Odd happenings when adding 2nd SSD/HD to newly built PC

ValiantSaint · 15 Jan 2021

Hi everyone. I've recently taken the plunge and built myself a new PC, after my eight year old home-built machine decided to go pop.

Everything with the new PC works really well, apart from when I add another hard drive into the mix.

I tried to install my old 1TB HD from the other PC, to use as a data drive, but to no avail. As soon as I'd switch everything on, the machine would freeze at the boot splash screen, unless I removed the data cable from it. Plug the drive into a caddy, and it ran fine, with no errors on Crystal Disk Info......

Gave up with that drive, and formatted/installed my old 250GB Hynix SSD, which seemed to be going better........until the machine started acting odd - HDMI out of range, drive vanishing from This PC and being unable to access files, when it was working - even the rear case fan's lights got stuck on until I gave everything a hard reset.

I'm at a loss as to what could be causing this. It's running a clean install of Windows 10 Home and all the drivers I can think of are installed and updated.

I've tried to use different SATA connections on the mainboard and different SATA cables, but no luck.

Could it be down to a setting in the BIOS? as the PC freezes before booting into windows?

I tried to update the Bios, but Gigabyte's software would have none of it!

Thanks in advance

Windows 10.0.19042 Build 19042

http://speccy.piriform.com/results/d...Z3aFoN3373KoIw

Macboatmaster · 15 Jan 2021

I tried to install my old 1TB HD from the other PC, to use as a data drive, but to no avail. As soon as I'd switch everything on, the machine would freeze at the boot splash screen, unless I removed the data cable from it. Plug the drive into a caddy, and it ran fine, with no errors on Crystal Disk Info......

I presume by plugging into a caddy you mean an external drive caddy -usb

I suspect on first appearance that you have the SATA ports configuration in firmware incorrectly set
As your Crucial drive is a 2.5 SATA SSD and not an M2 drive there can be no question of SATA port 1being disabled which it is if an M2 SATA drive is installed

However although that does not apply check these settings in firmware
Port 0/1/2/3/4/5
Enables or disables each SATA port. (Default: Enabled)

You need to refer to your manual
https://download.gigabyte.com/FileLi...al_z490m_e.pdf

If the setting is RAID for the SATA controller then it could indeed be the cause.

SATA Mode Selection
Enables or disables RAID for the SATA controllers integrated in the Chipset or configures the SATA
controllers to AHCI mode.

ThrashZone · 15 Jan 2021

Hi,
What was on it another operating system ?
If so probably in legacy mode which the new was likely uefi only boot so freeze yeah likely would happen.

Put it back into the external hdd enclosure and use free minitool to see what all is on it partitions wise it will even show any linux grub sludge if there
This is a clean version after running click no to update to the newer version.
MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Download (2021 Latest) for Windows 10, 8, 7

Macboatmaster · 15 Jan 2021

I agree if the other drives tried had OS on them. A good point I missed that possibility.
Although I cannot see it explaining

Gave up with that drive, and formatted/installed my old 250GB Hynix SSD, which seemed to be going better........until the machine started acting odd - HDMI out of range, drive vanishing from This PC and being unable to access files, when it was working - even the rear case fan's lights got stuck on until I gave everything a hard reset.

that situation.

RAM
You are using two sticks of ram and they should be in slots A2 B2 - and I think you have them in A1 A2

Additionally to that, on that board your i5 CPU
Z490M (rev. 1.0) Specification | Motherboard - GIGABYTE Global
is supported for ram running at
Intel® Core™ i5/i3/Pentium®/Celeron® processors:
Support for DDR4 2666/2400/2133 MHz memory modules
as can be verified here
Intel(R) Core™ i5-10400 Processor (12M Cache, up to 4.30 GHz) Product Specifications
Memory Types
DDR4-2666

NOT for your ram running at tested speed if that is what it is set at
KHX3200C16D4/8GX
3200

