Unable to get floppy drive to work on new build

[tonymarcus]

Hello guys,

Just building a new system based around the Gigabyte GA-EX38-DS5 and a Q9450 with 4Gb Crucial Ballistix ram.

I can't seem to get my floppy drive work, I attemptted to boot using an old Win ME before I installed windows but the floppy does not reas the disks, the light will come on and it with either not read the disk at all or come up with a IO error, I have tried another floppy drive and cable (different ways around) and several floppy disks.

My last build was 5 years ago so I'm a little out of touch of things but is there something I'm missing, I've checked all the settings in the BIOS and every thing seems to be as it should, in windows it sees the floppy but if I double click it it tells me that I need to format the disk but when I format it it says that it is unable to carry out task.

I need to floppy to install AHCI drivers. currently I have the bios setting "SATA RAID/AHCI MODE" set to disabled
(PATA) mode.

Can anyone help, I'm at the computer now if anyone can

Thanks

Tony

 

[Andrius]

1. Check BIOS, Standard CMOS features if the Floppy A is enabled (1.44MB, 3.5").
2. Are you sure the floppy drive works?

I'm not sure this board and WinME is such a good idea.

 

[smalltime0]

^you do realise you should be able to boot from CD?

ANd I agree Win ME is not a good idea with this board... In fact I can never remember thinking ME was a good idea.

 

[Andrius]

Well that OS was a flop in all aspects. 😉
But I think I've read something about P35 having issues with ME so I'm guessing the X38 won't like it either...
http://www.gigabyte.sg/Products/Motherboard/http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Spec.aspx?ProductID=2761
The REMARK 2 at the bottom. 😉

 

[tonymarcus]

I'm using windows Vista, I was only using the Win Me boot floppy, I've tried other DOS boot floppys disks and they don't work. Basically I can't use the floppy drive.

I want to change to SATA disks to AHCI mode but I need to load the drivers from floppy when installing Vista otherwise the installation will not reconise hard drives, this is the problem.

The floppy is set to 1.44MB in CMOS and I have swapped the floppy with a known good one.


Other problems I'm having is the 3 case fans in my Antec P182 will not start, if I gently push them with my finger they will start, they are all set to low, they will also start up if set them to medium or high.

Also on the GA EX38 DS5 there are some CPU load leds on the board, they only seem to work while computer is booting up to the point of windows is starting appears, is this normal ??.

Last one for now, the Easy tune program that comes with the motherboard keeps crashing and the temps it reports are miles off, at 100% load (CPU overclocked to 3.3Ghz) using prime 95 torture test it only reports a max core temp of 40 c, if I use Real Temp 2.5 and Speedfan this figure is a max of 60 c on speed fan and about 55 c on real temp, seems odd that the gigabyte one is so far off.

Lastly, sorry about the question, the memory multiplier on my board gives a 1:1 ratio when set to 2.00 which I want, but what is the diference between 2.00a, 2.00b, 2.00c, 2.00d, they all give a 1:1 ratio but what is the difference with the letters?

Thanks for helping

Tony

 

[tonymarcus]

Chaps,

Good news on the floppy problem and the fan problem I think, I had all 3 case fans and joined to togther then plugged in to a 4 pin connector on PSU, the floppy disk was on the same branch from PSU as fans, I measured the voltage and it was only 5volts on 12 volt line, when I disconnected the fans the voltage returned to 12 volts, the floppy now works, I think I'm going to have to wire each fan individually instead of joining them all to one connector.

Still looking for help on:-

Also on the GA EX38 DS5 there are some CPU load leds on the board, they only seem to work while computer is booting up to the point of windows is starting appears, is this normal ??.

Last one for now, the Easy tune program that comes with the motherboard keeps crashing and the temps it reports are miles off, at 100% load (CPU overclocked to 3.3Ghz) using prime 95 torture test it only reports a max core temp of 40 c, if I use Real Temp 2.5 and Speedfan this figure is a max of 60 c on speed fan and about 55 c on real temp, seems odd that the gigabyte one is so far off.

Lastly, sorry about the question, the memory multiplier on my board gives a 1:1 ratio when set to 2.00 which I want, but what is the diference between 2.00a, 2.00b, 2.00c, 2.00d, they all give a 1:1 ratio but what is the difference with the letters?

Thanks for helping

Tony

 

[smalltime0]

The temperature thing on the latest intel CPUs is different than the older ones AFAIK, the realtemp 2.5 is correct I think... the gigabyte one is +16C to what it reports.

They are only ever HDD utlization LEDs, the CPU is technically always used.

 

[tonymarcus]

An update on floppy problem, I have wired them up dffernent and the floppy fault has returned, it looks like one of the case fans is faulty, if I leave that disconnected then and wire up the others then the floppy works OK. With the faulty fan connected to various connectors the floppy stops working.

 

[Andrius]

You should trust RealTemp or even CoreTemp/HWMonitor as they report a bit higher temperatures (to be on the safe side).

For the RAM ratio settings you should read these threads :
http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=547582 (1st and 4th post should have what you need).
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=156346.

I have no idea what the LEDs are for but they could be a voltage indicator.
Some new boards have a row of red yellow and green LEDS to indicate what they see as SAFE (green) HIGH (yellow) and CRAZY (red) voltage settings on specific componets (EDIT: Manual, page 34, Item 25 Phase LEDs).

Since you say that one fan is the cause run it at medium (it could have a faulty switch or something).

 

[tonymarcus]

The fan problem is getting very strange, it seems if I connect all 3 up then the floppy problem returns, if I disconnect one then it works fine.

As a way rounnd it I ordered a additional Tricool 120mm fan to fit to front of case, I have removed the lower Tricool fan that came with the case and fitted the one that I purchased and fitted it to a motherboard header instead, seems to be working fine.

My PSU is a Corsair HX520 so that should be ample to run fans, astrange one.

 

[tonymarcus]

Still not sure about the memory strap ??

I want to over clock my memory, it is Pc6400 and I will hopefully overclock depending run the memory at about 450Mhz. Which is the safest setting with the losest timings ?

2.00a
2.00b
2.00c
2.00d

Gosh things have moved on since my last build but I'll get there. Just trying to overclock now, my Q9450 just crashed after 5 mins at 3.2Ghz with a voltage of 1.27500

 

[Andrius]

Your PSU should be enough, most certanly. But since the fans are regulated a faulty switch causing a short remains an option. I have all 4 SFF21F case fans (one on my TRUE) on a Kaze Master Fan Regulator powered by one 4 pin molex connector.

Try to figure out which one is faulty and move it to a seperate molex.
You have a board that runs 400MHz FSB at stock.
The crash can be caused by overclocking your memory (and not raising it's voltage).
I doubt the CPU needs more voltage. My friend's Q9300 runs 3.5GHz 2 voltage steps below VID on a RAMPAGE Formula.

At 400MHz FSB you should run your memory at 1:1 or 2.0 as that gives you 800MHz. For that you should use 2.00D and a ratio of 2.0.
When your CPU overclock is stable move on to overclocking RAM.
Crucial Ballistix memory usually specifies 2.2V for RAM sticks at tight timings, but you should check your modules' specs.
Crucial is not a popular brand here so I can not provide you with more specific advice, but Corsair modules are generaly specified at 2.1V and the highest I had to go with voltage to get stability was 2.05V for 4x2GB sticks of Dominators running at 466MHz (4-4-4-12 timings).