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Gigabyte GA-X38-DQ6 SATA install problems

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Fakum

Registered
Joined
Dec 29, 2007
I am building a new Gaming PC, I have a
Gigabyte GA-X38-DQ6 Mobo
Crucial Ballistix 4 GB (4 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)
Q6600 Go stepping CPU
EVGA GeForce 8800GTS (G92) 512MB 256bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0
SATA2 Hard Drive
SATA DVD/CD burner

I initially had the SATA2 hard drive to SATA0, and the SATA DVD/CD burner on SATA1.
When I initially installed Windows XpPro, The bios settings for the following were set @
SATA Raid/AHCI Mode (Disabled)
SATA Port0-3 Native Mode (enabled).
I was at that time able to install WinXP, and except for some Windows XP udates that failed (reasons unknown) I decided to reformat and start over. Being uncertain about some bios settings pertaining to setting up the SATA drive, I did some reading online.One of the things I found on Intels website about AHCI, was to just go ahead and set the bios to Raid configuration, and install the raid driver in F6 mode before loading the OS. http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imst/sb/cs-015988.htm
Cool ,,, sounds easy enough! I downloaded an F6 SATA2 driver from Gigabyte. I also updated the bios. I proceded as instructed.
SATA Raid/AHCI Mode (Raid)
SATA Port0-3 Native Mode (disabled) or (Enabled)still gives error
Onboard SATA/IDE Device (Enabled)
Onboard SATA/IDE Ctrl Mode (RAID/IDE) or (AHCI) still gives error

As I get past the section where I load the SATA driver (F6) mode, windows continues to load some drivers , then I get this BLUE SCREEN. It says something to the effect that windows has stopped because a drive might have a virus, or if I installed a new hard drive I need to check the connections, and or configuration settings and a couple other things. I can of course write all this error info down if it will be helpful. I keep reformatting and making adjustments, I even plugged the SATA cables from the hard drive and the DVD/CD burner into the Gigabyte SATA interfaces with the same results. I will stop here incase I need to add more specific info. Please advise, Thanks.
 
What's you vdimm(ddr2) voltage at? I'm guessing it has to do with your memory, as it can give random errors if you run them under spec. You should have it set at +0.40

NOTE that this is a critical setting as you can't know what's up with your hardware if the memory is flipped out with insufficient voltage!
 
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You could also d'l a drive diagnostic program from the manufacturer, to see if you have any issues with the drive, also if that mobo has the gigabyte sata raid ctlr, you might try putting the opticals on that, and the hdd on the ahci, or vice versa.
Just my two Cu's worth.
 
w2richwood, I am not sure what you mean by “achi” drivers? During windows install, I use the F6 mode to install the RAID drivers form Gigabyte.

Sk1llz, the voltage is set for “+0.40”

After many attempts last night, using the SATA, & GSATA interfaces, I also removed the SATA CD/DVD burner and installed an IDE CD, and I could not get the bios or the system too see it to boot up off the WinXP cd. No matter what I did, I received the error below. I decided to clear the CMOS and remove the CMOS battery. I will also download a hard drive utility to diagnose the new SATA hard drive. I will get back to work on this 2 nite. I will follow up with a post. Thanks for the help so far guys, and have a happy New Year!

“A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to computer.
If this is the first time you’ve seen this stop error screen, restart your computer. If this screen appears again follow these steps.
Check for viruses on your computer. Remove any newly installed hard drives or hard drive controllers. Check your hard drive to make sure it is properly configured and terminated. Run CHKDSK / F to check for hard drive corruption and then restart your computer.
Technical Info
Stop: 0x0000007B (0xF78d663C, 0xC0000034, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)”
 
There is AHCI-drivers also, don't know if you've read the small text on the bottom of the page (where it also explains how to install something onto an AHCI-enabled disc.
 
What small text on what page? In the Gigabyte manual??? I havnt seen anything like that, please elaborate, thanks.
 
Yeah in the gigabyte manual, you'll find it easily, if you just look at "how to install windows onto raid" or whatever it's called in the manual, anyways, the small text explains that there is also a clean AHCI driver that you might wanna install if you're running in AHCI mode.

Don't have my manual somewhere near me atm so i can't tell you what exact page it is :/

EDIT: errr just woke up, so i'm a little tired aso, heh. this info above applys for vista, so i don't know it's the same for XP..
 
