Please help me solve this mystery!

First of all, thanks in advance to anyone who can give me some much needed advice! This issue has cost me some valuable data from work, so I'm at a loss.

Detailed descriptions of the troubleshooting process thus far can be found here:
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.as...hreadid=1978819
And here:
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.as...hreadid=2003570

And I post a recap below.

Since building this system (Description below. Please note the 320GB drive is new) 2 years ago, I have had frequent missing NTLDR, System 32, or other simular errors which lead to a corrupted main HD, and require a complete reformat. Occasionaly, I could fix the error by swapping HD cables around after the error.
Recently, the same thing happened, but it also corrupted my new 320 G data HD. I have been able to salvage some of the data. I have also reformated the main drive, and am slowly doing the tedious process of installing and updating all my programs, etc.

I have been unable to figure out the problem in 2 years. I have tried various BIOS and driver versions, but to no avail. Sometimes the problem sometimes strikes without warning. And other times the computer will lock up for short intervals before completely locking up and causing corruption at reboot.

In the link I posted, you can see I have run exaustive -*test*-('")s on the memory and HDs - as well as the exact nature of the problems I am getting.
To recap (IIRC), the problem is either (in order of likelyhood):

MB (either drive controllers or just generaly messed up);
BIOS version/settings;
Driver/utility combination;
HD generation difference;
Unstable city power.

Now, I have always suspected the first option (as have other people), but wanted to be sure it wasn't something else.

I really want to understand what the BIOS features do exactly, and which ones are best to avoid as messed up. The manual and ASUS site offer no details on this.

Please help a novice out.
Thanks!

----
-ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe nForce4 (BIOS 1016)
-Athlon 64 3000+ Socket939 BOX
-LEADTEK WinFast PX6600GT TDH (PCIExp 128MB)
-[2] SEAGATE Barracuda 120GB (7200.7 8M SATAII NCQ)
-[1] SEAGATE Barracuda 320GB (7200.10 16M SATAII NCQ)
-NEC ND-3520A BLK
-[2] 512MB Samsung (M368L6423FTN-CCC)
-OCZ PowerStream 420W (single 12V rail, 24 pin)
-NEC 22" CRT (MultiSync FE220)
-Windows XP Pro Corp

If the RAM -*test*-('")s fine, the CPU is prime stable, and the HDDs -*test*-('") out, then you are left with:

- bad chipset drivers (use these: http://www.nvidia.com/object/nforce_nf4_win2k_6.86.html)
- bad cable(s) The SATA cables that ship with the motherboard have been known to have some problems, and new ones are just a couple of bucks each.
- a mb problem
- flakey power

I assume that you're running all of your hard drives on the NV controllers and not the Silicon Image controllers? Please confirm. Make sure in BIOS that the Silicon Image Raid controller is turned off. Make sure that the NVRaid is disabled as well unless you want to run RAID. Other than that, you can leave everything under the SATA settings in BIOS at Auto settings. Question for you, do you frequently lock up during virus scans or when defragging a drive? What kind of temperatures do you run on your chipset? Do you use any file sharing software?

Change your cables first. Install on one of the smaller HDDs and leave the other two unplugged from the system for now -- no power, no connection to the mb. Install XP and use the chipset package above. Run it for a week and see if it is stable. If so, add the second smaller drive, format it, and run again for another week and see if that is stable. If it is still stable, add the third HDD.

My bet is that you start experiencing problems in week 2 or 3, but let's see how it goes.

Hi Arlie, thanks for the interest-

-I'm using the 6.86 drivers
-cables are OK (have swaped all cables several times, and never had an issue when running just the C drive).
-likely.
-don't think so, but if it is, not much I can do about it (lengthy post about it here:
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.as...7&enterthread=y

I disabled SI contoller and RAID in the BIOS, and never installed the portion of the NV driver that controlls the disks. I just let XP detect them. Additionaly, I always have them in the SATA ports; never tried the RAID ports.
No unusal behaviour during AV checks. Never tried to defrag the drives. I use Azures Bittorent quite a bit, often down/uploading directly to/from the data drives.
According to ASUS PC Probe 2 (PC running for about an hour): CPU 34 degrees; MB 35 degrees.

I've actualy had the system up and running for a while now, with just the a 120GB C drive (have left the other drives power plug in though). No issues. Adding the 120GB data drive seems OK, although I don't use it as it is totaly full. When I add the 320GB (with or without the othe data drive), then I get problems. Lockups etc. Also, BIOS frequently cannot detect the drive.

IIRC, any data drive I add will eventualy have problems. Its just this 320GB (a different model BTW) that has problems fast.

Any ideas?

If you run fine with one drive and then with two, and the problem recurs the minute you add the third, then I think the problem you have is your power supply or a borked board. Your power supply should run the components you have with no problems, unless you have your case tricked out in a manner you have not described yet. However, PSUs on these boards can be somewhat fickle.

Let's try this for starters. Back up the full 120 and then move it to the port where you usually plug in the 320. Run it for a couple of days and see if problems develop. If problems develop, then the likely culprit is the mb. If no problems develop, see if you can find a friend who is willing to loan you a good 500W+ PSU for a couple of days to -*test*-('") with all three drives. Where are you located, by the way?

Hi again Arlie-
Thanks for the reply.
Unfortunately I don't know anyone around here with a better PSU than mine. This is my second PSU for this board. I have a new Seasonic I used for about a month when I built the system 2 years ago, sitting in the garage. My system is at stock, never OCed or paraphenalia etc.

In the past I have tried just the 2 120GB drives in all manner of port combinations (except the RAID ones), and eventualy (sometimes afte a couple of months at the most) there was corruption or lack of drive recognition. Adding the 3rd drive just accelerated the problem and always led to corruption on the 3rd drive first.

Im currently living in Western Japan. There was a slight chance that the house power was an issue (discussed at length in the link), but I doubt it. And if it is, then I understand there isn't much I can do about it.

If the house power is bad then you can get a high quality UPS with power conditioning. It will smooth out the dips and rises and protect from brownouts. APC makes some good units and they back them up with great support. I had a unit go bad after a line transformer blew down the street and APC shipped a brand new replacement without even requiring a cross ship.

Merc's suggestion is an excellent one and would rule out the house power as the issue. I recommend a UPS to anyone with a high performance computer, as it provides priceless protection.

If the Seasonic you have in the garage is at least 400W, then I think I would try that and see if that stabilizes the system with three drives. If it does, then your problem is definitely power related. If not, I'd go ahead and RMA the motherboard.

Thanks for the interest fellas.
The Seasonic was tried and failed 2 years ago, thus the garage.
Your comments confirm previous conclusions.
I'll look into a UPS. APC is big here too. However, there are no grounded plugs in our house (the norm in Japan). Will try to work around that.
I doubt that will solve the issue, though. Also, been struggling with this for 2 years since build. I imagine the warranty is expired. This has been a pretty disappointing 1st build. So...
Can you recommend a STABLE board that would maximize my existing hardware, as is?

I consider the A8N SLI Deluxe a very stable board as long as it is only lightly overclocked (FSB below 240). If at stock it runs very well and I even put my wife's system on my 2.5 year old A8N SLI Deluxe with an overclocked 4400X2. Thing just runs and I never have to mess with it.

How are your overall system temps. One of the downfalls of the Deluxe is that chipset fan. They invariably fail. Have you replaced yours yet? That chipset running hot could be causing coruption as the SATA feeds through that chipset.