Weird DFI SLI-DR Expert Issue

[Phixation]

Hi everyone,

 

I have a not so typical SLI-DR Expert problem with my computer. It seems that starting today somehow my motherboard WILL recognize but NOT READ my CD-ROM drive anymore (NEC-3540A). At first I thought that it was a Windows XP OS probem, but, when I investigated the CMOS, I did see the CD-ROM as the primary master IDE drive (for some reason it will not analyze the CD-ROM's specs in CMOS), but the CD-ROM drive would not boot from my Windows XP CD so I am suspecting it is something with the motherboard settings or motherboard itself.

 

I did install a spare Plextor CD-ROM I had sitting around and it acted exactly the same way where it was recognized in CMOS but wouldnt read any CDs of any type and wouldnt boot at startup with the Windows CD. I have also tried resetting the CMOS and uninstalling and letting Windows XP re-install the CD-ROM drive multiple times. I DO HAVE the system set to default settings in the BIOS until I fugure this out (usually the system is overclocked). I have run a virus scan and have Windows XP fully updated. I have tried a System Restore with no luck (Windows will not let me roll back for some reason). I have updated the firmware of the NEC-3540A in the hopes that that would fix the problem. I have also tried changing the data cable and swapping to the secondary IDE controller as well.

 

The most interesting detail is in my Device Driver settings under IDE /ATA/ATAPI controllers where I cannot get any stability on what settings are appearing there. Currently, it has listed there Primary IDE Channel, Seconday IDE Channel, and Standard Dual Channel PCI Controller THREE TIMES EACH. I have tried deleting them all and letting Windows re-install the drivers, but then it tries to re-install all of these same controllers AND the Nvidia NForce4 Parallel ATA Controller as well that I have heard are trouble prone with alot of systems. I am not even sure if this would be a problem since I still cant get the system to boot from CD at startup so I dont think that these setting would even matter until the OS is booted.

 

Anyway, I have listed my system specs below and any help on this matter would be appreciated. If worse comes to worse I guess that I could buy a SATA CD-ROM drive of some type and use that, but if this could be fixed it would be nice.

 

Thanks in advance for any and all help

 

AMD Opteron 165

DFI SLI-DR Expert 4-06 bios

2GB OCZ 2x1GB Platinum

Enermax 535 SLI

BFG 7800GTX

(2)Western Digital Caviar SE16 250gb

NEC-3540A CD-ROM

Lian-Li PC-60BPlus

[Sharp]

Hello,

 

Clear the CMOS for 10 minutes. (DO NOT REMOVE THE BATTERY)

Then make sure you place the jumper back to the correct position.

 

On the back of your CD drive, set the jumper to Cable select.

Place blue end of IDE cable in the mother board.

Place black end of IDE cable in the CD drive.

 

 

Turn the PC on and enter the BIOS.

Set the boot order.

1st = CDROM

 

Save and exit.

Try the CD again.

 

Does the CD definitely work, bootable in another PC? (original or copy?)

[Phixation]

Thanks for the reply Sharp.

 

I will try the proceedure that you suggested. I have the cables itself set up like you list in your reply, but I do have the jumper on the drive set on Master (always have). I will change that to C. Select and at the same time clear the CMOS again and see if that works.

 

The CD-ROM did work when I tried it in another machine....I didnt try to burn with it just tested it to make sure that it would read a CD in this case a regular legit Battlefield 2 CD.

Oh and the copy of Windows XP is legit and did work in another CD (in my laptop)

You really can hear the CD-ROM drive sounds funny as it tries to read any CDs, but it sounded funny as well with the back-up CD-ROM I tried.....just not like it used to.

 

Thanks again for the help.

[Phixation]

Well, I tried changing the jumper settings and did the reset proceedure exactly like Sharp listed with no luck. I was wondering if it was possible that some type of chipset controller related to the IDE/ATA plug-ins has gone bad on this motherboard (I honestly dont even know if that is possible).

 

Just throwing an idea out there for you experts.

 

Thanks again for any and all help.

[Sharp]

Yes it is possible for the IDE controller to stop working.

 

The chipset is very fragile, did you recently change the chipset cooler?

Even a bit of arctic silver over the chipset contacts can cause a problem.

If the chipset overheats it can also cause permanent damage.

 

Do you have any IDE hard drives to try?

[Phixation]

Over a year ago I put an Evercool VC-RE Chipset cooler on the motherboard, but the CD-ROM worked perfect until the other day.

 

I decided to just buy another CD-ROM drive with a SATA connector and use that instead. Only 30 bucks from the Egg and it will be here in a few days.

 

Thanks again for your help.