BIOS Problem (Maybe) Hardware or Software?

[kennyboy]

Have just bought a new machine, but something is not right with the setup.

Windows loaded ok and all programs too. "My Computer" shows both 160Gb SATA HD's (Not RAID)

Problem is neither Acronis nor Paragon, nor IFD boot disks can see the drives, (although Paragon has no problem seeing them from Windows.) They report that "No useable HD's found"
Is there something in the BIOS that is screwy?
Settings are below:-

Phoenix AwardBios.

MAIN.
Primary IDE Master CD/DVD
Primary IDE Slave None
Secondary IDE Master None
Secondary IDE Slave None
SATA1
SATA2
-------------
ADVANCED
Sata Controller Enabled
Sata Controller Mode IDE
--------------
BOOT DEVICE PRIORITY
1st CD Rom
2nd HD
3rd Removable
4th Disabled

HDD SATA 1
SATA 2

I am out of my depth so would someone kindly advise please

[mbucari1]

there might be a menu called "integrated peripherals" (there is on my gigabyte board). in this menu there should be a place where it says SATA and a next to it a changable option. Right now, it's set to read SATA as IDE, you should change this to RAID. Then save and exit. Upon reboot, theer should be a menu that you have never seen before telling you to push some keys to configure raid. do this and make a raid disk.

Again, this is how it is in my gigabyte board, and the bios in it is the same as the one on a biostar mobo in my father's computer. This may not work for you, but just trying to help.

[lynx]

I think this is more suited to hardware, so I moved it.

Some sata controllers need drivers under all circumstances, others only depending on the configuration. If your system is one that needs drivers it would explain why the software can't see the drives.

If it is prebuilt, you need to specify what system you've got.
Otherwise you need to tell us what motherboard and/or what sata controller it contains. If you've got that info for a prebuilt system please give it. That way we can determine whether your system falls into the driver required category.

[kennyboy]

mbucari1

There is an option to change to RAID but I dont want RAID. I just wanted to get Paragon and Acronis to see the HD's. Thanks anyway.

@lynx.
Sorry for the wrong posting.

I should have given more details of course. Motherboard is an ASUS P5VD2-MX. 2 SATA Seagate 160GB HD's. It was built by a shop here in the Philippines, but they have no idea what they are doing. They just screw things together, but they are all the same here. As it is 2 days travelling from me on another island (the nearest) I am trying to avoid having to go back there as I dont think they could sort it anyway.
I did actually try to setup RAID0 but it failed when I tried to load the SCSI drivers. Got into a right pickle so gave up.
There are 2 RAID controllers on the motherboard, one from VIA and the other from jMicron but as I dont want RAID it shouldnt matter about them.
I am sorry, but I dont know the make of the SATA controller.
Hope this helps. Many thanks to all for your help.

Edit. VIA Serial ATA Controller - 0591 according to Belarc

Edit. Downloaded the Via Controller drivers, but after installing, get message "Failed to Load.....No Change" Done this several times with no result.
Any help?

[Broken]

The hard drives are not being seen in the BIOS?


Phoenix AwardBios.

MAIN.
Primary IDE Master CD/DVD
Primary IDE Slave None
Secondary IDE Master None
Secondary IDE Slave None
SATA1
SATA2