Problems with Sil 3512A? Here's a Solution!

[djvga]

Hi again,

I am using Gigabyte 7N400 Pro 2 rev.2 with latest FK bios & single 300GB SATA, 7200rpm, 16MB cache Maxtor HDD (bootble)

First I used Maxtor PATA (ATA133), 7200 rpm, 120GB, 8MB cache to boot from, as it was my main HDD, before I got that 300GB HDD. I used 120 GB HDD without any problems. When the 300GB drive arrived, I pluged it as a second drive, just to transfer all the programs I had on the old 120 GB. Everything was OK, no problems at all. After a week I decided to make another older configuration with the 120GB HDD, and that second PC is done & working without problems using Gigabyte 7ZXE motherboard. I am using it to make partys. From that moment the 300GB SATA HDD, had to be my single booting HDD on the main PC.

HERE STARTED THE PROBLEMS:

Problem 1:
There is not enough time for the drive to spin-up when I turn the computer ON, the BIOS don't recognize it, SATALink/SATARaid don't recognize it also ---> Imposible even to start windows XP install :(

I found solution for that, here is the link to it:

http://www.short-media.com/forum/showthread.php?t=29207

Problem 2:
After the recognition was solved, the HDD spins-up every time, is aways recognized by the BIOS & by the Silicon Imige 3512A Controler, I decided to install fresh copy of Windows XP. As told everywhare, I swiched the ITE Raid OFF, and Enabled the SATA controler in BASE mode. This is because I am using ONLY ONE SATA DRIVE!!! For the same reason I put Si3112 (not Si3112r) drivers on a 1.44 Flopy & made standard Windows XP install using F6 at the begining (if F6 not pressed & drivers not inserted by flopy, the install continues a while & goes straight to BLUE SCREEN error. The error looks like faulty driver error or damaged hardware error, but it is only, because the HDD is initialized & recognized by the controler & the BIOS, but Win XP don't know how to see it, or use it. So the install knows there must be HDD, but don't know how to use it, so there is HDD, but for win xp it must be broken. This causes the blue screen error, so there MUST be a driver(s) for it).

Windows installed without any problems! Working in windows, without any problems, no freez, not slow, just best. Not so nice lately... :(

After restart or shutdown: Problems, real troubles. Sometimes just black screen at the begining before win XP logo comes and HDD indicator ON forever... Sometimes "Windows\system32\config\system" corrupt or missing error, sometimes starts to load windows, and hangs randomly somewhare... .In fact ~3 of 5 times restarted or powered on, it was possible to get in windows. Once in, no problems at all.

THE SOLUTION:

Before I start to eplain the solution I must say that it is realy wired and fully NOT logical, but it WORKS!

In the BIOS: set H/W ATA RAID: Disabled ; SATA Controler: Enabled ;
Sata Function: RAID (not BASE).... save & exit? Yes :)

Copy from Gigabyte's CD (that came with the MB) to a flopy: Si3112 (not Si3112r), I try to use other versions from www.siimage.com & others - bad results, use those from the CD. In the bios is SATA is set to RAID, but now you are copying the BASE drivers to a flopy - NOT LOGICAL but WORKS!!!


Installing Windows XP (Home or Pro): Start your install as you always do. Press F6, insert the flopy, press S, choose the first of the two drivers, press enter, on the next screen press enter again. If the install asks you for the same driver, insert the flopy again and press enter... that's nice :) Finish the install.

First time you get into windows: Install All drivers for the motherboard from the Gigabyte's CD without thw Silicon Image SATA RAID DRIVER!!! In this case THE BEST DRIVER FOR THIS CONFIGURATION IS NOT TO INSTALL DRIVER IN WINDOWS XP!!! You will notice that SATA RAID Controler is listed in the Device Manager as "RAID Controller" with question mark and "!" on it under "Other devices" category. You just don't care about it, forget it, but DON'T FORGET THAT DRIVER MUST NOT BE INSTALLED. When installing windows updates from www.microsoft.com, DON'T let windows update install driver for the controller! Here you go you're done, tou have stable windows and computer. Your PC is starting to load windows absolutely always & no hangs when loading windows :))))

FACTS:
-When SATA set to RAID in BIOS and non-raid - BASE driver (Si3112) is used, Windows XP installs much faster...
-It's faster in windows - overall & copy and/or write

PS: I finally have the PC I wanted, I hope all of you will make the desired problem-free system of your PC! Gigabyte are the best for me, and Silicon Image drivers sucks....

DJ VGA - BG

[djvga]

I Tested for 3 days - 314 restarts and/or power ONs without any problem, so for me this is the perfect and only solution for my problems :)

[Spinner]

I Tested for 3 days - 314 restarts and/or power ONs without any problem, so for me this is the perfect and only solution for my problems :)That's some interesting information their bud. Thanks for posting it once again.

I have to say though that I use a couple of systems using an ASUS and ABIT board, the latter using a SATA RAID array with the SI 3x12 controller (obviously in RAID mode) with the RAID drivers, and the former using a single SATA drive with the controller in RAID mode and the RAID drivers.

Both setups work just fine with the very latest Silicon Image BIOS and drivers and so do dozens more PC's of similar configurations that I've built for clients. I only had one troublesome machine and that was a folding rig I built for myself which I used a Gigabyte board on.

In my opinion your problems aren't from dodgy Silicon Image drivers, they're from dodgy motherboard making from Gigabyte. I bet you any money if you were using another make motherboard with the same chipset and specs like from ASUS or MSI, you wouldn't have had any problems.

