SATA Controller (SiI 3x1x, Bios, drivers) can not handle optical devices

JoachimJoachim
edited July 2005 in Hardware
Hi @all,

I will open this thread parallel the other SiI 3112A / SiI 3114 / motherboard threads, because the SATA-Chips / bios / drivers from SiliconImage will have problems on PCI-Controllers and optical devices, too.

I am using a SiI 3112A – PCI-SATA-Controller on my old ASUS motherboard to add a SP1614C SATA-harddisk in addition to my other internal and external SCSI-devices (harddisks, tape, CD-burner, scanner). This works fine incl. the SATA-harddisk (no RAID).
Now, I installed at the second SATA-port a Plextor PX-716SA but with failures. If the PX-716SA is connected, the system is very slow and a lot of system events will written like: Error 9, Time-out, Device SI3112. It is possible to work with the system only, if the Plextor is disconnected or if a CD is insert in the device (then, no events will written into systemlog). The Plextor is correctly listed as “CD-ROM1” in the OS device management, but the system don’t recognize a CD change.

At this, I have tested a SiI 3114 – PCI-SATA-Controller with the same problems.

Both cards I have tested with different SiliconImage IDE-BIOS and different drivers (for example: SiI 3112: IDE-BIOS 5.0.44 (enabled/disabled), driver: 1.2.0.5. SiI 3114: IDE-BIOS 4.2.47 & 4.2.50 (enabled/disabled), driver: 1.2.0.57 and the latest bios and drivers from 06/30/2005 (SiI 3114). Plextor PX-716SA with firmware 1.06 and 1.08. OS: Windows 2000 Prof. with service pack 4.)

Is there anyone in the world with a working environment with SiI 3112 / SiI 3114 Controller-Cards and an optical device like Plextor PX-716SA ? I wont to know the BIOS and driver version.

Thanks for help.
Joachim


PS: To exclude local problems with my system, environment, settings and so on, I have tested an ALi – SATA – Controller with success. It was a HAMA product (see: www.hama.de), Product No.: 00049254, “SATA + ATA Combo Card, PCI“ with “ALi RAID BIOS V0.95 (M5283)“, drivers: “ALi ATA/RAID Controller 5.0.2.6“ and “ALi SATA/RAID Controller 5.0.2.6“. But this controller, so I tested, doesn’t support CD-/DVD-booting (or it doesn’t work).

PPS: Adaptec describes in general, that optical devices will not supported by Adaptec, but in product details of the “SATAConnect 1205SA (ASH-1205SA)” the support is described. The problem is, that here in Germany, this card is not available for test. So, I am looking at first for SiliconImage bios and drivers.

Comments

  • Mt_GoatMt_Goat Head Cheezy Knob Pflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
    edited July 2005
    You may need a newer class controller or try a bios/driver update.
  • JoachimJoachim
    edited July 2005
    What do you mean with „newer class controller“ ?

    I have tested the newest bios and drivers from SiliconImage download page - without success !
  • Mt_GoatMt_Goat Head Cheezy Knob Pflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
    edited July 2005
    SI 3112 and 3114 have been around a while and there are newer model controllers out. By class the SATAII controllers have been handling rom drives better than the original /sata controllers. I personally am not sold on the ability of any SATA controllers and rom dives to work well without conflict yet. This might be boren out by the lack of such devices on the market yet as Plextor is the only company I see making them so far. HBave you checked to see if there is a new bios with an accomanying driver for your SI card? It would list the improvements over previous bios revisions in the notes for the new bios. This would be my first step in your case. Sorry to come off as glum. ;)
  • PreacherPreacher Potomac, MD Icrontian
    edited July 2005
    I have that Plextor Optical drive working great on a DFI NF4 SATA port. I flashed it to 1.07 (although the latest is 1.08) and I use Window XP Pro.

    Could it be because you are using Windows 2000?
  • JoachimJoachim
    edited July 2005
    @mtgoat

    I think, I understand ...

    But if you read the descriptions from SiliconImage about SiI 3114 under “Other Features & Benefits: Supports ATAPI devices: CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, etc.” Besides SiI-Chips are implemented on some motherboards and must work !?? Now, so it is, isn’t it ?
    And the ALi (M5283) Test-Controller (see above) works fine with driver date January 2004.


    @Preacher

    No, I think Windows 2000 is not the problem. In a short test, I used Windows XP (with Service Pack 2) and the results are the same like under W2k. But I know, that some motherboards (with different SATA-Chips (?) / Southbridges) will work with PX-716SA.
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