New Build - POST Question / Assistance

Hendo0602

Honorable
Mar 19, 2012
7
0
10,510
System Build -
MOBO: ASUS P8Z68-V Pro/Gen3
PROC: Intel i7-2600k
RAM: GSkill Ripjaw 8GB x 2, F3-1600C9D-16GXM
COOL: Corsair H100 Hydro Cooler
GFX: EVGA GTX-680
PSU: Corsair AX850
CASE: Corsair 600T Special Edition
HDD: 1 TB Western Digital Caviar Black 7200 RPM
SSD: 256 GB Crucial M4
DRIVE: Lite-On Blue Ray Disc R/W, iHBS212

--- BREAK ---

All,

I assembled the above rig last night and believe everything has been setup correctly, however, I wanted to ask a rather simple question. Everything appears to POSTing just fine and I am able to reach the BIOS. During the initial boot of the system I come across these (2) screens if I do not enter BIOS.

Screen 1:
"Marvell 88SE91xx Adapter - BIOS version 1.0.0.0022"
"PCIe x 5.0 Gbps"
"Adapter 1 Disks Information: AHCI Mode"
"No hard disk is detected"

Screen 2:
"Reboot and Select proper Boot device or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key"


Now, I believe this normal considering I have not installed an OS yet, but I figured I would ask to be sure (last computer build I did was well over a decade ago). Also, when the BIOS loads (in EZ Mode - default), I have confirmed that the boot priority is currently set to: 1 - P1: ATAPI iHBS212 2 (Optical drive) & 2 - P0: M4-CT256M4SSD2 (Crucial M4 SSD). When entering the 'Boot Menu', I can successfully see all three connected devices; the optical drive (P1), the SSD (P0), and the HDD (P3). Further, regardless of how I set the boot priorities I receive the same basic screens listed above if I do not enter the BIOS (once again I believe this is normal). All in all, I am just looking for some confirmation with respect to my assumption and that all I need to do now is load an OS and I should be up and running (barring that there is something I have missed).

As for loading the OS, I am currently on stand-by as I am waiting for my contact to walk into the Microsoft Campus store and pick-up a copy of Windows 7 Professional for me, otherwise, I would have attempted the OS install prior to posting this. Nonetheless, I figured I'd just post a quick question and engage some of you on this topic while I'm waiting. Finally, I have some BIOS screen shots & rig setup shots that I will post if need be / once I get them uploaded to a hosting service.

Yut!
Hendo
 
Solution
The "no hard disk is detected" message is nothing to worry about. Basically, that happens when your motherboard has two separate controllers for SATA devices, the default one and then another one for if you want to set up a separate RAID array. All the message means is you don't have anything plugged into the ports controlled by the second one. Perfectly safe to ignore unless you have a specific reason to be using those ports.

Why are you using Windows 7 Pro? There's not any advantage to it unless you're doing certain advanced networking operations that would usually be found in an office setting. Unless your friend is a Microsoft employee and can get everything at bargain-basement prices. I have a machine running Vista Ultimate...
The "no hard disk is detected" message is nothing to worry about. Basically, that happens when your motherboard has two separate controllers for SATA devices, the default one and then another one for if you want to set up a separate RAID array. All the message means is you don't have anything plugged into the ports controlled by the second one. Perfectly safe to ignore unless you have a specific reason to be using those ports.

Why are you using Windows 7 Pro? There's not any advantage to it unless you're doing certain advanced networking operations that would usually be found in an office setting. Unless your friend is a Microsoft employee and can get everything at bargain-basement prices. I have a machine running Vista Ultimate because of that.

 
Solution

Hendo0602

Honorable
Mar 19, 2012
7
0
10,510


Awesome, thanks for the gouge. Some of my other colleagues thought along similar lines as you... However, in the meantime I am either going to download Unbunto or convert one of my work ISOs (Server 2K3 32 or 64, Server 2008 32 or 64, or Windows XP w/ SP3 64 bit) to a bootable CD and see if I can get an OS to install. As for why Windows 7 Pro, one reason is because my friend is a Microsoft employee and can get it dirt cheap and I want to fully test the OS for personal and work reasons. Right now I am running 3 separate domains at home; my actual live home domain, and two near identical domains that are test environments (one is 2K3 and the other is 2008) that I use for education and simulating work enclaves. So, now I figures I would test win 7 pro as that looks like my organization will be migrating that way soon.

Plus, I collect software like crazy and use it with my VMs as I practice with VMWare view and desktop virtualization.