Nevertheless, the information you've posted, especially with the regard to the HD spin up issue, is absolutely invaluable, and I hope the techniques you've used to cure the other issues on your Gigabyte board, can be used to equal effectiveness by other forum members and guests. It has certainly given me a few things to test out. Great stuff!

Thanks.

[djvga]

Nice post :)

Today I tested single configuration (BASE) with Maxtor 120 GB, SATA, 7200rpm, 8MB Cache & Maxtor 160GB, SATA, 7200rpm, 8MB Cache on my motherboard (GA-7N400 Pro 2 rev. 2 with Silicon Image 3512A controller) - It is working without any problems with the both HDDs.

Yesterday, I tried my 300GB Maxtor, 7200rpm, SATA, 16MB cache, with different cables on two different motherboards - Abit & Asus, in single mode, and my HDD was not recognized by the BIOS in both cases since I disabled the advanced spin-up option on my Maxtor drive. I don't remember the exact models of those two motherboards, but one of tham was with Silicon Image SATA controller, the other with Promise or somthing like that. I Also tested with PCI SATA controller (It was strange, I've never saw another like this), and the same results. Friend of mine got the same as mine motherboard and is using Maxtor 160GB Sata single mode configuration for 6 months by now, without any problems. I think that the problem is was that my HDD is much newer than my motherboard, and this is why it was impossible to run in the standart way. Anyway, my computer & HDD are working more than fine now & I am saticfied.

I am making PC configurations using Gigabyte boards and never had problems with them. I still Like them. Once one of my clients wanted the motherboard for his PC to be Asus, and it totaly burned it's self, also the CPU, the Memory, and the AGP. Only the PCI network card wich was 6$ was working. They replaced the motherboard with NEW (the same model ASUS). My client bought another PSU, another CPU, another Memory, and another AGP card. All brand new. after a week the same happened, and he said that he will never again buy computer. Now, 3 years later, he is not using computer for this reason. Another client wanted a year ago his motherboard to be Sintax-usa. The problem with that motherboard was: with his CPU - 1800+, it was displaying in windows "unknown processor", and when I flashed it's bios with the newest exact bios version from their site with the hope that the CPU will be detected properly, after restart the motherboard died, so I had to reflash the old back-up copy of the bios with speial programming equipment to make it work.

[Spinner]

Nice post :)

Today I tested single configuration (BASE) with Maxtor 120 GB, SATA, 7200rpm, 8MB Cache & Maxtor 160GB, SATA, 7200rpm, 8MB Cache on my motherboard (GA-7N400 Pro 2 rev. 2 with Silicon Image 3512A controller) - It is working without any problems with the both HDDs.

Yesterday, I tried my 300GB Maxtor, 7200rpm, SATA, 16MB cache, with different cables on two different motherboards - Abit & Asus, in single mode, and my HDD was not recognized by the BIOS in both cases since I disabled the advanced spin-up option on my Maxtor drive. I don't remember the exact models of those two motherboards, but one of tham was with Silicon Image SATA controller, the other with Promise or somthing like that. I Also tested with PCI SATA controller (It was strange, I've never saw another like this), and the same results. Friend of mine got the same as mine motherboard and is using Maxtor 160GB Sata single mode configuration for 6 months by now, without any problems. I think that the problem is was that my HDD is much newer than my motherboard, and this is why it was impossible to run in the standart way. Anyway, my computer & HDD are working more than fine now & I am saticfied.

I am making PC configurations using Gigabyte boards and never had problems with them. I still Like them. Once one of my clients wanted the motherboard for his PC to be Asus, and it totaly burned it's self, also the CPU, the Memory, and the AGP. Only the PCI network card wich was 6$ was working. They replaced the motherboard with NEW (the same model ASUS). My client bought another PSU, another CPU, another Memory, and another AGP card. All brand new. after a week the same happened, and he said that he will never again buy computer. Now, 3 years later, he is not using computer for this reason. Another client wanted a year ago his motherboard to be Sintax-usa. The problem with that motherboard was: with his CPU - 1800+, it was displaying in windows "unknown processor", and when I flashed it's bios with the newest exact bios version from their site with the hope that the CPU will be detected properly, after restart the motherboard died, so I had to reflash the old back-up copy of the bios with speial programming equipment to make it work.I think the Maxtor hard disks and the SI controllers just don't get on. There are certainly issue's with Maxtor drives and the SI controllers across the board and not just exclusive to GIGABYTE. Your recent tests would seem to support that.

Some of the actual issues with the Maxtor drives I think you've probably touched on with your recent work around for their spin up problem. However looking at the raw statistics around these very forums, looking at how many SATA issues are GIGABYTE based, I always think twice now before recommending them, as I've said.

Like you said though, no motherboard manufacturer ever makes the perfect 'never to explode' motherboard. My way of thinking is that you go with the one that in your own experience has been the most reliable. For me that's ABIT. But saying that, all the ABIT boards I've owned have always had their own unique set of problems. For example it's almost a certainty that the North Bridge fan on an ABIT board will stop working or start making awful noises after only a few months. So every motherboard has its quirks, and it is of course still about preference, but some manufactures are just better across the board. Better support (BIOS updates etc), better track records, and less setup issues.

I don't think anyone can deny GIGABYTE are just plain awful when it comes to BIOS updates. It's as if they purposefully go out of their way to supply their BIOS files with the oldest HD controller ROM's they can find.

Nevertheless, GIGABYTE is much cheaper than most of the other big name manufactures and ABIT specifically are very expensive to buy. So I guess the debate really will never find any hard core resolution because no matter what the statistics dictate, the deciding factor of user preference and specific experience can never really be out weighed. :)