Second hard disk unrecognized in BIOS

Knok · Mar 18, 2014

I have problem with my HDD and BIOS.

Components:
Windows 7 Enterprise, all updates
Asus Z87-A
i5-4670K
Sata device 1 - SSD: Samsung Evo SSD 120Gb
Sata device 2 - HDD: Samsung HD103SJ 1Tb
Sata device 3 - DVD: Samsung DVDRW SH-224DB/BEBE

So, newly build PC/BIOS doesn't recognize that HDD drive, even I have tried almost everything and I need some help. So all below scenarios I haven't seen that HDD not single time in BIOS boot device list.

SSD and DVD is working without problem, BIOS and Windows recognize those both normally

What I have tried and tested:

Current setup: SSD is plugged in Sata port 2 and DVD is plugged in Sata port 3. HDD I have tried in every other Sata ports (6 Sata ports altogether in that MoBo).

I have also updated most recent BIOS version from Asus support website (version 1802). Also, I have updated all drivers I have found in Asus support website, and currently no unknown devices are shown in device management.

Test 1: plug HDD in all available Sata ports.
Test 2: remove SDD and plug HDD in Sata port 2
Test 3: remove DVD and plug HDD in Sata port 3
Test 4: used 2 different Sata cable (also working ones which I use with SSD/DVD)
Test 5: used 2-3 differrent power cable with HDD
Test 6: plug HDD in my old PC Sata port --> WORKING
Test 7: used jumper in HDD to activate 1,5Gb/s speed and repeated some of the tests 1-5

Note 1: in tests 1-5 I didn't use jumper (HDD used native 3Gb/s speed) and I noticed that HDD didn't even spin. I hold it in my hand and I didn't feel it at all. In test 7, HDD spin, but BIOS didn't recognize it.

My conclusion is, that MoBo is somehow damaged or I'm still missing some driver, which? HDD seems to work (Test 6), so there shouldn't be any hardware problem related to HDD.

Any help is appreciated!

fzabkar · Mar 18, 2014

Have you tried this?

Samsung F3 and F3EG Firmware Patch/Update:
http://knowledge.seagate.com/articles/en_US/FAQ/223631en

"This patch code is released in order to solve the compatibilty problem between some motherboards (the AMD SB850 chipset and the Intel P67/H67 chipset) and Samsung-brand hard drives, F3 and F3EG models only."

Knok · Mar 18, 2014

Nope, I haven't seen that before. I'll try this in the evening. Thanks in advance fzabkar. I'll reply again after that.

If this ain't working, any other ideas?

fzabkar · Mar 18, 2014

Sorry, that's all I can think of. You've already tried to limit the SATA link speed.

Knok · Mar 18, 2014

I need to ask help again. In link you provided, the used file is .exe. I didn't managed to boot from usb nor DVD using that file. Could some one provide help, how to boot from USB/DVD using that F3.exe file fzabkar linked?

fzabkar · Mar 18, 2014

You need to create a bootable USB drive using FreeDOS or Win98SE DOS or similar. Then copy the F3.EXE file to the root directory.

After the flash drive boots, then run the EXE file. You will probably need to configure the SATA controller in BIOS for IDE legacy mode so that it appears as a standard ISA port. I would disconnect all other drives during the update just to be safe.

Knok · Mar 19, 2014

Thanks again. Now I managed to create bootable USB.

I unpluged SSD.
Ran F3.exe in DOS after boot.
Reboot the PC.
Still HDD didn't recognized by BIOS.
I again changed SATA ports, tried with and without jumpers, with and without SSD.

Still BIOS doesn't recognize that HDD.

Well, my motivation to troubleshooting ended, and I already order new SATA3 HDD. It will arrive in couple of days and hopefully that works

But who to blaim? Asus and motherboard, or Samsung and HDD? This is first time I hear such incompatibility related to SATA drivers, but after all this seems to be quite usual when browsing this via Google. Seems to that ppl all around facing these same kind of problems.

fzabkar · Mar 19, 2014

How did you manage to run the updater if BIOS couldn't detect the drive? Did you do this on a working system?

Have you been able to verify whether the firmware version has changed?

Knok · Mar 20, 2014

fzabkar :

Hmm... Your right, I might do this wrong, I'm not familiar with these

So what I did: I used software (can't remember name, I'm on work now and can't check the name) which allow me to create DOS bootable USB. So this USB stick was recognized by BIOS as a DOS and I was able to run that F3.exe from there. I used my new PC and at this point BIOS wasn't recognized HDD.
HDD spinned anyway, so I thought that is enough. I ran F3.exe, DOS executed that for a while and finished it without errors, so I thought that was it.

I didn't check any firmware versions before or after this.

Yesterday I also tested a USB<->SATA adapter which I borrow from my friend. With that HDD was working without problems in new PC and recognized in Windows immediately.

So, should I run that F3.exe in which way, cos it seems I did it now in wrong way?

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