an IDE connection? If so you will have to connect just one HDD because, as below, the UD5 can only support 2 IDE devices simultaneously without extra hardware:
capturehb.png



That's all I've got for now. Good luck!
 
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You need to change your HDD boot device order - at the moment it's trying to boot from something else.

That's configured ok, all options set to boot from CD-ROM 1st 2nd and 3rd. Other people have told me that this is hit and miss for them too, booting from DVD. I also had this problem sometimes on other motherboards. When that works you get a 'Press any key to boot from CD' timing-out message, which I do not get, the system boots from the IDE hard drive

Thanks EJ that's very interesting. Hard to figure why this has appeared though. I'm on the same BIOS, same overclocking profile and the drives worked without any trouble earlier

I have taken this direct from the Gigabyte UD5 User Manual so hopefully it helps. You say you are only using IDE, right? The UD5 only supports 2 IDE devices and they have to connect to a single (the only) IDE controller. As it says below, you will have to do some fiddling with the jumpers to get it configured correctly.

That's how the drives are connected and working fine on an optimised profile :)

I'd hit the BIOS reset switch at the rear of the motherboard when I couldn't boot up after I enabled hyperthreading which caused crashes. That's how this got started-

I already have (and you could not have known) the two IDE hard drives connected as in the manual. I've had the bundle since May 2009 and the drives have always been connected like this and working ok, see the shot below please

I hope you can see that I don't want to add any complications while I'm trying things, I'm safe on F7 and the computer is running fine on optimised defaults. If I select the OCUK overclocking profile I get the NTLDR error which I know is a problem finding a drive to boot from - my motherboard-connected IDE drives and external USB drives are not recognised in BIOS so- nothing to boot to

If I can get BIOS to boot from the DVD I can find out if Windows Repair can fix the MBR and everything may be ok. If I change settings for IDE drives that can work normally on the motherboard IDE connector I might open up a can of cybernetic death-worms :)

One thing you've turned up though EJ thanks. It may not mean anything but I notice now that I've got a SATA cable connected, to an external USB/SATA drive connected to the backplate. Nothing's connected to that mobo cable but I'd better take it out not to complicate things, and try again tomorrow

Much appreciated is your help all, thanks!

Peter

IDEcable.png
 
When you say it's set to boot from the CD-ROM 1st, 2nd and 3rd - when does it boot from the HDD?

Also - there is a second set of settings to set the HDD boot order - if you have something plugged into the USB port you may need to adjust that as well.
 
This may sound patronising (not my intention) but when the "Press any key to boot from CD/DVD" prompt is displayed are you doing so?

If not, do so.

If so, make sure that you have the option USB Keyboard Function in the BIOS set to ENABLE. If you are using a wireless keyboard this might also be a problem so you should try and source a wired alternative just until we've got to the bottom of this.

Just for our reference, could you also DISABLE the Full Screen LOGO Show option in the BIOS and take some photos (perhaps a video) of what is displayed during POST - I'm not sure if this will help but it's worth a go.

Side note: I'm surprised that it even attempts to boots from the HDD if all 3 boot priority options are set to CD/DVD! Perhaps it defaults to any available device if nothing is detected in the 1st, 2nd & 3rd choice Boot Device list??

2nd Side note:
EvanOfCaerleon said:
the computer is running fine on optimised defaults
Click to expand...
Why not, with the help of the forum/OcUK staff, just set up a new overclock profile? It would probably be the quickest way to solve this problem (although it would not explain it).

3rd (and last) Side note:
EvanOfCaerleon said:
I'd hit the BIOS reset switch at the rear of the motherboard when I couldn't boot up after I enabled hyperthreading which caused crashes.
Click to expand...
If I have understood this correctly you were sold an i7 Overclocked Bundle with Hyperthreading DISABLED? I would be disappointed if that was the case - unless it was made perfectly clear to me that it would be so. If HT is disabled then, in certain situations, it is not capable of operating at "Maximum Speed" as advertised. I would investigate this further if I were you.
 
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This may sound patronising (not my intention) but when the "Press any key to boot from CD/DVD" prompt is displayed are you doing so?

No it doesn't sound at all patronising EJ, you can't know what I know or see what I'm doing and thanks. The thing is- I do not see that message. I know about the message, as I said above-
That's configured ok, all options set to boot from CD-ROM 1st 2nd and 3rd. Other people have told me that this is hit and miss for them too, booting from DVD. I also had this problem sometimes on other motherboards. When that works you get a 'Press any key to boot from CD' timing-out message, which I do not get, the system boots from the IDE hard drive
Click to expand...

Side note: I'm surprised that it even attempts to boots from the HDD if all 3 boot priority options are set to CD/DVD! Perhaps it defaults to any available device if nothing is detected in the 1st, 2nd & 3rd choice Boot Device list??

Same here it's a mystery. To be solved :)

If I have understood this correctly you were sold an i7 Overclocked Bundle with Hyperthreading DISABLED? I would be disappointed if that was the case - unless it was made perfectly clear to me that it would be so. If HT is disabled then, in certain situations, it is not capable of operating at "Maximum Speed" as advertised. I would investigate this further if I were you.

The bundle worked fine and was really fast, highly recommended (and I've been getting kit from OC for years). Then a few months in after a crash in a game (Rise of Flight) someone said to disable hyperthreading. That seemed to fix it. Maybe I've got that mixed up with multi-threading. It's working fine now with hyperthreading enabled in BIOS. If the game crashes I won't disable hyperthreading I'll first ask for advice from you guys

Thanks ever so much for helping out EJ, much appreciated

In the end I followed lsdmeasap's BIOS-tweaking advice at the TweakTown Gigabyte forum and the motherboard is running fine again and cool and with all drives recognised. The final profile has lots of tweaks. I discarded the provided OC profile (in which the drives vanished) and tweaked the optimised profile following a template provided by lsd

Beers all round thanks! And Happy Christmas to you and yours! :)

Peter

LSDsSettingsFirstRun.png
 
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