WD6400AAKS Woes

[Blackbox]

For the past few months, ever week or so, my computer will just stop (usually while I'm playing a game). Upon restarting, I will be informed that no hard drive is detected and told to insert bootable media. To fix this, I have to open up my case, unplug the SATA cable from my Biostar Tforce I45 mobo to my WD6400AAKS and then plug it back (and wiggle it a bit). Starting the computer, it then works... for another week.

I'm extremely sick of doing this. What's wrong? Is it the hard drive? The motherboard? The BIOS? I've updated the BIOS and that didn't fix it. I don't know of any SATA driver updates or fixes for the I45.

Please, do offer advice.

[geokilla]

Have you tried changing to another SATA cable? How bout updating the BIOS and hard drive firmware?

[Blackbox]

Changing the cable was the first thing I tried (since I had a number of spares that came with the motherboard). I don't know where to find the HDD firmware, though I -think- that I've updated the BIOS. That is to say, I updated the BIOS along with a number of other things (one of which screwed up a game, so I reverted, but reverting in Windows probably wouldn't change the BIOS).

[JD]

What mode is your SATA set to? Maybe try AHCI or RAID.

[Oversized Rooster]

I had such a problem a long time ago with an Asus P5K-E motherboard and a 74GB WD Raptor. Apparently it was a known incompatibility that happened just like 1 out of 1000 times. I had tried feeding that HD through a different PSU cable, tried using a different SATA cable, tried plugging it in to a different SATA port on my mobo but nothing worked. I just had to accept that occassionally, and very rarely, I would have to reboot the system twice to get it detected.

Your problem sounds like this. I don't know of any WD6000AAKS issues so you either have a similar mobo+HD rare compatibility, are using an IFFY SATA cable or that particular SATA port on your mobo is IFFY.

I really don't think suspect the HD being at fault here. It should basically either work fully or not at all. This intermetent behaviour is not a characterisitc of an HD...

[Blackbox]

I'm not sure how to change those SATA settings, jdrom.

What do you recommend, Rooster? Buying new SATA cables?

[stoanee]

Definately try the easy stuff first. Get a new sata cable and try plugging it in another sata port. Sata connections are not really very sturdy and must be treated gently.

Quote-Wkipedia

SATA connectors are not as robust as PATA connectors. For example, the motherboard connector on SATA includes a plastic tab (see the picture above) which can be broken if the connector is bent. This might happen if the cable is pulled to one side. Because such a broken connector is on the motherboard rather than the cable, it is not easy to replace.

The external connector and cable (eSATA))have a design-life of over five thousand insertions and removals, while the internal connector (sata) is only specified to withstand fifty.

[JD]

Originally Posted by Blackbox

I'm not sure how to change those SATA settings, jdrom.

Should be an option in the BIOS somewhere.

Typically on the first page that comes up in the BIOS, under like SATA Configuration.

[martin_metal_88]

Maybe get a SATA controller card may fix you on what is the problem, I would be realy surprise if it was the disk. Maybe can try it these =card are pretty cheap over the internet.

Ask for more

[Nodscene]

You may already know this but if you change your sata settings to AHCIor what have you chances are you will need to reinstall you OS.