Windows Only Sees Sata_0 and Sata_1 on ASR Z97X Killer MB?

[Ken429]

I had been running this system - ASRock Z97X Killer MB/G3258 and Windows 8.1 - for several weeks with an SSD Connected to Sata_0 and a Raptor connected to Sata_1 with no issues. I also had a DVD Burner connected to Sata_5. Again, no issues. Today I connected a second SSD to Sata_1 and moved the Raptor to Sata_2 leaving the DVD Burner in Sata_5. The BIOS detects all the drives correctly but Windows 8.1 only recognizes the drives on Sata_0, Sata_1 and Sata_5. I've tried moving the Raptor to Sata_4 and it had no effect. I tried a different Hard Drive and it too is detected correctly by the BIOS but Windows does not recognize it.

I have been playing with Windows 10 on this system but I don't know how that could be the problem since I have it installed on a separate SSD and do not mingle it with W8.1.

Windows 10 has the same problems as W8.1, it only sees Sata_0, Sata_1 and Sata_5.

Before I do something desperate is there some setting somewhere in the BIOS or Windows that I can reset or whatever to get Windows 8.1 and 10 functioning correctly. I thought I had stumbled into every problem but this is a new one for me! Help is needed.

[parsec]

Re: Windows Only Sees Sata_0 and Sata_1 on ASR Z97X Killer MB?

Sometimes it takes a BIOS clear to get drives recognized by Windows, so try that.

I've also noticed that on Z87 and Z97 boards, Windows 8.1 and 10 TP won't recognize a newly connected drive the first time they are connected to the PC. Just happened the other day when I added a formatted SSD to my Z87 Extreme6 board PC. A warm restart of the PC fixed that.

Another thing is in the Storage Configuration screen in the UEFI, don't forget to change the SATA Device Type to Hard Drive for the Raptor (should be by default) or Solid State for a SSD.

The SATA_4 and SATA_5 ports are shared with the M.2 socket and SATA Express port. There is an option in the UEFI, Storage Configuration, M2_2/SATA3_4, SATA3_5 Switch, which should be set to Auto by default, or to Force SATA when using the SATA ports.

Using the Fast Boot option set to Fast or Ultra Fast causes some parts of POST to be skipped or shortened. If nothing else works and you use that option, disable it for a test.

It sounds like the Raptor is not a new, unformatted drive, that needs initialization and formatting in Windows before it will be detected. You could start Disk Management in Windows and see what happens.

I have Windows 8.1 and 10 TP on different drives on multiple PCs, and have no problems with that on my Z87 and Z97 boards.

Finally there is the possibility of a bad SATA data cable, but if the drives are seen in the UEFI then the data cable should be fine.

[Ken429]

Re: Windows Only Sees Sata_0 and Sata_1 on ASR Z97X Killer MB?

parsec,
I did the BIOS Clear routine and it had no effect. I've restored the default settings and have tried several drives (that are formatted and work on other systems) and that had no effect. Seems like no matter what combination of drives, ports or cables I set up the BIOS detects it correctly but only thing Windows sees is port 0 and 1 and the DVD Burner. I don't know how but... could the SATA controller be messed up? The system has probably been like this since day 1 (2/27/15) and I just finding out now when I try to add another drive.

[Ken429]

Re: Windows Only Sees Sata_0 and Sata_1 on ASR Z97X Killer MB?

parsec,
One more piece of information - when I boot into WinPE it sees all the drives! So it would appear there is something going on with Windows that is causing the problem.

A little more info:
Windows does not like me to use both port 0 and port 1 at the same time. Either 0 or 1 works for the Mushkin 250GB boot SSD.
Windows is ok with port 2. I have a 250GB Raptor connected to that port and it works and I can connect different drives and Windows recognizes them.
Window does not like port 3. No matter what I do I cannot find the combination that makes port 3 work!
Windows is ok with port 4. I have a 1TB WD Black drive connected to this port and it works and I can connect different drives and Windows recognizes them.
Windows is ok with the DVD Burner on port 5.

In every case the BIOS detects whatever I connect to whatever port!

