AARRRRRGGH!
Despite my time as a tech, I occasionally run into problems that quite frankly stump me. Normally, I keep a log of my work, but for home projects, I usually skip this step. But seeing as I've been monkeying around for over six hours, I decided to recap the "bullet points" of my progress, in the hopes that it might help my mind turn over.
Any input from the other BF2S tech goons here would be appreciated. Similar experiences? Something I've overlooked (and am now making it harder than it should be)?
Despite my time as a tech, I occasionally run into problems that quite frankly stump me. Normally, I keep a log of my work, but for home projects, I usually skip this step. But seeing as I've been monkeying around for over six hours, I decided to recap the "bullet points" of my progress, in the hopes that it might help my mind turn over.
Any input from the other BF2S tech goons here would be appreciated. Similar experiences? Something I've overlooked (and am now making it harder than it should be)?
Troubleshooting Log
Mainboard: ASUS A8V Deluxe (K8T800Pro Chipset)
CPU: A64-3500+
System Memory: 2x1GB + 2x1GB
Video: 6800U256MB-AGP8X
Current Issue:
Failure can occur in DVD data transfer from both USB and IDE optical drives to SATA and USB HDD's. Success can also occur. The issue currently persists even when system is stripped to bare bones. Due to this, I find it difficult to blame either the drives or the SATA controller. A combination failure is also unlikely.
Stage 1 (Previous State of Function):
Raptor1 - XP-64
250GB - SATA storage
External USB DVD Drive
56X CD
Issues: None
Stage 2 (System to Dual Boot):aSuspected to be a possible cause for current issue. I don't remember if I deleted the array before resetting the controller to IDE emulation, nor do I recall if it even matters.Resolved and Standing Issues:
- Downloaded essential drivers and apps; stored on 250MB USB Flash Drive. VIA HyperionPro 5.10A (2006-09-29) chosen for VIA chipset drivers.
- Unhooked XP-64 drive and storage drive. Shunted storage drive to Promise controller.
- Installed XP-Pro to Raptor2. Reconnected XP-64 drive, booted into XP-Pro, rewrote XP-64 drive partition, reinstalled XP-64. Dual boot status attained.
- Realized that Promise did not support IDE emulation for XP-64. The storage drive shunted to the Promise controller was not visible in XP-64.
- Half-hearted attempt to convert storage drive into a one-drive array failed on first attempt.a Did not follow through with second attempt, and changed the BIOS toggle back to IDE emulation, resolving to revert to XP-Pro only, electing to reserve XP-64 license for server use.
- Uncovered issue of DVD drive successfully installing CD titles, but intermittently failing (at differing files) during installation of DVD titles.
Stage 3 (Dual Boot to Single Boot)
- XP64 cannot see SATA drives in IDE emulation mode on this Promise controller. Resolved due to avoidance
- VIA IDE controller suspected as having disrupted DVD read capabilities. Since then used several different drivers, including Windows default. Suspected to not have been a factor.
Status: XP-Pro on Raptor1, Raptor2 empty.Resolved and Standing Issues:
- Dropped and reupped the partition on the (now former) XP-64 drive.
- Shut down, unhooked the XP-Pro drive, installed XP-Pro on the (former) XP-64 drive.
- Shut down, hooked up the (old) XP-Pro drive, dropped and reupped its partition.
Stage 4 (DVD Troubleshooting)Test Titles: Diablo II (CD), Prey (DVD), Battlefield 2 (DVD), Star Trek Legacy (DVD)Test HDD's: Raptor1, Raptor2, USB HDD250MBTest Opticals: IDE 56X CD, IDE DVD10X, USB DVD4XStatus: Diablo II (CD) - global installation success. Prey - intermittent success and failure upon installation to any HDD. Star Trek Legacy - global failure to SATA HDD's, one-time success to USB HDD.
- Intermittent DVD failure.
Resolved and Standing Issues:
- Reinstalled Windows to Raptor1 using IDE DVD10X with 100% success.
- Verified correctness of BIOS settings.
- Removed dust from chassis, reseated connections, unhooked storage drive and Raptor2.
- Resolved flaws in device manager listing with Windows-supplied drivers, and mfg-supplied ones when Windows couldn't cut it.
- Intermittent DVD failure. Unresolved.
- Both IDE DVD10X and USB DVD4X have experienced identical sets of errors throughout previous installations, narrowing the issue to either the hardware, or (unlikely) simultaneous failure of both DVD drives to accurately read DVD media. Unresolved.
- All DVD titles have installed successfully at least once on both SATA and USB HDD's, except Star Trek Legacy (which only succeeded on the USB HDD). The one succeeding installation of STL means it won't have to be exchanged after all. Issue of possibly damaged DVD media resolved.
Troubleshooting will continue. Installations will be tried after each of the following:
Step 1: Reset BIOS to default settings, reconfigure.
Step 2: Attempt Service Pack 2 once again, though it didn't help last time.
Step 3: Attempt to install once again from IDE DVD10X on bare bones setup.
Step 4: Verify USB DVD4X integrity on alternate system. IDE DVD10X came from alternate system to begin with. (I suspect success will be 100% here, though a 1GHz CPU/GeForce 2 rig will be useless for all these titles but Diablo II).
Step 5: Using both Raptors, set up a RAID0 array on the Promise controller and try a re-installation of Windows. Shunt storage drive to the other controller.
Step 6: Flash BIOS, reconfigure.
Step 7: Verify every single drive in spare system; repartition every single drive in spare system.
Step 8: Give up on Windows XP and go back to Windows 64. The time lost is too high a price to pay for an extra Raptor and the ability to use 16-bit apps.
Step 9: Lose temper and throw motherboard out the window, followed immediately by intense regret.
Last edited by unnamednewbie13 (2006-12-09 04:41:52)
