IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers

Question

I have a Dell Dimension 9200 with a 16X DVD-ROM and 16X DVD+/-RW. Today I got a Dell pop up message saying that there is a problem and to correct it manually I was instructed to go to Control Panel, System, Hardware, System Devices, IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers. Well, there is no entry for IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers? What is going on here? Why is that entry missing and how do I fix it?

PETER345 · Answer

I have a 9200 and you onget IDE controllers when the BIOS is set to RRAID Autodetect/ATA and not the default RAID On mode. When RAID is on, you will see a SCSI and RAID controllers instead.

I have no idea what problem you are supposed to be fixing there.

Peter

mombodog · Answer

The 9200 has No IDE/Atapi controller or port on the motherboard, just a floppy controller, so I do not know what is up with that message

1 memory module connectors (1, 2, 3, 4)

2 battery socket (BATTERY)

3 SATA Connectors SATA0, SATA1

4 front panel I/O connector

5 main power connector

6 SATA connectors (4) (SATA2, SATA3, SATA4, SATA5

7 FlexBay USB connector

8 clear CMOS jumper (CLRCMOS)

9 password jumper (CLRPSWD)

10 PCI Express x1 card connector

11 PCI Express x16 card connector

12 PCI Express x4 card connector

13 PCI card connectors

14 floppy drive connector (FLOPPY)

15 PS/2 and Serial connector

16 rear fan connector

17 thermal sensor connector

18 CPU fan connector

19 processor and heat sink connector

20 processor power connector

Message Edited by mombodog on 01-12-200709:50 AM

PETER345 · Answer

See my post above. You see different devices depending on the RAID mode selected in the BIOS. I have changed the BIOS option and seen the different devices myself.

The Dell support (which I don't use) is likely not taking this into account.

Peter

smbishop · Answer

I also received a pop-up from Dell Support today on my xps410 with 16X DVD-ROM and 16X DVD+/-RW:    Your current setup may not allow you to listen to CDs and DVDs on your computer properly - To enable most software decoders to work with your cd\dvd-rom device, the DMA transfer potocol must be selected in one of the IDE channels.   It also tells me to look in Device manger under IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers.  However, this does not show up in my device manager either.

PETER345 · Answer

I went through all of the same issues that you have been. Others here have helped me to understand it better. It seems to me that this could all be handled much better by Dell (e.g. including the tweaks and drivers to make both modes work). I don't expect Dell to make Linux work in each mode. The fact that Windows/Linux require special drivers in the ATA mode says that they are still not standard ATA devices. OH well..

Peter

PETER345 · Answer

Yes, this topic has been discussed.

When RAID is on:

1. Boot is slower
2. You get SCSI/RAID devices in device manager

When RAID is auto/ATA:

1. Boot is faster
2. You get IDE devices in device manager
3. Windows will not boot without applying patches to the registry and possibly adding device drivers (for me the drivers were all there already). I did the patch and Windows will now boot
4. Other OSs will not necessarily boot. I cannot get any Linux versions to boot in this mode. They work fine in the RAID mode.

The reason for the booting problems is that RAID on/off modes appear as different devices and hence different drivers are needed.

So, if you only use Windows and want a faster boot and would like your IDE controllers in device manager go ahead and make the change. If you do look here for how make Windows boot:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314082/

Personally, I just left it in RAID on mode.

Peter

smbishop · Answer

Thank you!   I have a lot to learn...

smbishop · Answer

Thank you for your quick resonse!   Is there any reason not to change this BIOS setting?    Thanks

sharonlf · Answer

Thanks for the reply. I just wanted to be sure because of the pop up message that I received. Would I be better off disabling Dell Support because of messages like that?

PETER345 · Answer

Personally, I take all of the Dell stuff off the machine as soon as I get so I don't really know how well it works. I can tell you that I don't miss it at all.

Unless you are a total novice, I suspect you would be better off without it. I hate to wait for all of that stuff to load and to waste the memory on it. But that is my style.

I check for driver/BIOS updates every few months or so or when I have a problem. That seems to work well.

Peter

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