ASUS SATA CD/DVD Burner

Hello- I just replaced my IDE Optical Disk Drive with an ASUS SATA unit. The new drive came with a CD to update the firmware, but the firmware that Device Manager sees is a more recent revision than what is on the ASUS Support Site or the CD. Furthermore, SIW indicates that it is an IDE device, and I have it connected via a SATA data cable to a SATA port on the MOBO. Device Manager indicates the drive is functioning properly. I am not ready to do any burning at present, so not sure if all is kosher.
Attached are zipped Screenshots of what SIW is reading on the related components.
Thanks for any device advice, in advance!
tim

 

Your drive is most probably running in IDE emulation mode, to check enter bios and go to advanced bios features,'enable IDE emulation' will probably be listed/enabled.

You can change it, usually is you scroll down you'll find the sata channels listed,on the sata channel that has your dvd drive say 3+4 enable AHCI mode, make sure your windows drive is on channels 1+2.

You must be sure it's on a separate channel to your windows drive or windows will not boot.

I'll take your word for it that the firmware on the site is an earlier version, the only reason I can think that the firmware on your drive is newer is that you have the wrong support page for your drive so double check it, post a link to the drives support page.

If you want to be sure you can try running the firmware updater anyway, most firmware update programs will auto detect the firmware version and update it as necessary, I say most as in all in case there is one out there that doesn't as updating the wrong firmware will brick the drive so double check everything.

Firmware updates are usually only recommended if your experiencing a problem listed in the firmware update readme, they aren't something I do on drives as a matter of course.

 

Thanks, Rikky- Here is what I have discovered:

BIOS- Advanced Settings-
Onboard PATA/SATA Adapters> BOTH (sata, ide, both)
Onboard PATA/SATA Config> ENHANCED (other choice: combined)

SATA Ports-
1st Channel Dev0: NONE
" " " 1: HDD
2nd Channel Dev0: NONE
" " " 1: ASUS DRW-24B1ST
3rd Channel Dev0: NONE
" " " 1: NONE

Please note the attached screenshots regarding the Firmware Updates, both from the ASUS Download Site and from the CD that came with the drive- which just links you to the ASUS site(!). There was an Error and suggests that there is a lack of drive recognition.
There is included a screenshot from Device Manager from the Details tab that shows the firmware version at the end of the string as being a later version than the ASUS site lists! (I sure as hell hope I don't run into these conflicts with the ASUS Z77 MOBO I am using on this new build I am working on!)

Thanks for your advice and help on this matter.
tim

 

I looked into downloading the AHCI driver from Intel, but there is a suffix letter on that package that is not on my controller hub. I guess there is a way to do that without detriment to the Windows installation. It calls for inserting the new driver package manually in Device Manager> Driver Tab. Maybe when I installed the OS initially I should have hit the F6 to install the AHCI/RAID driver package. MOBO site has no updates, either.
Thanks!
tim

 

Hi,

I'm hoping Rikky can help you sort out the IDE recognition bit.

I did see this thread about the firmware. From a quick read it seems they changed some internal components of the drive and still released it with the same model number. I would leave well enough alone as to the firmware. If the drive will read/write correctly the firmware is fine as is.

It also mentions that the SATA/IDE recognition seems to be a fluke in Win7 64bit. In other words BIOS sees it as a SATA drive but Win7 treats it as IDE. I don't know if this is true but just wanted to throw it out there in case it helps with troubleshooting. Win7 should have loaded your ACHI drivers automatically, if your HD is seen as SATA under SIW's Hardware>Storage then your ACHI drivers are installed. It still doesn't explain why the DVDROM is seen as IDE rather than SATA.

Lastly, does SIW also say the drive is IDE when you check under Hardware>Storage rather than Hardware>Devices?

 

Yuck! Yeah wouldn't update with that firmware even if you can get it to work as per sach's link.

As for AHCI looks like you only have to set onboard pata/sata to sata only. I'm not sure though I've not seen it worded like that before in bios.

You can change it in windows without reinstalling windows,BTW which copy of windows are you using I've scanned the thread but can't see it listed? Here's a guide-

http://www.askvg.com/how-to-change-...o-ahci-raid-in-bios-after-installing-windows/

The question is do you want to change to AHCI? The advantage are better power management, hot swappability and a 'slight' performance increase. Are you experiencing any other problems with the drive? Does it read and burn disks? If so I wouldn't change anything.

 

Yes, I does... I have no AHCI support. Also, I am running XP Pro x86 SP3.

Thanks!
tim

 

Thanks, Rikky- Yeah, the drive works fine... screw the firmware!

On a clean install of Windows, you can F6 to install the RAID/AHCI drivers. I did find AHCI firmware download at Intel, but a couple of the alpha suffixes were different on the controller i.d., and the s.b. chipset.

I have Windows XP Pro x86 SP3, and it is acting a little strange these days. If your curious about that, I just posted in Software Forum regarding that. It is apparent there is some corruption somewhere. The 'shell32.dll' is intact, but is it corrupt?... don't know.

What about the other BIOS setting?... Enhanced or Combined?...

Thanks fella's for puttin' up with me on this! :-o

tim

 

One last thing- to 'sach2', SIW indicates the HDD is IDE. Not the original HDD in the machine, but Compaq did ship it with a 160GB SATA drive, along with XP Home installed. I have a Full Retail XP Pro that I installed when I put the new HDD in the machine. That's probably why there is no AHCI option...maybe!