# Slow SATA detection - Asus P5Q



## toyo (Sep 20, 2009)

Hello,
The MB (BIOS 2102, AHCI mode) hangs on "Autodetection of SATA port 1..." for 20-30 secs.

!!!This ONLY happens when it boots from a SHUTDOWN!!!
When booting from a Restart it works ok.

SATA 3GB/s HDD - port 1
SATA DVD writer - port 2


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## Solaris17 (Sep 20, 2009)

if you have multiple sata controllers try shutting off the hub that isnt in use

EDIT: also make sure if you have any HDD abilities like "staggered spinup" shut it off.


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## toyo (Sep 20, 2009)

The mobo has 6 SATA ports from ICH10R and 2 SATA from Marvell 88SE6121 (disabled from BIOS). The used ports are 1 (HDD) and 2 (DVD) from the ICH.
I have to go wikipedia on staggered spinup 1st time I heard about it. I can say it's not in my bios though.

Edit: No staggered spinup here, only 1 HDD
2nd edit: Reverted to BIOS 2002, no luck, nothing on Asus site about this
3rd edit: Reversion to BIOS 1611 didn't change things. System still hangs for 1/2 min when powered up. Sad part is I'm almost sure this didn't happen some time ago, but can't remember what triggered this behavior. Didn't change things but BIOS, thermal paste and coolers. Ghost in the machine case...


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## toyo (Sep 22, 2009)

I'd use the edit function, but I'm afraid no one will ever know and I will miss my chance to hardware redemption!
Found out something new: 
- when I Turn On the system, there's only the green power led blinking. The red HDD is inactive, and sometimes it stays so long on detection that it will tell me to put a boot disk as it is not detecting a system. A reboot ALWAYS solve the problem, as
- when I Reboot the system, both power and hdd leds are active. The detection phase is short as it should be.

These things suggest that the HDD is very slowly powering on (recovering from a complete shutdown or whatever you like to call it). What can be causing this behaviour?


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## toyo (Sep 29, 2009)

It is a defective HDD  I'll send it tomorrow for RMA. Well, I guess it is better than a dead mobo.
Interesting thing is the HDD had problems only when needed to be recognized by the BIOS, once it was in Windows all was peachy.


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## 10TaTioN (Sep 29, 2009)

Hello, i'll give you some possible solutions, and obviously they may work or not depending on the real problem that is tormenting you.

1 - Run a CheckDisk to check for errors in the drive(s)
1.1 - Start > Run > chkdsk /f
1.2 - This will take some time, usually more than an hour, so do it when you have time, just don't interrupt it (shutdown the PC)
1.3 - Please note that sometimes after the scan is finished, Windows will not reboot, as some of the "damaged" files were important for the boot, _so if you don't know how to install Windows again, skip this_.

2 - Remove the SATA connector from the motherboard, and try another port.
2.1 - Try another SATA cable that came with the motherboard.
2.2 - Also try removing the DVD and start Windows without it.

PS: Is the HDD new or this started to happen recently?


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## toyo (Sep 29, 2009)

Heyya 10TaTioN,
Tried all you thought of, had like a week or so at my disposal to read on the www and try stuff. I even tried both SATA controllers on the mobo.
It doesn't have anything to do with the software on the HDD, the thing is with the BIOS detection.
I finally got today a new 500 GB HDD and I put it in (with the SATA cable that is on my HDD) and it worked just fine, BIOS saw it right away. Also went with my HDD to a friend that also has a P5Q and when I installed my hdd into his mobo it hanged on detection just like it happened in my system... 
The HDD started this behaviour like 2-3 weeks ago, and it aggravated over time. Absolutely all tests I ran on it were fine (not counting chkdsk and such utilities, I ran for long hours SeaTools from Seagate - all tests and Data Lifeguard Diagnostic from WD - all tests...). It works just sweet into Windows... when I manage to get it there. 
I'll just clone the HDD tomorrow on some temporary burrowed hardrive and work a week or two from that one until I get my replacement, hopefully. Stupid hardware...


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