View Full Version : CUV4X + ATA/100 controller card & WIN98SE -> Problems
(NOTE: This was posted recently as a reply to an old thread. I have started a fresh topic with this post to eliminate possible confusion or misunderstandings since it's not exactly related to that thread)
IDE devices:
- 2 Hard drives
- CD-rom
- CD-RW
- LS-120
I tried to install and get to work a Promise Ultra ATA/100 controller card since I recently purchased the CD-RW, but I had some problems:
- My Plextor Manager 2000 CD-RW software would lock-up Win98se upon loading (I had to kill this app for Windows to finish loading the rest of the GUI). Then PM2000 would not work if I tried to use it.
- If I right-clicked on the CD-rom or CD-RW icons no menu would appear and the application would freeze (i.e., if I did this under explorer, Explorer would freeze... if I did this under My Computer then the same thing...). I was then required to kill the app which would appear as "not responding".
This happened with cd discs being and not being loaded in the trays.
Note that these CD drives were on the MOBO ide controller... only the hard
drives were connected to the external controller.
In fact, at some point I just connected the second HD I use for backup on the external controller. I left the first HD that has the OS and all the programs installed on the MOBO controller... same thing.
But if both HDs are connected to the MOBO ide, no problems (?)
I have tried all sorts of things with my ide devices.
Has anyone encountered any problems with these cards?
Anyone can help? (I uninstalled the card now, togther with drivers)
[This message has been edited by rani (edited 04-18-2001).]
The first place I'd look is the IRQ used by the promise card.
Most of the new M/B systems use the promise chip on them for raid 0/ata100
I have one that insists on taking IRQ 10 ( Same as My PCI Scsi card)
Causing the scsi to stop working http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/frown.gif
Even when the Promise is disabled in the bios. ( No Drives attached)
I had to drop back one version on the bios (a7v-133 1004 to 1003)
Also look at the address your on board Ide controller is using.
Then install the promise and look at what it's taking.
I've kept testing things and I have finally found out that there is an issue with the card (the BIOS, it seems) and Plextor Manager 2000.
I have everything installed at the moment, but just my old CD-ROM on the IDE card.
I uninstalled the software (PM2000) and no there were no more problems, so I thought it the culprit. I reinstalled and got the problems back. I can work around that now by not having the HD on the card (but you want the HDs to be on the card, right?... that's the purpose of the card! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/rolleyes.gif )
Everything is just fine now(or so it seems to be). Just some issues with booting. Depending on whether I leave CDs or not in the cd drives, the booting process hangs just after the card finishes doing its BIOS detect. I still have to troubleshoot this and see how to get around it.
But there is no more locking up of the GUI when loading windows and the right-click-on-cd-icon problems are also gone.
I think this has to do with the fact that PM2000 installs some shell extensions. I'm not sure about the jargon here, but in any case, PM2000 gives you what it calls "enhanced properties" of the drive. They appear as extra info tabs that you have if you right-click on the icon and select 'properties'.
So there's some incompatibility between the promise BIOS and whatever the program is invoking when you open it or when you right click on the CD icons.
BTW, I don't have a promise chip on my MOBO. It's a VIA chip.
The card is using irq #5 and it's not sharing it with anything else.
I wouldn't know what to look for exactly when you mention the address the onboard controller is taking. Is that the I/O range that I can get from msinfo32 ?
How would I use this info to troubleshoot my situation?
I have the latest BIOS versions on both MOBO and ide card. I noticed you had to go back one version of the A7v.
Anyway, I'll keep on checking and doing stuff. I think I can get around this one way or another. If you let me know about the memory address info and how to use it, I'll appreciate it.
See you later
[This message has been edited by rani (edited 04-20-2001).]
[This message has been edited by rani (edited 04-20-2001).]
The chip on the M/B and the one on the card are basically the same chip.
When I have it disabled in the bios. ( and not causing a problem with my scsi card)
It still as resources reserved but will not show up in device manager.
When it does cause the scsi to crash and is active.( But still disabled in bios)
I have found that it has the address range and IRQ of my pci scsi card.
Hence the reason for the crash.
I'm inclined to think this is a pure bios problem. ( Plug And Pray )
When you have it installed and the device and or program fails.
Check the address and IRQ look for conflicts.
I used system information program to find my conflict .
I have no Idea how to force it onto another address. Again Plug and Pray
When you have it installed and the device and or program fails.
Check the address and IRQ look for conflicts.
I used system information program to find my conflict.
I have looked into MSINFO32.EXE. Is this the system info you're talking about?
Under components -> storage I can see a lot of info in relation to the IDE controller card and the IDE bus master, primary and secondary onboard controllers.
I have not compared them, though. I suppose this is what you are telling me to do: uninstall the card + drivers and check the info of the onboard controllers... then install the card and check it again... and see if there is any conflict; one taking the address range of the other or whatever.
So I assume that when you say that your SCSI and IDE controller use the same address or irq (or both) you have seen this info and have detected an overlap somewhere. (right?... I'm still trying to grasp and LEARN how to use the info for troubleshooting)
I'm gonna do that right now (I won't uninstall initially... I'll see).
