2 pci ide controller card problem

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candy76man

Weaksauce
Joined
Jun 9, 2003
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I'm putting together a media server with four drives for storage that I am going to span together.
I bought two two channel ide cards so that I only have one drive per channel.

the problem I'm having is that when both cards are installed windows won't start (or install for that matter)...if I remove one of the cards everything works fine...any idea why I can't start windows with both cards in the pci slots?...the mobo (Abit KT7) boots just fine with both in and they both pop up the little detection screen and see all four drives but after that when windows should start loading, the screen just goes blank and nothing else happens.

I can't imagine xp would limit it to one addin ide card would it?
 
candy76man said:
I can't imagine xp would limit it to one addin ide card would it?
Click to expand...

There's no reason to believe that would be true.

Tried them in different slots?
 
candy76man said:
yep...I tried different slots, no change.
Click to expand...

It's a shame those drives aren't SATA... http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=15-124-020&depa=1

If nothing else, having all four drives on the one controller shouldn't be all that bad, as long as you're not constantly writing and reading from all four drives 24/7.

In any case, I can't seem to locate any 4 port IDE controller cards, but I'm sure there are plenty on eBay or maybe you can post a WTB thread. I'm sure someone out there has something.

As for your hardware, it's probably an IRQ/resources thing. Update your BIOS on the motherboard and (small chance) the controllers.
 
thanks for the replies......turns out one of the drives I am using has some kind of problem...everything works with that drive disconnected....it's a 160 gb seagate too, seagate better warrenty it, i don't think I've even had it a year yet :mad:
 
candy76man said:
thanks for the replies......turns out one of the drives I am using has some kind of problem...everything works with that drive disconnected....it's a 160 gb seagate too, seagate better warrenty it, i don't think I've even had it a year yet :mad:
Click to expand...

I'll be damned. I can understand that though, my 75GXP finally died on me last summer and exhibited the same symptoms. I never even thought to ask.

At least you know what the problem is. :)
 
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