IDE Controller

Your Windows install may be corrupted (perhaps due to some other problem with your system). I'd first download the free hard drive diagnostic software from the web site of the maker of your hard drive(s) and run that to make sure there isn't a hardware drive problem. I'd also download the free bootable CD image of memtest86+, burn that as a bootable CD, and boot from it, running memtest86+ for a number of hours to make sure you don't have any obvious memory errors.

A corrupted OS wouldn't cause the machine to hang on POST. Unplug all drives CD and HD and POST again to see if it hangs. Obviously it will fail to boot, but what you are looking for is the hang on the IDE detection. If not then plug them in one at a time to see which one is causing it. Bad drives or improper strapping could cause it. You might want to include your complete specs as well. This is like shooting in the dark.

Your right I really should have included my system specs, sorry  . My PC specs are as follows:

Athenatech A416BS.400 Black Steel ATX Mid Tower
Gigabyte GA-MA69GM-S2H
AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ @ 2400 MHz
8Gigs of Ram
ATI HD 3870
320G WD 7200RPM (holds os)
500G Seagate 7200RPM (NOW DEAD GGRRR)
500Watt Antec PSU
Samsung Blu-Ray Player
ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 64 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler
Vista Home Premium 64Bit
NEC IDE DVD RW


The only IDE device I have is a CD burner all HD's are Sata's

Ok I unplugged all drives and it booted MUCH faster and did not hang on detecting the IDE Controller. I unhooked the Seagate Drive that I'm trying to repair and just plugged in the WD drive that holds the OS. Once I unplugged the Seagate the system does not Hang at the IDE controller ID, but it was at the windows loading bar for 2 minutes and 39 seconds, then it went to a black screen for 1 minute 48 seconds.................WAY TO LONG.

I just went to Device Manager and I still cant get update the controller

Well a bad drive can cause the OS to get corrupted on a good drive. I'm not saying it did, just could. I would burn my needed data to CD/Blu-Ray and reinstall the OS to rule that out. Or if you don't want to go through the OS customization again, then back up the drive to Blu-Ray and install the OS to check. If it's not the cause then image the drive back.

Or maybe try a restore point first, just for grins.

Looking on Newegg that mobo appears to be a little flaky. What RAM? It appears that the mobo must have RAM that runs at 1.8V.

Thanks Zorg, for noticing the details in the OP's post that I missed!

I have 4 sticks of this memory http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...

The voltage is 1.8V, so that's good.

Did you try a restore or OS reinstall?

It happens to us all.

Feel free to jump back in.

Not yet because I have no way of backing up my data yet seeing how my Seagate drive pooped the bed. On a side note I noticed that if I reboot or turn my system on with my Zune or Ipod plugged in the system hangs like crazy at the MS load screen. When I unplugged the MP3 units it does not hang as long, but still hangs.

I'm hoping I can leave work a bit early tomorrow so I can pick up an external drive to back up the system and restore it.

USBs can do that kind of stuff as well. I think the next thing to do is a reinstall.

Did you do a restore to an old restore point?

It's not out of the question that your mobo is flaky. It happened to me recently on a P35-DQ6. And it was a HD related flakiness as well.

Well you can change that setting in the bios, because your pc is trying to look for a bootable os in your usb devices change the boot priority and make sure the usb is not prioritized.