Hard disks diagnostic failure

[dr137@aol.com]

I am still in the process of building a computer using an Asus P5A motherboard with an Amd k-2 500 Cpu. I simply cannot get Auto detect to read either my Hard drive or my Cd rom. POST is run at Boot up but I get None for each device, eventhough there is a hard drive and cd rom in place. I have tried new cables, i have checked my alignment to Pin 1.
This is my 2nd and final motherboard.

Will some out there please tell me what it is I am doing wrong??????
PS the green light to the CD Rom is stay on.

[Gwen]

1. Check that IDE drive jumpers are set to single/master/slave
on the hard drive and CD ROM.
2. Make sure you assign the same positioins in BIOS.

[Budfred]

Actually, your BIOS should probably be set to Autodetect....

The CD light staying on usually seems to mean that the cable is upside down, so check it again.

It is a good idea when you are having problems to go back to barebones and add things one at a time. This helps to narrow down the problem. The keyboard, motherboard, CPU, power, power switch, case speaker, video and one stick of RAM is a good starting point. Make sure all connections are good and jumpers set. Make sure the Clear CMOS jumper is in the right position and the CPU fan is plugged into the motherboard. Boot and see if you get POST (probably since you are already). Add more RAM and try again. If still good, add the floppy drive and try again. If still good, add the hard drive and try again and so on. When you reach something that doesn't work, it is probably the problem. Post back with what you find and more details about your system....

[Whyzman]

If still good, add the floppy drive and try again

At this point I like to use a boot disk and see if it'll take me to the A:

After shutting down and adding the Harddrive I immediately run the Harddrive manufacturer's diagnostic utility...download from their web site...

And, then run a RAM tester before proceeding further...

http://www.simmtester.com/PAGE/products/doc/docinfo.asp

[dr137@aol.com]

dear budfred
thanks for the reply. I like your idea about running the Hardware manufacturer's dx. I assume that I can do this from a floppy as I still have no Operating system up yet because of Hard drive problems. Please advise if this is the correct assumption. thanks a buncy

[Whyzman]

Yes, you can run the diagnostics from the floppy without having an OS installed...

[Budfred]

I am not entirely sure you can run them from anywhere other than the floppy drive. Probably can, but I have never tried...

[mjc]

yes, I have successfully run them from a boot CD (but that is really just a fake floppy) and from the hard drive....but the problem with running them from a hard drive is, if it is the drive with a problem then the diags may not be accessible......

[dr137@aol.com]

Whyzman,
I took your suggestion and went to the web site to get the
Ram Tester downloaded and also tried to get the Hardware Dx Utility from the manufacturer downloaded onto a floppy 1.44mb but the Utility exceeded my drive's capacity. My present computer(the one that is working not the one i'm building) only has a standard floppy drive what do I do in this instance. thanks for your help

Budfred
You mentioned something about seeing that clear the cmos jmper is in the right position. but the Cmos on my mother board is a flat set of chasses and it would be impossible to fit a jumper on.
Can the Cmos be cleared by running a coin over the chasses while the system is powered? Please advise. thanks for your help as well

[Budfred]

You don't load the utility program onto the flopply disk, you use it to make a floppy disk. You may want to go back to that site and read the instructions thoroughly before you begin...

As for running a coin across any components while the system is powered up, PLEASE DO NOT DO THAT!!! You will probably destroy the system at least and you may get thrown across the room in the process. Most motherboards have Clear CMOS jumpers on them, consult your manual to see if you do. It is a simple matter of moving the jumper to the middle and end pin, then moving it back to the first and middle pin (there are 3 pins).

If you don't have Clear CMOS jumpers, you can remove the battery from the motherboard, unplug the computer and press the start button. This should discharge the capacitors and reset the BIOS to defaults.

BTW, I don't know what "chasses" are, what are you referring to??