Got any other ideas on what he heck is going on?

[parsec]

Re: Windows Only Sees Sata_0 and Sata_1 on ASR Z97X Killer MB?

Do you have the Windows IRST driver package installed, with the IRST Windows utility? If so, run that with the drives connected and see what you get with the drive detection.

If you don't have the IRST driver installed, I suggest trying it.

The Windows doesn't like certain SATA ports thing makes no sense, but seems to be the case. I have SSDs on every SATA port except port 3 on my Z97 board, and I can boot Win 8.1 or 10 TP on it just fine.

Very weird...

[Ken429]

Re: Windows Only Sees Sata_0 and Sata_1 on ASR Z97X Killer MB?

Yes, I have IRST installed and it only sees what Windows sees. The Tech Rep from ASR says it time to get a replacement MB. I guess I'll have to make another trip and test the Return/Replacement policy of Micro Center.

[parsec]

Re: Windows Only Sees Sata_0 and Sata_1 on ASR Z97X Killer MB?

You should have 30 days to return a mother board at Microcenter. They are normally true to their policy, I've never seen complaints about that not happening.

[Ken429]

Re: Windows Only Sees Sata_0 and Sata_1 on ASR Z97X Killer MB?

Nope, it's 15 days.

[Ken429]

Re: Windows Only Sees Sata_0 and Sata_1 on ASR Z97X Killer MB?

I woke up this morning and thought I should try connecting the Boot SSD to Sata3_3 just to see what would happen. As I half expected W8.1 booted normally from that port!! However, I still have the issue where Windows does not want drives connected to Sata3_0 and Sata3_1 at the same time. It still one or the other. But...I gained a Sata3_3 Port. Since I cannot return the MB to Micro Center and I don't want to go through the hassle of RMA'ing it at this time and it's probably a W8.1 BIOS communication issue anyway I guess I'll let it alone for awhile. On the positive side the system (it's now my home server) uses ~40 watts versus the ~120 watts my old Q9550 was sucking up.

I still have to wonder if W10 testing had something to do with my problems. Like I said above, I had W8.1 connected to Sata3_0 and W10 connected to Sata3_1 and a Raptor connected to Sata3_2. I would connect Port3_0 to run W8.1 and Port3_1 to boot W10. Never both at the same time. I always left the drive in Sata3_2 and the DVD Burner in Sata3_5 connected. Probably my first thought - install a fresh copy of W8.1 may be the solution?!

[parsec]

Re: Windows Only Sees Sata_0 and Sata_1 on ASR Z97X Killer MB?

Oops, yes, 15 days for a mother board, sorry.

I'm at a loss to explain this one... except maybe... when you installed Win 10 TP, did you have any other drives powered up during the installation? You know, the old Windows thing about more than one drive connected during an installation, where the Win installer will put the boot partition on another drive? But I don't get how that would cause a drive to not be recognized.

I'm using Intel SATA ports 0, 1, 2, 4, and 5 on my Z97 board. Win 8.1 on a SanDisk Extreme Pro (small world) Intel port 0, Win 10 TP on a RAID 0 array of two Samsung 840 Pro's on Intel ports 1 and 2. Both OSes installed with all other drives without power.

Do you see both OS drives in the boot order list at the same time? I do. I select either one in the list, it boots.

I've never had a drive recognition problem caused by Windows, but that does not mean it is impossible I guess. Never heard of that either.

[Ken429]

Re: Windows Only Sees Sata_0 and Sata_1 on ASR Z97X Killer MB?

Oh well, some cold rainy day I try installing a fresh copy of W8.1 and see what happens. I'm betting that will fix the Sata Port issues.

[Ken429]

Re: Windows Only Sees Sata_0 and Sata_1 on ASR Z97X Killer MB?

