Greetings Brad and list--
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brad Loomis" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, July 25, 2004 12:56 PM
Subject: [PCBUILD] SCSI issue


> Hi,
> I just upgraded my motherboard to an ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe. New processor and
> memory. My system consists of two IDE hard drives, first is the boot drive,
> three UW SCSI HDDs on an AHA-2940UW controller. There are also two Plextor
> CD drives on the 50 pin connector. When I assembled all this I got a post
> and all the pre OS load info, but when Windows XP Pro was to load, just a
> black screen, monitor light green. After wondering if the video card was
> goofy, and messing around I finally got everything to boot by disconnecting
> the SCSI devices. I loaded XP on the boot drive, clean install, got all
> things going for the most part, no issues at this point. However if I try to
> connect the 3 UW hard drives, I'm back at the black screen on boot up. The
> CD drives all work ok on the 50 pin connector. All devices show up in the
> SCSI BIOS boot sequence. No termination jumpers were changed, basically
> nothing changed other than the MB, processor, and memory. Anyone have any
> ideas why when I connect the UW leg I get no OS load? No I am not using all
> three of the connections, I know that isn't allowed.

You may have to run setup again with the SCSI chain attached, pressing F6
when prompted to load "storage device drivers", or wording to that effect. At
this point, you'll need appropriate driver disk(s) for the Adaptec 2940UW
adapter card. I'm assuming this is a card, and not a 'built-in' SCSI bus on the
motherboard (though I know ASUS has produced such). [As an aside, I've
used an IWILL and an ASUS board with on-board SCSI. Both worked well
for a while, but later failed catastrophically. In my personal opinion, you are
far better off using a host adapter card, than on-board SCSI.] Like Windows
NT from which XP is descended, there is a step in the setup process (before
the GUI loads) when SCSI drivers must be provided to the OS setup process.

HTH,

Paul A. Shippert

                         PCBUILD's List Owners:
                      Bob Wright<[log in to unmask]>
                       Drew Dunn<[log in to unmask]>