And then there was...12

Computer Hardware
#1

After lots of hair pulling/scratching and cursing at the inanimate object we call the computer, I was finally able to get all the optical drives recognized in CD-DVD Speed and InfoTool. It wasn’t a Nero problem as I originally had posted here. It was a combination of BIOS version on the controller cards and drives placement.

Originally, I had bought 2 Silicon Image 0680A-based controller cards as shown here. Both came with BIOS version 3.2.10, which was the latest from Silicon Image’s website. However, there was some conflict as only 4 out of the possible 8 drives on the controller cards could be recognized in CD-DVD Speed/InfoTool. Even after trying different PCI slots, same problem still. In addition, the 2 external 1394 drives wouldn’t recognize either. From this thread, it seemed like the SIIG controller card would solve the problem. After examining the pictures of it, it was also based on the Silicon Image 0680A chipset. Yet, from SIIG’s site, the BIOS version was 3.0.93, which was an older one. Thus, I downgraded both cards to that version and tried again. As a note, I had to use the BIOS upgrade tool from Silicon Image’s site since it was a newer version ('04) than the one posted on SIIG’s site ('02).

Thus, it was time to arrange the drives such that all would recognize and burst properly. The end results were (using a nForce3 250Gb chipset):

  1. Eight drives must be connected to both controller cards, any less would cause two drives not get recognized in CD-DVD Speed/InfoTool.
  2. Two drives must be connected as Primary Master and Slave, Secondary M & S caused some drives to not get recognized in CD-DVD Speed/InfoTool.

Originally, I was going to get a new nForce4-/RD580-based motherboard since it supports two IDE channels (four devices), but with this new finding, I may be able to get a nForce5-/RD600-based motherboard because it only supports one IDE channel (two devices).

Lastly, the Syba-branded RAID and NON-RAID cards are the same, just different BIOSes, since I bought one of each.

So here are the two screen captures. :smiley:

#2

Lets see a pic of your rig!

#3

Here it is, sorry for the fuzziness. It’s a CM Stacker, with the hard drive at the very bottom. The drives are (top to bottom):

  1. AOpen 1648 AAP
  2. BenQ DQ60 (hidden)
  3. Sony 810A
  4. NEC 3500A
  5. BenQ 1655
  6. HP CD52r (LiteOn 52327S)
  7. Pioneer 111D@L
  8. LG H10A
  9. LiteOn 165H6S
  10. LiteOn 160P6S
  11. Sony 820A
  12. BenQ DW1670 (OEM, wrong but fitting faceplate)
#4

So, how much noise is around when they’re all in action??

#5

Ahem, “And then there were…12…” :stuck_out_tongue:

#6

@chef
I haven’t tried to get all of them in action yet. Perhaps I’ll attempt it like someone else before and hope the PCI bus will be up to the task.

@Chriso
Back to ESL class I go… :doh: