Plextor SATA drive

[clocker]

Just received the parts for a customer build.
Included is a Plextor SATA DVD-RW.
Could not install Windows using the drive as XP "could not find" the CD-ROM.
OK...no biggie, just added an IDE CD-ROM and all proceeded normally.
With Windows in place, the PATA drive was removed and the Plextor reinstalled.

Machine will not boot to Windows.
She'll POST, but just hangs interminably at the Windows screen with the progress bar crawling endlessly.

We can find nothing in the BIOS (Chaintech VNF4-Ultra) that looks relevant for enabling a SATA optical drive.

Any ideas?

[bigdawgfoxx]

wtf...thats really wierd that changing the optical drive is causing it not to boot. Maybe the first boot device is the optical drive, and when it looks for it it doesnt work, so it doesnt boot. Im sure you have changed the boot order though. Thats really wierd....does chaintech have a support number?

[clocker]

We searched Chaintech for a new BIOS, but the Plextor is so new that I wasn't surprised to see that there was no specific info regarding SATA optical support.
Today we'll have to see if Plextor has any info regarding this issue.
I had a similar (but less dire) problem when I tried to run my optical drives on Serrilelle SATA/PATA adaptors...I could not boot from the drive, but once Windows was installed they seemed to be fine.

As SATA will increasingly replace PATA, I expect that more folks will run into this issue and workarounds will be found.

[lynx]

Plextor's Sata Compatability List (http://plextor.com/english/support/media_712SA.htm)
Sorry, Chaintech mobo's aren't on there.

[clocker]

While that is true, the site also says that simply not appearing on the list doesn't mean the drive won't work, just that they haven't tested it yet.

The point has become moot anyway.
We are going to upgrade the board to the Gigabyte SLI model (already ordered, will arrive Tues.), so we can go through all this again next week.
If he still has issues with the Plextor I'll swap him out for an IDE burner and try it on my machine.

Sometimes being the new-tech guinea pig has it's advantages.

[Snee]

I think I've asked this before, but I thought chaintech produced some pretty cheap, and not very good mobos, have I gotten that wrong, or is that something that has changed only in the last few years or so?

[clocker]

I don't know, Snny, but personal experience has not been good.
The customer requested that specific board so that's what he got.
Other than the SATA drive problem his PC was working just fine.

My experience with Chaintech is much worse.
I tried a Zenith edition of the ZNF3 and it was fine until it stopped turning off.
Windows would close and the monitor powers down, but the the PC continues to run.
Swapped PSUs and it still does the same thing.

Chaintech tech support had no good ideas so we agreed to RMA the board.
In order to RMA to Chaintech they demand a $6 MO to cover shipping AND a $35 MO in case the request is frivolous and they determine nothing is wrong.
The shipping seems reasonable enough ( I guess), but the "penalty fee" is ludicrous and insulting.
I am still negotiating, but have already decided that unless they waive the fee I'll eat the board ( and try it out on another setup ) and stop ordering their products.
Not that I'm a volume buyer or anything, so my decision will have no monetary impact on their sales, but it'll save me time and energy.

Live and learn.

[j2k4]

Live and learn.

I read that part in a manual somewhere...

[Snee]

Thanks for that, I'll keep avoiding them then.

It's a shame 'cos you can buy them very cheap here. But I guess there's a reason for the low price, like I thought.

[Virtualbody1234]

Live and learn.
Thanks clocker. Always a ton of stuff to learn. I guess that's a good thing. It keeps me out of trouble (mostly).

[clocker]

I think it's important to remember that alot of this stuff is still very new and (as usual) we are considered as beta testers.

Unlike socketA, which had matured through several generations and folks had a pretty reasonable idea of the good stuff/bad stuff, the new chipsets are still uncharted territory and compatability issues are bound to occur.

All we can do is try 'em and see what happens.