Boot up secuence problem with ECS A785GM-M

faeterov

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Jan 9, 2007
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I guys, I'm having some problems with my motherboard BIOS, contacted the ECS support, but they told me to reinstall my O.S (funny since my problem is with the bios). I was wondering if any of yu guys could tell me if it happens to you too. This is what I replyed to them just a few minutes ago.

As stated before, the problem is not related to my O.S. (so i don't see why you tell me to re-install the O.S. fresh). To give you a detailed demostration of what I'm talking, I'll give you a list of the things I do.

1. Start the PC only with the dvd-rw drive and a multi flash reader conected internally with usb inside connector.
2. Define the following secuence of initiation: 1st dvd-rw, 2nd multi flash reader, no 3rd boot device, and no Boot Other Device. Save into bios, then restart.
3. Wait for the system to boot: It will say "Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device and press key" (this is logical, as the pc has nothing to boot from). Now i conect a USB pendrive to the PC, then hit reset button.
4. Now enter the bios. In the boot secuence, you can see than the list is now : 1st dvd-rw, 2nd GENERIC FLASH DISK, 3rd disabled, no boot other device.

Has you can see, the boot secuence has been automatically changed: if you go to the hard disk drives section just below the boot devices selection sector, you can see that the first drive is generic flash disk, 2nd is the multi flash reader.

Now I'll explain it with the hard disk connected

1. Start the PC only with the dvd-rw drive, a sata II hard disk and a multi flash reader conected internally with usb inside connector.
2. Define the following secuence of initiation: 1st dvd-rw, 2nd the sata iI HDD, no 3rd boot device, and no Boot Other Device. In the hard disk drives section, set 1st drive to sata II HDD, 2nd Multi flash reader. Save into bios, then restart.
3. Wait for the system to boot: It will go to the O.S. with no problem (this is logical, as the pc has the sata II hard disk to boot from). Now i conect a USB pendrive to the PC, then reset the computer (with the reset button or from the O.S.)
4. Now enter the bios. In the boot secuence, you can see than the list is now : 1st dvd-rw, 2nd Multi flash reader, 3rd disabled, no boot other device.

Has you can see, the boot secuence has been automatically changed: if you go to the hard disk drives section just below the boot devices selection sector, you can see that the first drive is multi flash reader, 2nd is generic flash disk, 3rd the Sata II HDD.

This is an extremely anoying problem, has i use a lot of pendrives and usually change my hard disk drives. It's not O.S. related, it's a BIOS problem, could you check with one of your own motherboards to see if this is a problem of the model or a malfunction of my motherboard?
 
I would try removing the usb and card reader devices for everyday use. I don't know how to fix your problem any other way. These devices are usually temporary. You do have an annoying problem, and I can see why no one else has responded. I don't see flashing the bios as a cure; it's always a little risky, so unless ecs says it will help, I wouldn't try it.
 

faeterov

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MMM, I don't like that solution, I would preffer changing my motherboard, but since I think this is a BIOS bug, maybe ECS will make a new bios update (this motherboard has only 2 BIOS developed so far).

Removing the Multi Reader won't help by the way. If you go with HDD and DVDrw only, then incert the pendrive, reboot, then you'll se that the boot secuence is dvd-rw / USB Pendrive / HDD.

Any more thoughts?

By the way, the support of ECS elitegroup is so bad
 

A clear case of getting what you paid for. That's one reason you see Gigabyte and Asus recommendations.

I have an ECS motherboard. Cost me about $200 a couple of years ago. But Frye's threw in a Q6600 with it. Or do I have that backwards? :)
 

faeterov

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That would be the case if this one was a cheap motherboard, but it's not: It costs more than a double than the cheapest am3 motherboard I can buy here in Chile. There are some gigabyte, asus and MSI motherboards with the 785 chipset that are cheaper.

The reason for the choise of ECS was my previous experience with the nforce4m (AM2) motherboard (good hardware, fast and cheat).
 

faeterov

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This is what ECS replied to me:

So basically what you are saying is that when the USB pen Drive is connected, the BIOS completely ignores that SATA HDD's that are also connected and thusforth never going into the operating system. Even though you specifically set the SATA HDD as the second boot device, the USB pen drive is connected?
 

faeterov

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This is what ECS replied to me:

So basically what you are saying is that when the USB pen Drive is connected, the BIOS completely ignores that SATA HDD's that are also connected and thusforth never going into the operating system. Even though you specifically set the SATA HDD as the second boot device, the USB pen drive is connected?
 

faeterov

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Just replyied this:

Did you even tryied to replicate this problem?

Just runned the motherboard without the multiflash reader, with the following secuence:

1st boot drive: dvd-rw
2nd boot drive: Seagate Sata II drive
3dr. No boot drive

Inside the hard disk boot secuence, I set the following secuence: 1st Seagate Sata II drive, 2nd Maxtor 30gb pata drive.

No other boot devices.

Then boot up, connect a pendrive (kngston 64gb usb drive), then reboot.

The results? Ges what, in the bios de boot order has changed.

1st boot drive: dvd.rw
2nd boot drive: USB drive (the kingston pendrive)
3rd boot drive: none

In the hard drives boot secuence, I can see: 1st. USB pendrive, 2nd Maxtor 30gb pata, 3rd Seagate Sata II.

You can see that the boot order has changed. The seagate sata II drive was one step above the pata drive when originally set the bios, now the order has changed, hand the maxtor 30gb pata is above the sata II drive.

Is it possible that you try this in your labs, and not just answer me with another question? I've been contacting you for the last 2 weeks with no results so far.