New SATA (WD Caviar 160 gb) doesn't get detected

I just bought a new Wester Digital caviar HD of 160 gb, since I have tried managing with a 40 gb for a few years now. This new drive is a SATA II.

Thing is, it just doesn't work.

My mainboard (asus A8V-MX) has 4 ports for serial ata, and the manual says it supports SATA II.

All other kind of ATA devices (other hd's, dvd-rw drives, etc.) all do work.

The drive did get warm the first time I tried, very hot (as hard drive's are supposed to get).

But now it seems as though it's standing still.

i've tried setting it back to normal SATA mode through jumpers, removing all normal (P)ATA cables, but to no avail.

What do you recommend?

UPDATE: It seems my VIA VT8237 chipset doesn't erally support SATA II... Then again, the drive doesn't get detected when I put it in SATA I mode.

#405774

is your bios up to date?

#406042

Yes, I've checked that multiple times.

I've also googled some, and it seems that my chipset (VT8251) shouldn't even have problems with SATA II.

#406048

http://support.wdc.com/download/index.asp?swid=1 Try this. Select second gen

#406059

"This Windows Driver is for use with the Western Digital Serial ATA RAID controller card. To use, please extract this zip file to a blank floppy." Is what I see.

I'm not using a PCI extension card for that, I'm just using my main board's SATA II plugs.

#406064

obviously, you should double-check the physical connections. if it's not even showing up in the bios, take it back and get a new one.

#406080

Tried everything there too. I should try it out in another computer, but we don't have any other pc here that supprots serial ata.

The physical connections are right, everything in the right place. SATA plugs do seem to be a bit more loose that PATA, but it still holds.

It's really weird, since it does get warm. :S

And I ordered it through the internet, so taking it back isn't that easy...

#406081

yup, one of the caveats of ordering online. maybe your local pc shop would be kind enough to let you plug in...?

#406085

it's sunday out here... And I'm impatient... Sorry

EDITL I've send it back to the store... They said it's the HD. We'll see.

Thanx for your help so far!

#406098

I got some Samsung spinpoints a couple of weeks ago and had much the same problem then i just realised that they haden't been enabled in Drive manager. Start > right click My Computer> Manage > Disk Manager.

#406842

Yeah, but I checked there. Every time. And if that happens, it will probably will be detected in the BIOS.

EDIT: You can kill this thread, I´ve got a new samsung spinpoint.

Although this has some issues as well...

#407212