Hard Drive Detection Issues

[azman90]

Thank you all in advance for any possible help/feedback/enlightenment.

I think I have the ultimate computer hardware riddle--

Was running a 1TB Seagate Barracuda (SATA 3.0) for around a year when I decided to buy myself a 240 GB SSD (over a year ago). Installed the SSD and my external immediately became wonky. Tried to get it to work by cleaning/fixing but after a hard crash the system no longer detected it. Tried different power ports and SATA ports and SATA cords. No dice. Figured it had simply toasted itself.

Around 1 year later (last month), as my SSD filled up I decided I'd like to try the 1TB again. Plugged it in, booted, it worked!! Couple hours later, hard crash. On subsequent boots it was undetectable as previous.

So I decided I'd buy myself another 1TB drive (WD Green 7200 SATA 3.0). Installed the drive and booted. Nothing detected 'cept the SSD. Hmm.. that's odd! Must be a faulty motherboard right?!

Tried swapping some power cords and SATA ports and suddenly on boot I get ONLY the 1TB new drive detecting. No longer SSD either. SSD has windows so I can't even boot up anymore (I'm posting this on my laptop).

I figured- hmm odd, maybe it's a PSU issue. So I swapped all 4 power cords, tried 3 different SATA cords, and swapped into like 4-5 different ports on the MOBO.

No matter what combination of whatever I used, I kept getting 100% reg on the CD/DVD drive and 100% reg on the brand new 1 TB hd. I can't get ANY signal from the SSD or the old 1 TB drive.

My mobo has 2- SATA3.0 and 4 SATA2 ports. PSU is only 400W, so there was a tiny thought in my mind that I was underpowering multiple drives, but when unplugging literally everything and cycling drives, the SSD still doesn't work.

TL;DR-- My computer is only detecting 1 of 3 of total SATA drives. It's not a PSU issue, it's not cables, it's not faulty drives.

-------

My thoughts:

1) Underpowered PSU or faulty power plugs -- Nope, not logical based on testing.

2) Bad mobo ports or bad SATA cords -- Nope, tested out

3) 1TB was faulty -- perhaps, but doesn't explain recent swap

4) Got some crazy power spike that fried my 1TB, then my SSD, but not my brand new 1TB yet -- very unlikely

5) Weirdest virus you've ever heard of -- ?

6) Some sort of wacky SATA controller bug issue -- This seems the most likely, but I have no idea how to test... This is the weirdest thing I've ever heard of and all my other techie friends are totally stumped.

----

Thanks again for any potential help!!


-J

 

[Mattios]

PSU being underpowered depends on the rest of your system. However I doubt this is the issue - the drives will pull about 20-25W most.

 

[azman90]

So update-- I have scoured the internet looking for any ideas-- the best one seemed to be resetting the CMOS.

Tried this via the battery method (didn't see any jumper prongs)- and it reset the clocks, but no improvements.

Verified that BOTH 1TB drives (Seagate 2 years old and WD brand new) spin up, but only the WD 1TB is registering on the motherboard.

The SSD is undetectable under any circumstances.

There are only 2 ideas left:

1) I somehow fried my old 1TB while installing my SSD last year. Then when I installed my new 1TB this year, I somehow fried my SSD.

2) The MoBo SATA controller is completely bonkers.

#2 makes the most sense, but then WHY does it keep recognizing the new drive, and not the old ones? All the ports work. All the power cords work. All the SATA cords work. It's just a recognition issue. What makes the WD 1TB drive 'special?' Whatever makes it 'special' is the same thing that made the SSD 'special' last year...

Please help! I have no system to use now, and my only thought is to buy a new motherboard.

BTW my motherboard is the ASRock H77.

 

[Mattios]

Can you/have you tried the drives in another PC?

 

[SuperSoph_WD]

Hey there, azman90!

You should definitely try the HDD and the SSD on another computer and test them there!
Before buying a new hardware, I'd strongly recommend getting your rig to the nearest professional repair services and let the guys there test everything. This way, with a little help, you will be able to determine where the problem comes from and what needs replacing.

Good luck! Keep us posted though!
SuperSoph_WD

 

[fzabkar]

The Seagate drive has a serial terminal port that outputs diagnostic information.

For more information, visit the HDD Oracle:

Guide - Using a TTL adaptor to check a Seagate PCB:
http://www.alexsoft.org/viewtopic.php?t=1073&p=4877#p4877

 

[azman90]

Was out of town for awhile, so slow update, but--

After resetting the CMOS via manual battery, all the drives work (or at least are detected) except for the SSD. Both 1 TB drives and the CD drive work on all 6 ports with all 4 power cords and with different SATA cables (spent like 30 boots with different combos).

The SSD is NOT recognizable. I reflashed my BIOS to the latest update (ASRock H77M LGA), and still the same results.

There's really only two likely outcomes in my head:

1) The SSD is fried.

2) Bios/SATA controller is ignoring the SSD for whatever reason.

#2 seems much more likely since before it was the SSD that worked for a year and the 1TB drive that was 'dead.' Then temporarily it was the new 1TB drive that was 'dead,' and now its the SSD.

I have an external USB SATA connector device on the way from Amazon. That's the only way I can test these drives on another machine (I have a MacBook and my wife has a small form pc).

Any other ideas why the BIOS won't recognize the SSD? I've tried different ports and updated the BIOS already.

 

[SuperSoph_WD]

Hi again, azman90!

I suggest trying that SSD on another computer, see if it will get recognized there.
I think you should also take your computer to a professional repair shop and let the guys there test your PSU. It might be frying your drives for some reason.

Keep us posted once you try the SSD on the PC!
SuperSoph_WD

 

[azman90]

So the USB-SATA plug-in device came in and I tested 2 drives on my MacBook. The (old) 1TB drive spins up and is recognized, the SSD nothing.

It apparently is fried.

I'm just going to throw Windows back onto the NEW 1TB drive, use the old 1TB drive as utility and keep the SSD plugged in and hope that one day it boots up.

I have no idea how it fried, and it seems coincidental that the old 1TB went wonky the day I bought the SSD and the SSD failed the day I bought the new HD.

Guessing either the SSD has been wacky since day1 or my PSU has been surge frying stuff. If it's the latter, doesn't explain how my old 1TB is 'back from the dead.'

SSD drives haven't went down a penny in the 14m since I bought mine, so not going to replace it. I'll miss the 5 sec over 20 sec boots, but it's not worth $80 for a broken gimmick.