Sata drive is showing but I cannot format it

BBCritical · **Joined:** Mon Aug 22, 2005 10:29 am **Posts:** 10

I just setup my nas server on a new mb. My IDE drive is showing and I formatted it. I have a Sata drive that shows but it has an * next to it in the storage configuration menu so that I cannot select it to be formatted. Any one have any ideas on how to remedy this?

Tony · **Posted:** Sun Feb 04, 2007 12:48 am

Try turning USB-2 support off in the BIOS.

BBCritical · **Joined:** Mon Aug 22, 2005 10:29 am **Posts:** 10

I dont see an option to turn off USB 2.0 support in my bios... I only have options to disable legacy usb support and to disable usb ports altogether. I have also noticed that my pata drive wont mount. I am using an ASRock K7 VT4A Pro motherboard

Tony · **Posted:** Mon Feb 05, 2007 10:51 am

With the drives in question connected, please boot the machine and post the NASLite syslog status page for review.

BBCritical · **Joined:** Mon Aug 22, 2005 10:29 am **Posts:** 10

Here is my log after a reboot

rgooch@atnf.csiro.au

okir@monad.swb.de

tsbogend@alpha.franken.de

wjc · **Posted:** Wed Mar 07, 2007 6:23 pm

I have exactly the same problem but I realize that Disk-0 is not your SATA drive but it's your USB stick hence we can't format it because it has NASLite on it. I proved it by disconnecting SATA disk completely and it still shows Disk-0 as Boot/Config device.
I can see my SATA disk in BIOS as 3rd master, capacity and everything else looks correct, it's a brand new 250 GB Samsung drive. So is it a BIOS setting that prevents me seeing it or is it a NASLite failing to recognize it ??
I have barebone PC from Asus V3-M2V890,
Any ideas greatly appreciated!

goldfinger · **Joined:** Tue Feb 14, 2006 10:20 pm **Posts:** 14

I had a similar issue using a brand new disk. I booted with a Windows XP cd and created a partition on the disk, NasLite was able to format it after doing that. Try making a partition on it, it does not matter what kind and see if that helps.

georg · **Posted:** Thu Mar 08, 2007 4:04 pm

BBCritical:

See at end of my post http://www.serverelements.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1677.

In BIOS try all combinations of Auto/Enhanced/Sata-Only/Combined. Verify that BIOS can see both the IDE and Sata Drives befor NL boots.

And let us know how it turns out.

Georg

Grumpa · **Posted:** Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:09 pm

I just installed a 160gb Maxtor SATA drive on an ASUS Terminator 1 C3 Barebone mobo. NASLite v2.04 didn't see the drive at all. What I stumbled on was a jumper setting on the Maxtor drive called "Force 150" -I set that and the drive was then recognized by NASLite, and fully accessible.

wjc · **Posted:** Fri Mar 09, 2007 9:54 am

Guys, I've tried all 3 suggestions ie:
1) Created 10 Gb partition under W2K (had to write signature) connected back to Asus barebone and still nothing
2) Indeed my drive also has a jumper to reduce speed to 1.5 Gbps, so I've done that and still nothing.
3) My BIOS is different to the one georg has ie: there is hardly any mention of SATA. Asus uses American Megatrends BIOS v 2.58
It shows:
Primary IDE Master/Slave
Secondary IDE Master/Slave
Third IDE Master <- I see my disk here
Fourth IDE Master
I tried disabling Primary and Secondary next I moved cable to the 2nd SATA port so it shows up as Fourth IDE Master but still no luck.

There is one obscure setting for USB stick > 512 MB, as I've given away my 32 MB USB stick I couldn't boot initially from 1 GB stick. So I had to set USB to "Force FDD" and then it boots from 1GB. I wonder if that can have anything to do with my problem??

georg · **Posted:** Mon Mar 12, 2007 1:17 pm

I'm stumped ...

Try disabling the Primary and Secondary IDE controllers, make sure the SATA drive still shows in BIOS, then boot NL again. Disable legacy USB in BIOS (if there is such an option). Disable (in BIOS) anything not needed (like Serial & Parallel ports) to eliminate IRQ conflicts as a possible cause. And/or use "killdisk" (http://www.killdisk.com/downloadfree.htm) to re-format the SATA drive (you can abort after first 5% or so).

Georg

wjc · **Posted:** Mon Mar 12, 2007 6:41 pm

Ok will try your suggestions tomorrow.
On the other hand I was wondering if I'm fighting a loosing battle here. This Asus barebone PC uses as South bridge VIA VT8237A chip which I gather is also SATA controller. Yesterday I checked in Hardware Compatibility Guide and only VT6420 and VT6421 are listed.
Perhaps someone from Server Elements can comment on this one? Do I need to wait for NASLite-2 3.0 release? Or could it be fixed in 2.x ie: sooner?

wjc · **Posted:** Tue Mar 13, 2007 2:30 pm

Georg, I've tried everything I turned off IDE controller, serial and parallel port still the same. When I disable legacy USB it doesn't boot from USB stick so I can't do that. I need a comment from Server Elements before I buy a SATA controller card or SATA to IDE converter. :cry:

georg · **Posted:** Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:47 pm

wjc,
Yeah, definitely something for Tony or Ralph to comment on now ...

Georg

davidne0uk · **Joined:** Tue Mar 27, 2007 4:02 pm **Posts:** 1

I have the same problem with the same controller.

Davie

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Sata drive is showing but I cannot format it

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