Computer isn't booting into windows when IDE cable is connected

-FMA · February 19th, 2006, 11:12 AM

First off I'd like to point out how amazing I am with my detailed Thread title.

Anyway, when I've got the Disc Drives connected to the motherboard the computer doesn't boot into windows. But everything works fine when the drives aren't connected.

Could this be a bad IDE cable problem? This problem just recently occoured when I switched cases.

There are two drives connected to the cable. DVD and CD burner. WinXP Pro.

Thanks,

-FMA

**Martoch** · February 19th, 2006, 11:17 AM

Let's go over the basics...
How about when just one optical drive is connected? Have you tried various jumper settings? Tried any other IDE cables?

-FMA · February 19th, 2006, 11:42 AM

I've tried just one drive and it still doesn't work. I could try to use another IDE cable, but all my other cables are for just one drive. Guess if that worked it would be a temp solution until I get another split IDE cable.

I've not changed the jumped settings because they worked fine before. The DVD drive is set to master and the CD drive is slave. The other way around doesn't work. I could try cable select though.

Any thoughts?

**Martoch** · February 19th, 2006, 11:54 AM

So all you did was move your hardware to another case without changing anything else at all? Same PSU? Triple checked your connections? Let us know if the single drive IDE cable works.

elroy · February 19th, 2006, 11:55 AM

Is your hard drive connected to the "primary" connector on the board?

-FMA · February 19th, 2006, 12:06 PM

No it's a different PSU.

Elroy: I'm not sure, but it didn't make a difference when I switched them.

Ok, right now I'm checking it out with a single IDE cable. BRB!

-FMA · February 19th, 2006, 12:18 PM

Alright, I switched the IDE cables and it worked. Guess I'll have to buy a new split cable.

Thanks.

**Martoch** · February 19th, 2006, 12:23 PM

Can't complain about a cheap fix like that...although it's not a complete guarantee that your system will boot just fine with both drives connected with a new cable.

nopostage · February 19th, 2006, 12:59 PM

I ran into the same problem with an old Dell. It seemed that the BIOS was trying to recognize all the drives and it couldn't recognize the cdrom drive. So I started unplugging things, and when I unplugged the CDrom ribbon cable the computer booted up fine. I tried a different cable, and a different CDrom drive, and still ran into the same problem. I had to leave that cable unplugged. For me it was a motherboard issue.

-FMA · February 19th, 2006, 02:37 PM

Quote:

although it's not a complete guarantee that your system will boot just fine with both drives connected with a new cable.

Yeah, computers are silly like that. I hope it works though, I've not changed anything so it should work...hopfully.