IT JUST WASN'T MY DAY!!!

[cracker39]

This may be a long shot, but I had something similar happen to a computer, the bios wasn't automatically locating the HD's, I could manually force the bios to find them, but after a shutdown I would be back to the same problem. Turns out it was the battery on the motherboard that controls the bios memory and the clock, replaced that and no more problem.

I completely forgot about the crazy problems a weak battery can cause. I will try that before doing anything drastic. It surely can't hurt. Thanks for the tip. I wish I had thought of that before wiping out the hard drive. Oh well, I was getting too many programs on it anyway. It's good to just start over every few years. I do have to find the FTP software I was using. I think I forgot to save it. I also forgot to save my web site files. I'll have to download everything from the server to my PC after I get it or another one running again.

[cracker39]

Next to final chapter:

All else failed too. I talked to a guy at a PC shop today. Normally, I don't like to ask for help when I know I won't buy from them, but this guy loved to talk.

I explained the problems and he confirmed what I had already decided was my problem. The IDE controller on the MB is dead. He started telling me about the new technology, SATA Serial ATA drives and controllers. The problem is, that I couldn't find my same MB anywhere, and most of the MBs I found were either for later model CPUs or were Serial ATA and didn't have IDE ports. And, I'm not gonna scrap my CPU or my two IDE 120GB HDs right now and spend lots more money to upgrade. The MB I ordered is only $60 with shipping. Besides, all of my files I saved are on one of them and I need to be able to read it.

I finally settled on an ABIT VA20 MB, same brand as I was using, but it only supports 4 IDE devices, not 8 like mine "DID". I'll just leave out the smaller HD (30GB) and keep the two large ones and my two DVD devices. I'll put the extra HD in my wife's PC for backups.

So, for now, I'll continue to use my wife's PC until I get the MB to get mine running again. That should be within a week if all goes well.

[cracker39]

!!!***<<< Halleluja >>>***!!!

I finally blundered into the solution for my PC problem and have it up and at least operational. I now don't think it was hardware at all, or if it was, it was a temporary glitch. Having the RAID processor complicated things for me. All of the 3 hard drives were on the RAID ports (3 and 4), and it apparently lost the connection to it, and that's why it wouldn't find any when it booted. I finally thought about that possibility, and after switching my main drive to the primary IDE port 1, I got the OS to install. Then after reloading the RAID drivers, I got all of the HDs to work, but by now, two of them were wiped clean because due to my thinking the problem was hardware, I re-formatted one and wiped out the MBR on the other. I still had the backup files on the third one, thank goodness. I just have to re-jumper one of my DVDs so that it will connect as a slave unit.

I still have several days work installing the software that I need, and getting everything set up like I want it. Next step is to get the anti-virus working again and pray that nothing bad happens this time when I install it. Until I do, the connection to the Internet stays off. Now, I have a MB on the way that I'll have to send back.

[toypusher]

Dale,

Congratulations! You signature says it all, I guess!

[cracker39]

Thanks, TP,

It seems to be stable. I shut it down, went to HD and LOWES and came home with a Kreg Rocket Pocket 2-hole system and a replacement shower/tub control system to install (and let me TRY to get it in without teaching my wife some new WORDS). After getting back home, I restrapped my DVDs as one was jumpered as Master, so it had to be the first one in line, and now, I have all devices working again. Now, the long process of reinstalling all of my software, starting with an older version of Norton Anti-virus so I can re-download the upgrade I've paid for. Wish me luck.

[madjack]

...glad to hear it going again...ain't modern technology great .....good luck on the installs....especially the Norton stuff
madjack

[mikeschn]

Dale,

You're making it too hard on yourself. Forget about raid. Forget about SCSI. Just use the simple IDE ports, and add a USB drive. Computers have improved so much that you'll be plenty fast.

And if you are mirroring hard drives, well, there's got to be an easier way!

Mike...

[toypusher]

Ghost! With a DVD burner!

[cracker39]

Dale,

You're making it too hard on yourself. Forget about raid. Forget about SCSI. Just use the simple IDE ports, and add a USB drive. Computers have improved so much that you'll be plenty fast.

And if you are mirroring hard drives, well, there's got to be an easier way!

Mike...

No, I'm not mirroring the HDs. When I bought the MB, I replaced an ASUS that had 4 IDE ports, but no RAID capability. This one uses RAID drivers so that the 3rd and 4th ports can be seen by the OS. I'm not actually using any RAID technology. When I upgrade next time, I'll get a MB that has the SATA Serial Controllers (most new ones do) as the Serial drives are much faster than IDE. I can put in a PCI IDE controller card to use my older IDE HDs until I can afford to buy newer serial drives.

[Laredo]

No guru me, and I fear skirting too close to the taboos, but ...

Firefox. Ubuntu Linux.

Good things are these to have, yes ....

[mikeschn]

No guru me, and I fear skirting too close to the taboos, but ...

Firefox. Ubuntu Linux.

Good things are these to have, yes ....

Dale,

Or just buy the most powerful laptop you can find... It'll come with the drives already in it, and you won't have to save up for it.

You may have to take out a substantial mortgage to buy it, but isn't that what we've been doing in this country for the past 5 years?

Mike...

P.S. We had to buy a Hard drive this weekend for Dad. Went to Walmart and got 80 gigs for $59. How much are you saving up for Dale?

[asianflava]

I had to perform a premature upgrade on the wife's computer a few months ago. For some reason it would not boot up from the HD (wouldn't even POST). I put that same HD on another computer and it booted fine. I figured it was the cheapy mobo so I replaced it.

The newer mobos are setup for the new PCI Express which is much faster. The problem is the PCI Express video cards are expen$ive! I ended up getting a older (cheaper) higher end mobo that has SATA and still uses the AGP slot. I like to stay current but maybe a step or 2 behind so that I don't go broke. I'll probably have to wait a little while longer for the next upgrade when PCI Express cards come down in price.

[cracker39]

I I like to stay current but maybe a step or 2 behind so that I don't go broke. I'll probably have to wait a little while longer for the next upgrade when PCI Express cards come down in price.

That's my philosophy when building a new PC. I try to stay in the mid- or lower mid-range of technology when I buy parts for a new PC. The cost of PC technology is exponential. As you approach the upper range, getting the newest or fastest, the prices skyrocket. I try to get the most bang for the buck. My PCs last about 3-4 years before I find that I have to upgrade to keep up. This new leap to SATA Serial drives may be the biggest gulf to cross yet.

Right now, I am spending on tools...getting ready. I don't want to put out any more on PCs. I just want to keep this one humming along for another year or two.

[Laredo]

I have developed a serious case of lust. Toshiba has revived their wonderful little palmtop, the Libretto -- the new version is wicked fast and comes with a ginormous HD. Still not much bigger than a pair of VCR tapes.

[cracker39]

I've only had experience with one laptop, a Mac Powerbook circa early 90s. I am a dedicated desktop user, and didn't like the laptop as I found the small keyboard uncomfortable to use, the small screen too hard to see, and never could get used to the trackball. So, at work, I plugged in a regular monitor, keyboard and mouse. Back then, I did take it to meetings, but that is all the portability I needed. I didn't need to take it home, as I hac a PC there. I just took work files home on a floppy disk. Later, we got secure access to the work servers from home, so working at home was the same as being at work.

I know, they have improved a lot since then, but I still like my 17" monitor and large keyboard for convenience, and don't need to take my PC anywhere anymore. I think I can live without email for a couple of days of camping (at least, I HOPE SO).