Silicon Image 3512A boot lock

[jetcaptain]

I have a Gigabyte K8NS Pro with embedded Sil3512A SATALink BIOS version 4.3.47.
It has worked well until I attached an eSATA 1 terabyte hard drive which stalls the system boot.
If I power off the external drive the system boots normally. Once Windows XP is up I can power on the eSATA 1 terabyte hard drive and it is recognized and works normally thereafter.
My desire is to resolve the booting problem with a BIOS update.
Gigabyte provides no support, but I have found several possible BIOS updates on the Silicon Image site ..... the latest is dated 11/26/2007 BIOS version 4.3.84 ..........
http://www.siimage.com/support/searchresults.aspx?pid=29&cat=15
My concern is bricking my system as the SI info is a little confusing.
Suggestions, thoughts, and tips about updating my system BIOS to version 4.3.84 would be appreciated.

[Thrax]

You cannot update the SATA BIOS without your mobo manufacturer rolling it into a BIOS update for the motherboard.

Unfortunately, you're out of luck on this one. :(

[RyderOCZ]

This board has an eSATA port on the back?

[jetcaptain]

This board has an eSATA port on the back?

All SATA connectors/ports are mounted to surface of the MB .... two SI and two Nvidia. I installed a dual eSATA bracket in as an aft I/O which provides the eSATA connections.
Incidentally, I failed to mention that 500GB drives do not halt the boot process .... just the 1TB ..... also, the Nvidia works with 1TB drives. So it is not a total bust just an annoyance that I wanted to solve.

[thesleepless]

also having this problem with the GA-K8N Pro with latest BIOS. I have 2x 1TB hard drives, but i cannot boot with them connected, this is very annoying as i'd like to use them as my primary drives and get rid of my PATA drives, is there any way around this?

[jetcaptain]

also having this problem with the GA-K8N Pro with latest BIOS. I have 2x 1TB hard drives, but i cannot boot with them connected, this is very annoying as i'd like to use them as my primary drives and get rid of my PATA drives, is there any way around this?

Use the two Nvidia SATA ports located between the AGP slot and the CPU .... they will boot and work with 1TB drives.
DO NOT use the Silicon Image SATA ports at the edge of the Motherboard for internal 1TB drives as they will freeze the booting of your system ...... HOWEVER, these same SI ports will work with an eSATA 1TB HD if it is powered down during the boot process and powered up after the boot process.

[chrisbez]

Use the two Nvidia SATA ports located between the AGP slot and the CPU .... they will boot and work with 1TB drives.
DO NOT use the Silicon Image SATA ports at the edge of the Motherboard for internal 1TB drives as they will freeze the booting of your system ...... HOWEVER, these same SI ports will work with an eSATA 1TB HD if it is powered down during the boot process and powered up after the boot process.

Hi,all!

My first post here....

Jetcaptain, the Giga GA_K8N board does not have the extra Nvidia sockets, only the Silicon Image edge sockets. It seems the K8NS board does.

I am having the same problem trying to connect a Hitachi 1tb sata drive to a K8N Pro board. Bios freezes!

Regards,

chrisbez

[primesuspect]

Welcome to Icrontic, chrisbez :)

Are you running the latest bios for the board?

[chrisbez]

Welcome to Icrontic, chrisbez :)

Are you running the latest bios for the board?

[chrisbez]

Hi and thanks for the welcome!

No, I have F11 bios on the board, have downloaded F14, but not installed.

Regards,

chrisbez

[primesuspect]

Give that a shot and see what happens.

[chrisbez]

Give that a shot and see what happens.

OK. Will I try it. Thanks for the input.

chrisbez

[chrisbez]

OK. Will I try it. Thanks for the input.

chrisbez

I WILL try it!!!!!!

[chrisbez]

I WILL try it!!!!!!

Loaded F14 bios - not good - system hung. Went back to previous - f11 - plus, unplugged sata cable to 1tb HHd - system booted, which is where I am writing this mail!

Bedtime is overdue - zzzz........

[Bilbotorm]

Hello

i have an Shuttle ST61G4 barebon; my hard drive ; i changed for a samsung 1TB; problem is that my Sil 3512A lock at startup; i guess same problem as here.

my motherboard is updated to the latest bios so i am kinda stuck
is there a way to modify the latest motherboard bios; alter it so that i can upgrade the sil part in the motherboard bios ?

thanks to let me know !

Bil

[Bilbotorm]

Quick note; thanks to a very good thread on this forum; i managed to update myself the bios of the sil 3512A on my motherboard by modifying the last bios available for my mother board

http://icrontic.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20543&page=6

have a look :) the post from winactive is perfect :)