I recently installed a new 300W PSU for my Dad, but now I can't get the PC to boot if I connect more than one device per IDE cable. Seeing as how he has 2 HD's and a DVD-ROM this is causing a few problems! If I try to connect 2 HD's to one IDE cable, the BIOS cannot detect either HD; if I try to connect 1 HD with the DVD the same thing happens.
The only way I can boot the system is to have 1 HD on one IDE cable and the DVD on the other IDE cable. I've tried using different power connectors and changing master/slave settings to no avail. The floppy drive is also undetected during bootup. Could the previous PSU failing have caused some damage to the motherboard that prevents the power getting through to all the devices?

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Well why did you replace the old one(PSU)? Quite possible you could have a faulty motherboard, but you cant damage the motherboard with a faulty powersupply, however if the motherboard was faulty idont think any ide device would work. Does both harddrives work when they are hook up separetly? And could you give us more info on your harddrives and operating system/ http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

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Sledgehammer will save the day!

Check that both drives are still jumpered properly and that they are connected to the cable in the proper order, the one jumpered master at the the end and the one jumpered slave in the middle....

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mjc
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Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.

What brand hard drives are you using? I have a 60 gigger Maxtor (which I move around between comps occasionaly) that is always a guessing game as to what the proper jumper setting are. It makes no sense to me but I wind up just guessing till it works.

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When in doubt search on Google

It sounds to me like you have one of the drives on each channel cabled backwards....esp if you have double checked to make sure there is only one master and one slave on ea. channel. Make sure the red stripe on the IDE cable is at pin one on the HD or CD unit [usually next to the power connector].

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XPdidn't save Me !

Thanks for your advice, everyone. I've now got the floppy working (I'd bent 2 of the pins removing the floppy cable)....still no joy with the hard disk. I think I'll try it in another machine next!