HDD Stopping and Starting After BIOS Flash

[Meh]

Hi All.

I flashed my BIOS to try and fix a problem I was having with my computer not POSTing after a cold boot. Ever since, my secondary hard drive will start to spin-up and spin-down repeatedly, once Windows loads. It doesn't do that during POST, or if I'm in the BIOS, or anything; just when Windows is running, which makes me think it's a software, rather than a hardware problem.

I'd installed Windows in AHCI mode, and it had always worked, but now, the above problem goes away if I set my SATA controller to IDE rather than AHCI, in the BIOS.

So I think it might have something to do with Windows not being entirely happy with AHCI after the BIOS update. Anyone have any ideas on how I can fix this?

System Details:
Mobo: ASUS M4A79T Deluxe
BIOS Updated To: Version 3303
CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 965
RAM: 8 GiB DDR3 PC16000
PSU: 850 Watt something or other (can't remember, but it was expensive)
HDD: Primary is 160 GB Western Digital. Secondary is 200 GB Western Digital (can't remember exact details, but they're both 7,200 RPM).
OS: Windows 7 Ultimate SP1, 64-bit


Thanks.

 

[pooch]

Hi All.

I flashed my BIOS to try and fix a problem I was having with my computer not POSTing after a cold boot. Ever since, my secondary hard drive will start to spin-up and spin-down repeatedly, once Windows loads. It doesn't do that during POST, or if I'm in the BIOS, or anything; just when Windows is running, which makes me think it's a software, rather than a hardware problem.

I'd installed Windows in AHCI mode, and it had always worked, but now, the above problem goes away if I set my SATA controller to IDE rather than AHCI, in the BIOS.

So I think it might have something to do with Windows not being entirely happy with AHCI after the BIOS update. Anyone have any ideas on how I can fix this?

System Details:
Mobo: ASUS M4A79T Deluxe
BIOS Updated To: Version 3303
CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 965
RAM: 8 GiB DDR3 PC16000
PSU: 850 Watt something or other (can't remember, but it was expensive)
HDD: Primary is 160 GiB Western Digital. Secondary is 200 GiB Western Digital (can't remember exact details, but they're both 7,200 RPM).
OS: Windows 7 Ultimate SP1, 64-bit


Thanks.

Hello meh, welcome to the forum
You could flash the BIOS back again or wait for the next BIOS update
Alternatively you could leave it in IDE mode
another idea try changing the SATA port
It is unlikely that making changes to windows would help but you could try a repair install just to be sure

 

[Meh]

Thanks for your reply, pooch.

Well I forgot to explain that I had tried re-flashing the BIOS, with a slightly older version, and that didn't work. Last night, I also tried going back version after version, until it wouldn't let me, because it said the motherboard was newer. It didn't help.

I have been using it in IDE mode since the problem started, but it does seem to be a fair bit slower, and if I can have AHCI (and have done until now), then I don't want to have to downgrade. It should be working.

Using another SATA port: well I haven't tried that yet, but I did connect another drive to a different port, and didn't have any problems with that. So I'm beginning to think it's just that drive (or the port), although if that's the case, I can't work-out why it would have been working fine before the BIOS upgrade. I also had the 200 GB drive in another machine before, and that was using AHCI, and I had no problems. I'll swap it out and see what happens.

I'll also try to re-install Windows this weekend.

Thanks for your help. I'll let you know what happens.

 

[pooch]

Thanks for your reply, pooch.

Well I forgot to explain that I had tried re-flashing the BIOS, with a slightly older version, and that didn't work. Last night, I also tried going back version after version, until it wouldn't let me, because it said the motherboard was newer. It didn't help.

Then I don't think its the BIOS
Take care flashing the BIOS so often It can cause serious problems if it goes wrong.

I have been using it in IDE mode since the problem started, but it does seem to be a fair bit slower, and if I can have AHCI (and have done until now), then I don't want to have to downgrade. It should be working..

No reason to do it if the BIOS is not at fault

Using another SATA port: well I haven't tried that yet, but I did connect another drive to a different port, and didn't have any problems with that. So I'm beginning to think it's just that drive (or the port), although if that's the case, I can't work-out why it would have been working fine before the BIOS upgrade. I also had the 200 GB drive in another machine before, and that was using AHCI, and I had no problems. I'll swap it out and see what happens.

It does begin to sound like it could be the drive or the port, it would be an idea to check this out before you go further.

I'll also try to re-install Windows this weekend.

Bit more drastic than my idea but if you are happy with it lol http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

 

[Meh]

Hi again.

Thanks for all that. I tried re-formatting the disk, and that didn't help, so in the end, I just swapped it out, and the replacement disk is fine. The original 200 GB disk was kind of old, so maybe there was something about the new AHCI configuration, that it didn't understand. The new disk is a recent model.

Thanks again for your time!

Meh.

 

[pooch]

No problem I'm glad you got it sorted out