New Computer = new problems. Please help!

[Boltboy]

Hey guys,

Okay first - the specs:
DFI LanParty UT nF4 ULTRA-D Motherboard
AMD 64:3200+ CPU
2 x 512 Corsair XMS series PC3200 DDR
Radeon X800XL Graphics Card (PCI Express)
WD 80Gig HD (Ultra ATA)
WD 74 Gig Raptor (SATA)
Seagate 160G Barracuda (Ultra ATA)
NEC ND-3520A DVD+/- RW Drive
LiteOn DVD Drive
Tsunami case
500w FSP Fortron Blue Storm PSU
SB Audigy 2 ZS

Here are the problems:

1) My Seagate drive was not being recognized on My Computer but it WAS recognized in device manager. When I went to disk management it said "Disk 1: Dynamic. "unreadable" I *really* dont want to lose the files I have on it so this is all I know to do:
- I'm pulling the files out using "Recover My Files" app. Then I guess ill use the option to convert it to a "basic disk" once the files are safe. Right? Is there an easier way to get it to be readable and bring my files back?

2) It's being much slower than I thought a 64 bit system would run. My 2800 Barton ran faster, or seemed to, for some reason. Are there any changes I should check in bios that could cause this? It has a 200 FSB I believe.

3) The computer is freezing when I run the driver CD for this motherboard. I think its just the CD though, so ill try and pull them online.

4) When my computer restarts my Dell 20.1 widescreen monitor (FPW model, or something) reverts to a different view mode that splits the screen in half (like a picture in picture) and I have to adjust it every time. Makes no sense.

5) When I first got it built and started it up everythin was going fine. It did the "rev up" sound and then suddenly died away. The fan on the heatsink stopped spinning, but the computer continued to load into the motherboard logo.
- somehow I fixed this, dont know how. I noticed when I removed the 12v plug-in from the motherboard (the small plugin on the PSU) the heatsink wouldnt shut off after reboot but the monitor wouldnt turn on (it controls the vid card, I guess?). This stil worried me though.

If you can answer ANY of these id greatly aprpreciate it. I spent a good chunk of my savings on this build and I want it to run as best as possible.

Thanks,
Bolt

 

[Goateh]

1) That app might be your best bet, I take it you can't just right click and remount the disk in disk management?

2) What OS are you running? Windows XP? Is SP2 installed, download the updates of the website

3) This might have alot to do with 2, get the latest nForce set off nvidia.com

4) Unsure as to this one sorry

5) Could you elaborate on this further please

 

[Oklahoma Wolf]

I'd try updating the drivers first. That 4 pin 12v connector is for the CPU.

Does the CPU fan stay off at all times?

 

[Boltboy]

thanks for the help. ill get those drivers updated asap.

no, cpu fan runs now. I was just wierded out how it does the "rev up"noise at the beginning (I think its my CD drive) and then shuts off. But nothing seems to be "wrong"on that end.

Yeah, running winxp. Need to get my wireless connection recognized on the computer so I can update to it (on a diff. computer now)

any more ideas, let me know =)

bolt

 

[Boltboy]

oops, forgot to mention.

my biggest concern still is this dynamic disk stuff. I dont really understand it. What *is* a dynamic disk and is it something I can change?

I googled the dynamic disk unreadable and it mostly came up with Microsoft solution webpages that referered to a similar issue seen mostly in windows 2000. None of the solutions made any sense. Hopefully someone knows how I can fix this other than pulling the 50 gig off the drive and starting over (Im guessing by doing so its all going to be mismash and not in the folders/organization it was on the drive)

 

[jcw122]

Dynamic disks...if i remember correctly, are disk that are in a software RAID setup, basicly a software RAID via Windows, and thats not a good thing.

BTW, if ur saying u have WindowsXP 32-bit edition, it wont be running 64-bit, but yes, the A64 should be faster than ur Barton. I'd suggest trying using something like a free disk defragger like Diskeeper Lite, google for it.

 

[Boltboy]

Dynamic disks...if i remember correctly, are disk that are in a software RAID setup, basicly a software RAID via Windows, and thats not a good thing.

.

hmm, okay, so is there anything I can do about it? Change it or what not?

 

[jcw122]

I know there's a way to enable it, but I can't find the setting...hmm

 

[Boltboy]

I figured out how to make it a basic disk in disk management, but that would require a format and I dont want to lose the data on it - yet. I was hoping there was an easier way to recover it without having to use the Recovery progs. that take literally a day, or two. Seems like its my only/best option, though.

Thanks.