i dont understand how to install dvd burner

[billson]

I have an epox 4BDA2+ motherboard with 2 IDE slots and 2 UIDE slots.

I have a dvd-rom and cd-rw (master/slave) and one HD so both the IDE slots are taken.

Im trying to install a dvd burner. What are the UIDE slots for? Are they no good to me here? everything im reading indicated i need some kind of PCI card thing?

Sorry for the vagueness of this but i dont understand what i need to do to get the dvd burner installed.

can anyone help?

[b1tchm4gn3t]

I would take the cd-rw out and put the dvd writer in its place...but...make sure the dvd writer is set to 'master'. A dvd writer will burn cd-r(w) also

[indolikaa]

Billson,

The EPoX board in question has two separate IDE controllers. One is the 'standard' ATA/100 controller and one is designed for RAID applications. They are both UIDE capable.

Are your drives currently connected to the yellow controller ports on the motherboard or the blue controller ports?

[b1tchm4gn3t]

color doesnt matter in my case...they are black. All Im sayin is that a dvd writer will burn cd-r's. So I would leave the dvd rom in and just set that to slave, and put the dvd writer in as master and dump the cd-burner. You dont want your dvd writer on the same IDE with your harddrive. Hope this helps

[b1tchm4gn3t]

seems like indolikaa has it under control so good luck!

[Craig Tucker]

Nice board

That board has 2 UDMA EIDE controllers which will support upto 4 devices, 2 on each channel. These are the ones you are probrably using for your 3 current devices.

You also have another 2 connectors which are IDE raid channels. AFAIK These can only be used for hard drives not atapi devices such as CD or DVD drives. These channels can be used in raid mode or as regular IDE channels for hard drives.

RAID Redundant Array of Independent Disks - a method used to standardize and categorize fault-tolerant disk systems. RAID levels provide various mixes of performance, reliability, and cost. Three of the the most implemented RAID levels are Level 0 (striping), Level 1 (mirroring), and Level 5 (RAID-5). RAID disk systems may offer advantages during video capture.


You have 3 options
1. Remove either you CD burner or your DVD ROM and replace with your DVD burner.
2. Put your DVD ROM or CD burner as a slave to your hard drive on your primary EIDE channel and install your DVD burner as Master on your secondary EIDE channel. (this option is not ideal as mixing hard drives and atapi devices on 1 channel is generally not recommended)
3. Probrably the ideal solution. Get a PCI IDE controller card (non raid) and install your DVD burner on that.

[indolikaa]

@bitchmagnet,

The EPox board has two controllers. I'm trying to find out if he's using both or just one. If he's using the Highpoint controller there are BIOS issues that have to be addressed, as Windows will likely see this controller as a 'SCSI' device. If he is only using the Intel chipset the installation process is much easier.

I maybe crazy, but I'd put the hard drive and DVD-ROM on the highpoint controller in ATA mode and the burners on the 845 controller. Then again, that will be a royal bitch to walk somebody through!

[Craig Tucker]

Blimey there has been a lot of posts while I was typing that.

[indolikaa]

Wookies are not ergonomically-designed for fast typing.

[Craig Tucker]

Its also 5:30 am here

Do those raid channels suppot atapi devices then, I thought this was not the case.

[indolikaa]

Do those raid channels suppot atapi devices then, I thought this was not the case.

D'oh!

I think you're right. In fact, with Will Hay's recent problems, I'm pretty darned sure you're right. I should know better. I run RAID 0.

D'oh!

[parsonsj]

Well... If you only have one hard drive. And want to Learn all about Computers you could Move it to the UIDE controller, all it is, is a Raid IDE Controller, but you can use it for 4 HD's. But just moving your existing HD to it is Cumbersome. You could get a SATA HD, I think your board has SATA on it, or you could get an addin PCI IDE Controller, BUT make sure it will handle CD,DVD's Etc. some will some won't. Any way you look at it it's not going to be real Simple. Loading drivers and getting everything working ok isn't a walk in the park, and since if you add a card you will end up with 4 different Drive Controllers it will be worse that usual. If you are total NOOB and want it done fast Pay an expert and get it over with. If you want to take the chance of screwing something up and having a non working computer but learning all about devices and drivers and operating systems do it your self.


EDIT>>>DAMN THE WHOLE WORLD POSTED WHILE I TYPED lol

[b1tchm4gn3t]

I posted an easy solution at the beginning....take it or leave it!

[billson]

thanks for the replies everyone. both of the UIDE slots are free and im sure i read somewhere on these forums that you can use these as normal IDE's for a HD but if i move my HD from a normal IDE to either UIDE its not recognised. I probably needed to alter a setting or two somewhere but couldnt find where.

I dont mind messing around with it, but I just dont know where to go from here.

I have a HighPoint Host Adapter Device Driver floppy that ive never installed. The HighPoint users manual is all about RAID (naturally enough), but nothing about using the slots as regular IDE's.

Im probably being idealistic but i prefer to be able to burn cds at 32X and rip with the lite-on considering I have them so i'd like to keep all three drives.

[parsonsj]

You have to load the drivers for the HPT-372 then any drives connected will be seen. Also in BIOS you will need to change the Boot to the Highpoint - Your UIDE that you mentioned.

The problem you may run into is if the Drive Letters Change then everything on your C: drive will be on something else.

The Best way would be to do a new install with the HD on the UIDE to start... But you might try it and see if it stays C:.

You haven't mentioned your OS, if it's win 2000 or XP and you do a new install then at one point you reach a screen about loading other drivers use the floppy to load the HPT Drivers and the install will see the HD on the uide. HAVE FUN lol

[billson]

thanks parsonsj!

That doesnt sound TOO bad... i'll have a go and see if i can't get it happening.

[billson]

Just thought i'd report back in response to the advice offered to me. It worked! Im running XP Home so i ended up doing a fresh install with my HD connected to the UIDE...installed the drivers from the floppy when asked and it all went off without a hitch!

Thanks parsonsj and everyone for taking the time to help me out