Hardware Discussion Thread

**KHg8m3r** · 08-02-2015, 02:05 AM **#951**

Yeah, you mentioned different SSD brands, I just wasn't sure if they were using the same controllers.
1) Is there anything above the SSDs in the boot order, like a PXE or USB device?
2) Try different SATA ports on the motherboard? Could be the motherboard controller for that set of SATA ports doesn't like SSD? (since its the same motherboard in all of them you said)
3) I'm guessing the cables aren't bad since you've been using different computers/cables.

**NaturalViolence** · 08-02-2015, 06:32 AM **#952**

1) You're not understanding me. The SSD is not detected at all during POST when the issue occurs. Boot order is irrelevant.
2) I did. Please make sure to read the OP fully. This is the second time you've suggested something that I already stated I tried. And btw most OEM desktop PCs have one sata controller for all of the ports.
3) Yes

**NKF98** · 08-02-2015, 07:32 AM **#953**

well, you've isolated the problem to the motherboard, so it has to be connected to that...

have you tried new psu?

**KHg8m3r** · 08-02-2015, 11:36 AM **#954**

1) How can you test at POST before the BIOS? A computer can still POST without a hard drive. Is there an indicator on the computer for a drive check?
2) Yes, most motherboards have only one SATA controller. However, if a board has a 3 GB/s SATA port and a 6 GB/s SATA port, there's usually two different controllers for it. My old Dell Dimension 9200 has two separate clusters of SATA ports, and I can't use one of the clusters to boot any drives, but they can be used for data drives.

**NaturalViolence** · 08-03-2015, 12:14 AM **#955**

1) Yes obviously the computer POSTS. And the POST reports no drives found. The bios also shows no sata drives detected. Then I reboot it a few times and suddenly everything is fine.

@NFK98

Replacing the PSU on them is not an option unfortunately. And besides I don't see how it could be the PSU anyways.

If it is a board problem why do only some of them do it when they're all using the same board and bios version? I'm really curious why it only affects SSDs.

**ExtremeDude2** · 08-03-2015, 12:17 AM **#956**

Limited manufacturer flaw?

**NaturalViolence** · 08-03-2015, 12:22 AM **#957**

Could be but why does it only effect SSDs? I want to understand what's happening on a technical level that would cause this. Sure I can fix any issue by replacing all of the core components but where is the fun in that?

Benze · (This post was last modified: 08-03-2015, 02:24 AM by Benze.)

I dont't know if this helps, but I had a similiar issue with one of my SSDs once in a while. It was for some reason not detectable. The issue (and the fix) are described here: http://forum.crucial.com/t5/Crucial-SSDs/Why-did-my-SSD-quot-disappear-quot-from-my-system/ta-p/65215
It semmed to be something like an incomplete powerdown. Maybe you can reproduce the issue with a "good" machine and simply switch the PSU off while running. If the SSD is not detected after that, maybe you have indeed some PSUs which shut the SSD down too early.

**NaturalViolence** · 08-03-2015, 03:05 AM **#959**

I did indeed try that and it does indeed work. However it doesn't stop it from happening again so it's not really a solution. Also you can reproduce the issue on the problem machines by just doing a regular restart, you don't need to kill power to the machine while it's on.

Benze · 08-04-2015, 01:06 AM **#960**

Hm yeah really difficult to troubleshoot. You tried everything that makes sense. At this point, I would start getting creative and figure out which part is the culprit.

-try a pci(e) sata controller
-hook up a psu from another running PC and reboot
-try a usb->sata adapter (it should post but win boot will fail)
-etc.