My first post... Help needed!

[peterC]

Anton,

I have tried every potential combination I can think of (and then some) to try to access the bios. I even spent at least two hours googling and trying ideas that were suggested in other forum archives from several years ago. Maybe the power failure caused multiple problems. I'm going to attempt your suggestion one more time. I could use a little luck. Thank you.

David, it is always nice to get help. We all need it and there is good value people and info here .

And better to give than receive, especially when it comes back with thanks. So thank you too.

In regard to your apprehension and difficulty in accessing the bios. Get onto another computer, download the mobo's manual if you do not have it and start reading it and try understanding it. It is hard, for sure. You have to crawl before you walk, but only if we try. I was and am the same, so don't worry!

In the end, the first and sometimes best doctor is yourself so just go for it. I have resurrected totally dead systems, no power, no mobo, no nothing, when others (much smarter than me) were saying all is lost. Sometimes you get it, sometimes you don't. Oh, and for the record, and I am no wiz either.

Getting into the bios' (I have 3 for just one operating system) can be problematical in these type of circumstances. Google some more Accessing Bios or Booting to Bios and see what that gives to help you.

Try tab to see your boot process and see what it may give clues to, even if you do not understand it and F1 to get in to reset as I said.

[DMS Video]

Thanks Peter,

I think It's going to be an all-nighter!

Regards,

David
DMS Video

[peterC]

Thanks Peter,

I think It's going to be an all-nighter!

Regards,

David
DMS Video

If that is the case then you are smarter than me and much more optimistic to boot!
These things are frustrating and real time killers. Good luck.

[antonsvideo]

Okay, so just for the heck of it I tried rebooting while hitting the delete button a lot of times. Now I finally entered the bios. I was starting to think it didn't exist. On the main page it says the following...

Primary IDE Master :[WDC WD800JB-00JJC0]
Primary IDE Slave :[Not Detected]
Secondary IDE Master :[PIONEER DVD-RW DV]
Secondary IDE Slave :[Not Detected]
Third IDE Master :[Not Detected]
Fourth IDE Master :[WDC WD2500JD-00HBB]

* Note - The above information was obtained when only one of the two removable drives was inseted.

To me this could be Chinese at this point. The computer has a system drive as well as an internal storage drive. Both seem fine and work with all the original files that were there prior to the power failure. I have two removable slots that had harddrives in each slot when the power failed. Neither drive nor any other drive I have tried are seen by the computer. All the drives that I use work by themselves and were never setup in a raid config. Any specific ideas?

Thanks

David

ok, your bios detects 2 internal IDE drives and a burner

so your removable drive is not detected

try this:

place the drive in another PC where it is detected and then go to disk admin and change its drive letter to something that is not used in both PC's such as W, then shut down PC and remove drive and insert in problem PC, boot and enter bios, is the drive now showing? if not, do a full boot and go to disk admin, is the drive showing?

[peterC]

Oh and I just remembered, it is a rough road, but try stripping the mobo back to no cards in any slots and boot each time and once booted, close dfown again and add the next card and do the same process over till all cards are back in. This may help but it can lead to some headaches once back in Windows with drivers and things.

For that, it is good to have a couple of clone (exact copy of your HDD) setups of your installs, Windows only, Windows + next most important os config software/hardware install, +,+, sequence steps (if you will) so you can restore old and not so old setups quicker and with less frustration. Simple to do and well worth it.

[DMS Video]

ok, your bios detects 2 internal IDE drives and a burner

so your removable drive is not detected

try this:

place the drive in another PC where it is detected and then go to disk admin and change its drive letter to something that is not used in both PC's such as W, then shut down PC and remove drive and insert in problem PC, boot and enter bios, is the drive now showing? if not, do a full boot and go to disk admin, is the drive showing?

I followed your instructions perfectly and nothing happened. I changed the drive letter to "Y" and it still wasn't detected in the "problem" computer.

Thanks

[antonsvideo]

in that case, I would say your controller was hosed during the power failure, or its driver?

I assume that your removable drive is an IDE drive?

if you open the case, follow the cable from the removable drive and see where it is plugged in, I noticed you have a spare connector where you could plug it in called Third IDE Master in your Bios

are there any lights in your removable drive, if so, are they on when you boot? maybe the drive is not getting power?

and for the future, get a UPS, you can get a powerful one for around $300

[DMS Video]

in that case, I would say your controller was hosed during the power failure, or its driver?

I assume that your removable drive is an IDE drive?

if you open the case, follow the cable from the removable drive and see where it is plugged in, I noticed you have a spare connector where you could plug it in called Third IDE Master in your Bios

are there any lights in your removable drive, if so, are they on when you boot? maybe the drive is not getting power?

and for the future, get a UPS, you can get a powerful one for around $300

Just to be safe I have only been putting one removable drive back into the pc as I go through this odyssey. I tried it in both bays and each time the light turns green meaning it's working (in theory). I agree with getting a UPS I just wish I agreed a little earlier, lol. I'm going to see if I can find a spare connector. It's not going to be easy opening this computer based upon where it's located.

David

[DMS Video]

Update:

First of all, many thanks to everyone who responded to my initial post. I had always planned on joining this forum but I thought it would be after I purchased a new system in a few months.

After finding pretty good phone tech support in Canada, we were able to determine that the problem seems to be the ide controller. I'm thankful that the power outage didn't corrupt the projects I had on multiple drives at the time. I'm hoping my pc can be fixed and take me a few months more when I can then focus on everything I need to know to build a new edius system. Thanks again.

David
DMS Video