New install, sata- format-os,install, reboot NO HDD

[Fuzz]

New SATA install > format > OS install > reboot >> NO HDD. WTFF

Does this sound like a borked raptor to you guys..

Backstory,
A few days ago the audio driver vanished into thin air for no apparent reason (no hardware or software changes or updates).
O.S disc goes in to attempt an "XP repair"
After repair, Initial boot is ok but as soon as the XP splash screen appears the thing falls over and restarts.
ad infinitum until I give in and turn off

So, onto tonights attempt at a full format and re-install
O.S disc in again, F6 the thing so it allows me to install the RAID/SATA drivers (got off the intel site just now for the specific Motherboard)
Installs them fine.
accept agreement, chose unpartitioned space to place XP on and formats NTFS fine.
Starts installing files and folders and then says ready to reboot.
Remove the floppy and reboot
BIOS splash screen... RAID utility and then a message
"No valid device"

Carries on into windows setup, then "setup did not detect any hard disc present

So it reverts back to the "windows setup" and round we go again..

edit to add, BIOS version is BX97510J.86A.1738.2006.0911.1542 which is the most current one according to intels site.

 

[split]

That just sounds like your boot order.

Looks like you've had fun with this (not).
Bad memory can give you all sorts of file errors, but it normally happens when you install windows as well.

Thinking...make http://www.ubuntu.com/ and boot to it from CD (no install needed) will allow you to see hard drives...not sure on raid tho.

 

[Fuzz]

Boot device priority HDD > DVD > FDD
Boot to optical drives > enabled
Boot to Removable drives > enabled
boot to usb > enabled
Boot to network > disabled

Mem removed and one stick in slot A - 0

Use SATA > enabled
Drive config telling me there is nothing attached to any of the 4 SATA ports.

ATA/IDE is in Legacy (other choice is enhanced)
Although I have no IDE HDD's, just the DVD drive is attached here.

BIOS BOOT Ok
Raid config util sometimes sees it, sometimes says "no device"
This time round it's seen it so using the RAID config menu (F4 during boot) I'm low level formatting the secure drive (i.e the whole thing)

ubuntu dektop downloading

 

[Fuzz]

HOLDS BREATH.. it's actually installing windows now !!

(Took them out of the main machine, stuck them in the another and ran WD data lifeguard.
It found both of them fine, set them both up as additional storage devices.
Then they appeared in the windows environment in that machine.
Put them back in the main machine
The RAID utility found both of them so I thought sod it and made them RAID0 like they used to be.. (32k stripe)

Install so far going to plan !!!

 

[Fuzz]

Managed to reinstall XP and update to a fully working PC.
Since dowloaded HD tune, Memtest etc to get to the bottom of it.

Error checking the HDD brought up nothing and benchmarking them results thus

However, booting into Memtest 2.01 resulted in the machine locking up.
Always good to read the readme AFTER trying to use the program
Anyway, tried again one stick, either stick, both sticks etc.
the machine varied from locking up before starting a mem test to running a test and getting up to 903 errors before again locking up.
Running 2.2 v according to everest @ 4-4-3-9 (CL-RCD-RP-RAS)
Timing selection is > automatic but voltage I've asked for 2.2v as it won't post otherwise.

I've just noticed temps at Idle
Maybe I'm pushing this thing too hard !