strange hardware problem

[RabbieBurns]

My apologies, I just presumed you were running Windows, but you're infact just using it for additional storage. Thinking about it further, have you tried taking the SATA card out and re-seating it? And tried it in another PCI slot (if possible?)

Another way of looking at it, is when you disconnect the drives and boot your system, is the SATA card listed when you look at the equivalent of Device Manager?

Tried it in different pci slots, reseated it a number of times. I even bought a replacement, in case it was damaged somehow (an exact same make/model etc etc) and they both exhibit the same problems.

Ill try a different card/chipset next. And if that doesnt work, then Ill just get a IDE card and some sata to ide converters!

[RabbieBurns]

Tried it in different pci slots, reseated it a number of times. I even bought a replacement, in case it was damaged somehow (an exact same make/model etc etc) and they both exhibit the same problems.

Ill try a different card/chipset next. And if that doesnt work, then Ill just get a IDE card and some sata to ide converters!

Can anyone recommend a 2 port sata PCI card that doesnt use a Silicone Images chipset?

Also, I found one of these

Would I just plug the sata cable into that, and then that thing into an IDE socket? Whats the white connector for?1

[SYNACK]

Would I just plug the sata cable into that, and then that thing into an IDE socket? Whats the white connector for?1

Its a floppy disk drive power connector to provide power for the converter to function.

[RabbieBurns]

Oh right, so Id need a PSU that had one of them. Ah well thats that idea out the question then.

Any suggestions on a sata card?

[SYNACK]

You could just use a y cable off a normal power connector:
Belkin Components Disk Drive Power Y Splitter Cable 6 In
Power Supply Adaptor Cable Assembly > Maplin

As to a sata card does it need RAID and what OS specificly does it need to be compatible with?

[RabbieBurns]

no need for RAID, just an expansion card.

Its a gentoo linux system, and for some reason somethings just not working with the Silicone Image cards, but I don't think its OS related, as the problem lies before the system even boots.

[RabbieBurns]

Is Promise a brand that will just use another chipset, or is Promise the actual chip? Ive found this one that looks promising:

Promise SATA300 TX4 - storage controller - SATA-300 - PCI / 66 MHz OEM - Ebuyer

Ive used adaptec before with success, and this one looks good

Adaptec Serial ATA II RAID 1420SA - Storage controller (RAID) - 4 Channel PCI-X - SATA-300 low profile - Ebuyer

However it says its low profile, does it exist in normal size?

Cheers!