Building a comp need help

[thebattle]

Anybody out here computer knowledgeable? I had bought a hard drive for my computer i think i may have bought the wrong one its a sata drive and i noticed that the specs on my mobo for the hd was a 1.5gbs and the hd i bought is a 3.0gbs does this interface really matter since its all pluged up by a cable? My bios doesn't detect my hd. Its brand new im confused any help would be appreciated.

[f.sciarrillo]

How old is the computer and is compatible with the sata?

[lonewolf]

A 3G SATA drive should work on a 1.5G SATA interface.

That mobo is probably a relatively old design if it has a 1.5G interface.

If the mobo is not detecting the drive, it's probably a configuration that the mobo BIOS doesn't recognize. The 1st thing you should do is go to the mobo manufacturer web page, download the latest BIOS for your mobo and install it.

[thebattle]

i downloaded it but cant find a way to get it on a disc to install it i dont have a 3 1/2

[BloodyFingers]

WHAT is the age of your computer ?? There was 2 kinds of sata. If its a older sata motherboard then no a newer sata hard drive will not work on the older sata systems..... If you just hook the drive up it will not find it always, you may need to use a instalation disk to get it started....so many questions. Do you have sp2 installed....???

[thebattle]

it was common prob with this mobo to need to update the bios b/c it cant read sata drives. I read that putting my 3.0gbs on a 1.5 wont hurt anything it just drops the speed. still having trouble ive been working on this forever

[lonewolf]

i downloaded it but cant find a way to get it on a disc to install it i dont have a 3 1/2

Take another look at the manufacturer's site and see if they have an alternative BIOS install that you can run from Windows. Chances are, they don't have one, but some do. If not, you could try making a bootable CD with the BIOS files on it.

If that doesn't work, you will probably need to get a USB floppy or get an old floppy drive that's laying around and temporarily hook it up so you can update the BIOS. I have an old floppy laying around somewhere if you want to borrow it.

[BloodyFingers]

Is it Vista or XP ??

[thebattle]

its xp i actually just yanked my girls 3 1/2 out of her computer im going to try it now.

[hicksjd9]

Why do you need a floppy drive for this?

[lonewolf]

Why do you need a floppy drive for this?

Most (but not all) 3rd party motherboard BIOSs cannot be updated while a graphical user interface operating system like Windows is running. The program requires direct access to rewrite the EEPROMs containing the BIOS assembler code. During this process, only minimum resources such as the boot disk interface, memory, keyboard and basic graphics are active.

Most BIOS updaters require that you to boot up your computer from an external floppy boot-up disk that contains a BIOS writer program that runs automatically at boot. After a few minutes, the EEPROMs get updated and you can reboot with your newly installed BIOS. When new features are added, sometimes Windows comes up with "new hardware detected" and installs the software driver.

Some companies like HP/Compaq have a BIOS update program that can be started while Windows is running. Hopefully the 3rd party manufacturers are following suit.

That is why it usually doesn't matter what operating system you are running when you update the BIOS.

[Ron]

HP made a utility (click here) that can make a USB memory stick emulate a USB floppy drive. It will only work if the current BIOS supports booting from USB, but the same holds true for a USB floppy drive.

[thebattle]

i cant run the operating system it doesn't have one this is a new build it wont install the os b/c it wont detect my sata which is why im trying to upgrade the bios

[lonewolf]

So how did you make out?

With all this computer talk, I decided to go to Newegg and check out some AM2+/AM3 mobos. I have enought sata parts in this computer and others laying around to make two relatively new (sata II era anyway) systems--all I needed was a mobo.

I couldn't believe it, they had one for $60 with free shipping that will handle Phenom II and has the new HD4200 integrated graphics chipset that allows you to share 512MB of system ram for video. Its also backward compatible with my Athlon X2 5400+ cpu. I ordered it today. Check this thing out:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6813138156

[thebattle]

still didn't get it fixed i have been talking to asrock tech support its really getting under my skin.... But yah thats a preety sick mobo 8gig support sweet...

[witchhunt]

I'll sell you my one Dell if you want to put a new hard drive in it.

[thebattle]

no thanks bill haha kinda anxious to get this thing running ill get it.

[lonewolf]

Did you get the BIOS updated OK?

If so, do you know for sure that the drive is not defective?

IF so, does your power supply have SATA power connectors or are you using a PATA (standard 4-pin molex) -- SATA adapter?

PATA--SATA adapters only work for SATA devices that do not require 3.3 volts. If you are using one, check the HD specs to see if it requires 3.3V.

If it does and your power supply can't provide it, you will need to get one that does.

[BloodyFingers]

Remeber what I told you about installing Xp on a sata drive system. Your xp disk has to have sp2 biult in in order to load xp on a sata system.....I learned this the hard way...... If you don't I can make you a xp disk and add sp2 to it....all I need is your windows disk....

[thebattle]

Remeber what I told you about installing Xp on a sata drive system. Your xp disk has to have sp2 biult in in order to load xp on a sata system.....I learned this the hard way...... If you don't I can make you a xp disk and add sp2 to it....all I need is your windows disk....

I have xp disk thats not the problem. And i have the driver disk for my mobo i contacted tec support i need to get the sata driver off the utilities disc installed. When i go to the boot menu to install the driver it wont work and i cant get it put on a disc when i get to the screen to press yes or no my keyboard doesn't respond to the screen its bs. If i could get it to press yes to install my sata driver it will work. Ive been talking too tech support. If i cant get it ill get back to yah on the disc.

[thebattle]

i think i have come to the conclusion of the frozen screen on the dos screen my keboard is usb is there possibility that dos doesn't recognize usb in that form? b/c it promts me to press y or no but it doesn't work when i press anything i duno...

[hicksjd9]

Where do you live? If near huntingdon PM and I can fix you up. I've been building PCs for years and had my own computer business for awhile. It shouldn't be a problem to get you up and running in no time.

[thebattle]

Where do you live? If near huntingdon PM and I can fix you up. I've been building PCs for years and had my own computer business for awhile. It shouldn't be a problem to get you up and running in no time.

I just avoided the problem and bought an ide drive here the sata crontoller must be damaged.