However, the problem I experience is when this particular program (Plextor Manager 2000) is installed. How does this relate to the address range and irq's of the hardware?
I'll check anyway and if I find anything worth noting I'll post it here.
One more thing in relation to plug and pray: I have swapped the card from one slot to another. In the first slot I was getting an error caused by msgsrv32.exe every time I shutdown or rebooted the machine. It didn't seem to cause any problems though... it would just pop up and say that an eror had occurred.. and I would click on ignore and the shutdown would proceed normally. In the second slot this doesn't occur.
Would it help to change the card again to another pci slot and see what happens? (I have 1 more left)
Thanks.
[This message has been edited by rani (edited 04-21-2001).]
Ok, I have done the checking...
The primary and secondary onboard controllers have a different IO range and IRQ. This is very clear from the info (in fact, where one finishes, the other one starts).
However, the card has some other info:
IRQ: 5 Mask: xFFFF
IO Range: Base=xB400 End=xB407 Min=x0000 Max=xFFFF Alias=xFF, Decode=x00
Base=xB000 End=xB003 Min=x0000 Max=xFFFF Alias=xFF, Decode=x00
Base=xA800 End=xA807 Min=x0000 Max=xFFFF Alias=xFF, Decode=x00
Base=xA400 End=xA403 Min=x0000 Max=xFFFF Alias=xFF, Decode=x00
Base=xA000 End=xA03F Min=x0000 Max=xFFFF Alias=xFF, Decode=x00
Memory Address Range: Base= xED800000 End= xED81FFFF
Min= x00000000 Max= xFFFFFFFF
Base= x000D0000 End= x000D3FFF
Min= x000D0000 Max= x000D3FFF
The I/O range for Base and End of the onboard IDEs and the card are different, but the Min and Max values for the card seem to cover all possible values, which obviously overlap those of the onboard controllers. (I think I'm interpreting this properly)
...but the onboard IDEs DO NOT have a Memory Address Range as the card does... (why ?)
That's all I can understand from this.
The Via chip in my system is starting the IDE at 01F and up.
The promise is stating at 800.
The same starting address as the SCSI card I have.
In your case everything looks correct.
The cause of the lockup/failure may be just the program.
I hate to say it.
But it may be easier to try a reinstall of you Plextor Manager 2000 CD-RW software.
The only thing I have found with the cd-rw I have is .
It insists on being the Master drive not the slave.
No matter what channel I put it on
Sorry I can't be of any help here http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/frown.gif
You've been of good help already. Thanks very much.
You say that I don't have a memory conflict... ok, I'll take that. That's one less thing to worry about for me, so that's good help.
I have uninstalled the software twice and have tested the system without having the software. In this case there are no problems.
As soon as I install PM2000 I experience the problem of lockup as described in earlier posts... but remember!: if, and only if, one or both of the hard drives is attached to the Promise card (i.e., if it loads its BIOS).
That's all I have to say.
In your case, I would suggest contacting VIATECH, but I have contacted them several times (for reasons other that those discussed here) and have never received a reply from them!... pretty crappy support, huh?
So that's something you probably can't rely on.
I wish I could offer you some suggestions.
How about tech support from the CD-RW manufacturer?
How is that of always being Master? So you change the jumper on the drive and it still appears as Master?
What about tech support from the SCSI card and/or MOBO manufacturers ?
(I've tried support from Plextor, Promise and ASUS... and have got answers from all of them... not very "helpful" in most cases, but I have got answers back... both by email and by phone when I have called directly)
I'll be checking back soon. Hope you can eventually fix your problem.
I hear you and know what you mean about Tech support from Via.
Still waiting for the reply to one on my first via chipset. (486) no answer.
I have a cure for my setup. Trash the Asus with raid and get a new board without it..
Get rid of the IDE cd-rw and get another SCSI drive. I Have 2 open ID's
Moving to the AMD case I lost 2 drive bays had 6 external bays .
Now I have to live with 4 external in 6 internals.
But at least this one has better air flow around the CPU.
Come to think of it. I still have the old promise scsi card around here somewhere.
Great card in it's day.Scsi, Floppy , cache, (4x30 pin simms) 16 bit isa http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/frown.gif
That's what I get for being impatient and taking what is in stock at the local Var.
Hey Rick
Seems like I have solved my problem!!
I finally was able to contact Plextor Tech Support over the phone and the guy who served me sent me a set of instructions on how to do to get rid of the ASPI driver installation I had in my system and upgrade my ASPI driver to the latest version from scratch.
I followed his indications and it worked!..
I'm very happy about this http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif
Now, my IDE card AND the CD-RW software are working together with no conflicts AND at the same time I have my 5 IDE devices plugged in the way I wanted to.
So I'm very happy! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif
If you are interested in what I did, please let me know and I can post you and email direcly to your address.
This goes for ANYONE who wants the same... I'll be more than happy to try to help any other person who has been in a similar situation.
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