It was a snowy morning today so I tried re-installing a fresh copy W8.1 on a different SSD (Vertex 3 120GB) connected to Sata3_0 to determine if the problem(s) would go away. I feel better now all the same stuff happened!
Steps taken:

• I disconnected everything on the MB except the blank SSD (connected to Sata3_0) and installed W8.1, Z97X Killer drivers and all the W8.1 Updates.
• Booted several times with just the SSD connected to make sure Windows wasn't saving something like another update.
• Connected a WD Black 640GB drive to Sata3_1. BIOS detected but Windows did not!
• Connected the WD drive to Sata3_3. BIOS detected but Windows did not!
• Connected the OCZ boot SSD to Sata3_3 and the WD drive to Sata3_0 booted and it was detected by Windows.

I could have gone on and reproduced all the steps I stumbled through originally when I tried to assign all the strange happenings to testing W10 on the system but it appears that something else is going on between the BIOS and Windows. Time to send this MB back to ASRock?!

[parsec]

Re: Windows Only Sees Sata_0 and Sata_1 on ASR Z97X Killer MB?

I'm watching it snow here in the Chicago area now too, several inches and still coming... welcome Spring!?!

You my friend have the luck, that is just crazy! I hope you tried changing the SATA data cables, although since the drives are detected in the UEFI you likely think the cable is fine. Can't blame you for that, but personally, I would at least try that.

All I can suggest is setting that SATA Device Type option in Storage Configuration to either SSD or Hard Drive (hopefully that board's UEFI doesn't have "Hard Driver" as one of the options, as previous ASRock board's UEFIs do, I hate typos) as needed.

I've found setting Aggressive SATA Link Power Management to Enabled does not cause boot failures as I have in the past, but I'd leave it Disabled just to be sure.

I always use the Intel IRST driver, but that is because I use RAID mode. That driver did nothing to help cure your problems anyway.

Regardless, if that board was mine, I'd be sending it back, no question about it. I assume you've tried restarting Windows after any non-recognition of any drive, without changing the SATA port it was connected to. There I go again, offering more fixes that don't fix anything in your case.

Fuhgetaboutit, send that board packing!!

I have never, ever, had an Intel based board that had a problem detecting drives like you are experiencing. That goes back to my first builds with socket 775 boards, which is not that long ago, but the Intel SATA chipsets have always been perfect functionally in my experience.

I'm sick of hearing about that board Ken, get it outta here!! RMA it, and I want to know how that goes (albeit a banned topic), and how the replacement board works.

(Write down the SN of that board, should be a label on the box with it on too. The SN is programmed into the board and can be checked with HWiNFO. Just a thought... )

[Ken429]

Re: Windows Only Sees Sata_0 and Sata_1 on ASR Z97X Killer MB?

parsec,

I don't give up that easily!

I had a strange feeling that the 2X4GB GSkill Ripjaws Z 2400-10 1.65V memory sticks I was using in the system might be too much for the G3258 cpu. So...I went and bought 2X4GB Mushkin Stealth 1600-9 1.35V memory sticks just to see if it had any effect. I just installed the new memory and guess what...the system (both the BIOS and Windows 8.1) recognizes all the Sata ports correctly. What had me confused early on was I tried the GSkill memory with the default settings but it still had the Sata recognition problem but I thought it was worth a try since I wanted to put the GSkill back in the 4790K system anyway.

Now, I think I'll go back and see it the system will OC beyond 4.0GHz with the Mushkin memory. Just curious what memory are you using in your G3258 system?

[parsec]

Re: Windows Only Sees Sata_0 and Sata_1 on ASR Z97X Killer MB?

Say what? That G.SKILL memory apparently caused the SATA port/drive recognition problem?

Well, add that one to the PC issue X-files, haven't thought much about it yet, but that is a weird one in my book.

What memory do I use with my G3258? The same memory I use with almost all my boards, the Samsung M379B5273DH0 "Wonder memory".

This is it on my G3258 PC:



8GB at 2000, 1.375V, won't do more than that without a lot of fooling around, which I don't believe is worth it. You can't buy this stuff new anymore, except maybe on fleaBay, etc, for above retail (8GB for $55 IIRC, from our favorite PC parts retailer... probably two years ago by now)

Completely unmatched DIMMs, even the 4GB x 2 kits had hugely different serial numbers on each one.