GA-EP35 and GA-P35 MB problem

I am having problems with my GA-EP35-DS3L MB and noticed that the P35 MB is having about the same problem. From Dos, using Ghost 2003 I cannot detect my external USB HD. Also the burning and writing speed while in Ghost to my DVD is about half the speed it is on my other computer. Using a Windows 95, 98 or ME boot disk, it will not detect my CD/DVD drives. I have been in contact with Gigabyte but so far its like they do not want to acknowledge the problem. I finally found solfware, a disk clone for partitions that was free so they could down load it and see the problem. It could not detect my external USB drive. http://www.easeus.com/disk-copy/index.htm This is web site for disk copy. There is also a help menu in the program and at the web site if you want to download and try. Maybe all the newer Gigabyte boards are like this? Bios detects everything, the software nothing but on older boards the software works. Is anyone else having this problems with these boards? If you found an answer I would like to know and if not I would like for you to write to Gigabyte, I think a few more inquires about this and they will find an answer. You need your model, serial, bios load and board rev and tell them your problem.
Contact them at: http://tw.giga-byte.com/Support/ServiceCenter.aspx
Joe

 

Hi Joet,

The problems you are facing are not due to your motherboard but due to the fact that when you are in DOS mode, only certain (limited) devices are detected and external USB devices are not one of them. Some programs have built in drivers for detecting those & can use them but even they are limited to a certain number of drivers. You must be using SATA hard disks & DVD, which are not supported by DOS except in IDE mode.

 

Hi Rsinfo

The disk copy program says this: Easeus Disk Copy 2.0 is supposed to support, SATA1, SATA2, ACSI, Fire wire (IEEE1394) and USB.

It runs off FreeDos. It will not see my external USB HD.
As you can see it is suppose to detect the newer hardware.

My internal HD is SATA but my CD/DVD is IDE.

Setup in BIOS is Sata controllers to Pata mode.

Sata port0-1 is setup in legacy ide mode.

USB functions enabled.

I can see the usb hd in the hard disk boot priority section in bios.

When booting up, I guess they call it post, I can see the usb hd.

Joe

 

I checked the website & the product claims to support external USB HD.

Is it possible for you to test the program on any other computer [with different motherboard] ?

 

I tried it(disk clone) on my other computer with a Gigabyte GA-K8NSC-939 and it shows the USB HD.
So does Norton's Ghost 2003 but both programs do not show USB HD on the GA-EP35-DS3L MB.
I have been emailing Gigabyte for about a month now, I gave them the site to download the software so they can see what I am saying.
Thats why I am hoping to get others to check and email Gigabyte support.

 

GA-EP35-DS3L Dos problems

Can some explain to me what Gigabyte is trying to tell me here?

the software will need to be written to support the chipset. You must checked with software and determine which chipset that their software been tested under?
If the P35 is one chipset which has been tested which manufacture they tested the board with

Are they trying to tell me that software to access the external usb hd or any of the devices must be written for the MB chipset and the MFG? This is in DOS mode. How would anyone write any backup software or like MS had boot disks for OS's 95, 98 and ME?
I am just looking for answers here, any help would be greatly appreciated or if you could direct me to someone who knows more about this issue and/or who can contact Gigabyte.
Joe

 

JoeT,

As I said earlier, the driver has to be built into the software to detect & use it.

The softwares you are using, do not detect the hardware properly & so you cannot see the drives. Its not mfg specific but motherboard chipset specific.

 

So then seeing that my software detects my sata drive, internal. If I buy a pci express to esata card and use an external sata drive. Do you think my software will detect the external sata drive?

 

Not necessarily. Again it ought to have the drivers for the ESATA card .

 

Did you realise that you cannot connect the USB drive after you have booted into DOS? You need to connect the drive before you start the computer. There is no "Plug and Play" in DOS.

I wonder about the formatting on the external drive. Standard formatting is FAT32. How did you set up the external drive? Did you use it's manufacturer's software? Is it special formatting that only works with the manufacturer's software? The software can make the drive only work when it is installed (security in case you lose it). If you installed software for the drive read the information about it.

It might not be the motherboard. It might not be the drivers. It might be the way the drive is set up. Read the instructions for the copy programs. Does the drive conform to their requirements.

I think Gigabyte are saying to look at the drive system and the software you are using.

Matt

 

To Matt and all thanks for your help.

The USB drive was always plugged in and on when booting into DOS.

I think Matt you hit it on the head with the format of the USb Drive. I did a format and partition it again, FAT32 and now the software, both that I use, is detecting the drive. I have been able to write to it, from the DOS programs.

I still might try adding an external SATA drive or an internal one. I like the external because you can shut them off if not using.

Joe

 

Yes, SATA cables are a lot neater and allow air to flow through the case. IDE cable need to be tied and pinned out of of the way. The original SATA cables can be somewhat loose in the connectors.

Good luck with it.

Matt