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Thanks,,, I gotta say, I had a lot of opportunity at work today to research this specific info, and boy,,,, I sure gotts a lot of info on how to do this, unfortunately, there are a lot of contradictions! My head is spinning,,, can I go home now? Hahahaha,,, man I thought I was confused before I started! Anyway, I am in the process at the moment of running Western digitals diagnostics, just be sure about that at least. I was fairly convinced earlier to set the bios for non raid or AHCI, and that WinXP pro would handle setting up the system for SATA when the OS was installed, meaning also NOT to load anything in F6 mode,,,, then I read about how that sets stuff like my SATA CD player in PATA mode, and how THAT screws that up ,,, OMG,,, the madness! I found NOTHING on Gigabytes site to steer me in the right direction either,,,,,,,
 
UPDATE
Western Digital Extended tests say no problems. Now its back to trying a fresh install after I figure out what to set the bios settings relative to all the Raid/AHCI/IDE settings,,,, OH GEEEZZEEEEEEEEEEEE ,,,Migraine comming back!
 
UPDATE, Hope ur all enjying ur NewYear Celebrations by the way,,,

I studied hard!! I went through the manual AGAIN, and one thing that confused me before was the 2 SEPARATE sections for setting up Raid/Ahci. I now realize the 1st section Only pertains too the (Intel ICH9R SATA Controller) the 2nd section pertains to the (Gigabyte SATA2 SATA Controller), Boy, Im on a roll now (wipes sweat from forehead). Then I go on to better understand the bios settings for RAID/ACHI etc. Now since my hard drive is on SATA0 and my DVD/CD is on SATA1, No Brainer! I simply am not using the Gigabyte SATA Controller. I Also read the readme file on the MOBO CD and found I needed to download the “F6 Floppy disk utility provided by Intel” No problem ,, got it! I then read carefully the steps to do this in the MOBO manual! Im flyin now! Bios settings as follows

SATA Raid/AHCI Mode (AHCI) “Southbridge Controller”
SATA Port0-3 Native Mode (enabled).
Onboard SATA/IDE Device (Enabled) “This is Gigabytes SATA Controller”
SATA Raid/AHCI Mode (IDE) “This is Gigabytes SATA Controller”

I get to the WIN XP install part to load the F6 floppy,,, hmmmmm hold on a second, I have many choices here but only 2 real possibilities, my chipset is an ICH9R and im doing AHCI mode. My 2 realistic choices are:
ICH9 SATA AHCI or
ICH8R/ICH9R SATA RAID
Yup, no ICH9R AHCI option,,,, I choose “ICH8R/ICH9R SATA RAID”

And the results! Blue screen error again!!!!!!!!! WTF do I do now? I’m 3 days into this crap! Suggestion please as I continue to tinker,,,
 
Thanks for your well wishes! Same to you too. Good luck in fixing it.

Is my memory faulty or have I heard bad issues with gigabyte raid?
 
Update yet again!
I cleared the CMOs again and remove the battery.

Fired up the Pc again to the bios, kept all settings the same except I changed "SATA Raid/AHCI Mode (AHCI) “Southbridge Controller”"
To SATA Raid/AHCI Mode (Raid) “Southbridge Controller”
Used the same F6 floppy file “ICH8R/ICH9R SATA RAID”
And Im happy to say, I have finnaly made it to the WIN XP Hard Drive Format section with out the error,,, this is a 500 Gig drive,,, it will be an hour or so ,,, wish me luck,,
 
Sorry Blaz,,,, I didnt c ur post. Problems with the Gigabyte Raid ,,, I dont really know? During all my online reading, someone mention the differences between Intels and Gigabytes,, the only thin I retained was to use the Intel one for better performance as recall.
 
UPDATE
All looks ok so far, I got thru all the Windows Updates (oddly enough, one of them keeps failing, I don’t know why) The Device Manager is clear of any ! or ?. Now, the question is, is this SATA drive actually running SATA or not? How do you tell in the Device Manager if your hard drive is set up properly? Thanks
 
UPDATE
All looks ok so far, I got thru all the Windows Updates (oddly enough, one of them keeps failing, I don’t know why) The Device Manager is clear of any ! or ?. Now, the question is, is this SATA drive actually running SATA or not? How do you tell in the Device Manager if your hard drive is set up properly? Thanks

You should see a list of SATA stuff when the BIOS is checking itself out when you start up. You'll also want to make sure the little jumper has been pulled out of the back of the drive - it'll run in 1.5gb/s mode if you leave it in there.
 
All jumpers are removed from hard drive. Boot up is so fast I cant see anything, I even tried boot up using "Tab" and "Pause/Break" , way to fast for me to catch. Gotta be a way in Windows to determine?
 
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