If you look here
Z490M (rev. 1.0) Specification | Motherboard - GIGABYTE Global
you can see that on
Intel® Core™ i9/i7 processors:
DDR4 4400(O.C.)/ 4333(O.C.)/4266(O.C.) / 4200(O.C.) / 4133(O.C.) / 4000(O.C.) / 3866(O.C.) / 3733(O.C.) / 3600(O.C.) / 3466(O.C.) / 3400(O.C.) / 3333(O.C.) / 3300(O.C.) / 3200(O.C.) / 3000(O.C.) / 2666 / 2400 / 2133 MHz memory modules

ram can run OC at 3200 BUT NOT ON YOUR PROCESSOR.

that I suspect may be the cause of some of the problems
1. RAM in incorrect slots
2. RAM configuration - if set 3200 NOT suitable for system.

Macboatmaster · 15 Jan 2021

Further to the above
You have BIOS version
BIOS
Brand: American Megatrends Inc.
Version: F5
Date: 17/06/2020

You mention that

I tried to update the Bios, but Gigabyte's software would have none of it!

You should NOT update that BIOS as the other versions
F7C and
F20A -
them being only 3 in total are BETA BIOS - they were issued for specific reasons and do not address your issue.
Your CPU is validated by F5

Generally speaking you should NEVER install a BETA BIOS

ValiantSaint · 16 Jan 2021

Thanks to all of you for your help. You lot know your stuff!

Yes, if I plug either drive (1TB Samsung 'mechanical drive' or Hynix SSD) into a external drive caddy they both work fine. I can move data around and see everything on them.

I'll check to see if all the SATA ports are active (they should be, as the data on the Hynix SSD can be seen, until you try to access it in This PC, then it vanishes)

The SATA controller needs to be set to AHCI for non-raid, correct?

The 250GB Hynix SSD was my boot drive on the old system, but I formatted it from the caddy to NTFS. Format again just in case?

I'll check the RAM MHZ to see if it's correct for the CPU. If this wrong, why does the machine run flawlessly with one drive in it? Played GTA 5 for three hours last night, no problem! I thought I'd put the RAM in the correct slots for dual channel (colour coded grey) I'll check again.

3200mhz is through the XMP setting in the BIOS.

The RAM is; HyperX FURY RGB 16GB (2x 8GB) 3200MHz DDR4 RAM (XMP enabled)

Duly noted about the BIOS - I'll leave it alone!

Macboatmaster · 16 Jan 2021

To run smoothly the ram needs to be in A2 B2 as I said refer please to your manual
Yes you need it set ACHI not RAID
If by this you mean you have set XMP

3200mhz is through the XMP setting in the BIOS.

please cancel that XMP and run at SPD for the reason mentioned on my post 4.

ValiantSaint · 16 Jan 2021

Macboatmaster said:

To run smoothly the ram needs to be in A2 B2 as I said refer please to your manual
Yes you need it set ACHI not RAID
If by this you mean you have set XMP
please cancel that XMP and run at SPD for the reason mentioned on my post 4.

Hi, The RAM IS in A2/B2 (Thought I'd got it right!) SATA controller is in AHCI mode. I've turned off XMP........Still no luck.

Macboatmaster · 16 Jan 2021

1. You have CCleaner running and it is skip UAC which means it does not have to ask you for permission.
My strong recommendation is to uninstall it. As a general maintenance tool it is not appropriate on 10.

2. Is the C drive bitlocked
I think Bitlocker is running

ValiantSaint · 16 Jan 2021

Macboatmaster said:

1. You have CCleaner running and it is skip UAC which means it does not have to ask you for permission.
My strong recommendation is to uninstall it. As a general maintenance tool it is not appropriate on 10.

2. Is the C drive bitlocked
I think Bitlocker is running

Hi, I've used CCleaner since 2004 and had no problems? I turned off UAC (Always do)

I'll check Bitlocker.......:)