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GA-MA785GPMT Bios won't recognise SATA Drives- tried everything, help!

arkdog

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Motherboard: GA-MA785GPMT-UD2H (rev. 1.0) - [http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Support/Motherboard/BIOS_Model.aspx?ProductID=3150]
Drives: 3.5 CAVIAR GP, 1.5TB, INTELIPOWER, 32MB, SATA II, 3YRS (WD15EADS) - [http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=575]
and another 1.0 TB drive identical model


- I've upgraded the bios (flashed it) to the latest available version (F5)
- I've swapped out the PSU, tried different power connectors from the PSU
- I've tried placing it in Native IDE mode, AHCI, RAID - but Bios won't detect the drives regardless of mode. - Question on this, surely i don't need drivers for the BIOS to read drives - only when I want to install an OS correct?
- Interesting when RAID is selected and I enter Option Rom Utility, the menu doesn't respond to an input of 1, 2, or 3 on the keyboard. Only to 4 - which displays AHCI HBA MMIO Base Address FEO2F000 - which i'm assuming is the base address of the AHCI Rom or something.
- I've tried both drives in another machine - works fine and it's formatted correctly. I've tried another WD 1 TB drive, same model line in this machine, with the same results - no detect.
- The drives are spinning up. I've tried all the SATA connector plugs on the motherboard, no difference.
- I'm reasonably certain my bios setting are correct.
- Additionally I've taken the motherboard out of the case, plugged everything in (in case there was a short or a riser touching something etc)....still no joy.

I'm ready to end it all, everything else appears to be functioning on the motherboard correctly - Can it really be possible that the entire SATA chipset and plugs on the mobo is dead?? - I'm at an end here! Help!

zaragon1

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Re: GA-MA785GPMT Bios won't recognise SATA Drives- tried everything, help!
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2010, 01:33:47 pm »
Had very similar problem recently -- see my post -- ga-720 wont boot after bios update --

now  "Fixed " by installing the SATA drive onto a spare pc ,and  installing xp windows sp3 (retail version ) to that

I then put the Sata drive back into my pc ,and it fired up

If you have a spare pc with a Sata connector ,try it !  ;D

this post off that same pc  :D

arkdog

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Re: GA-MA785GPMT Bios won't recognise SATA Drives- tried everything, help!
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2010, 10:21:40 pm »
Thanks for your response. Interesting - I never though of trying that.

I don't have another PC at present, but I do have a SATA external enclosure. Not sure if I can install TO a usb external that, but I might try installing windows 7, and see what happens - although I don't suspect I'll be allowed to install an OS onto an external drive
« Last Edit: January 25, 2010, 10:36:38 pm by arkdog »

arkdog

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Re: GA-MA785GPMT Bios won't recognise SATA Drives- tried everything, help!
« Reply #3 on: January 26, 2010, 12:10:53 am »
Errr, I probably should have realised - cannot install an OS onto an external USB drive....

Hmm, still lost on this - Gigabyte official support was no help at all.