When i start my computer error message displays that "Primary slave drive fails". My bios settings are as below Primary master :- Drive c: 40 GB Primary Slave :- Drive D: 80 GB Secondary master :- DVD writer Secondary Slave :- DVD ROM My Drive doesn't detect automatically and when i press F2 button for continue i can work on computer but ofcourse not D drive. I unplugged hard drives cables and plugged again but it coudn't resove problem. Pl suggest me

Try changing your configuration. - use master/slave jumper settings (not cable select) - use 80-wire IDE cables for both channels - place master on the end on the cable, slave in the middle - configure as follows: Primary master :- 40 GB Primary Slave :- DVD ROM Secondary master :- DVD writer Secondary Slave :- 80 GB

I agree with Jam

another problem may be a bent pin. also i would check voltage levels to drive that is not detected

Also, when configuring the drives in the BIOS set all drives to auto and then use the button elsewhere on that same screen that says auto detect drives. This should result in the drive models actually being displayed instead of the word auto.

Jam, I tried with your option and i kept 80 GB HDD as Secondary slave but it couldn't work and now it gives me error "Secondary slave drive fails". What i did it i replaced cables of DVD ROM and 80 GB HDD so that my configuration like below. I din't change jumper settings at all. Primary master :- 40 GB Primary Slave :- DVD ROM Secondary master :- DVD writer Secondary Slave :- 80 GB

Hi Jam I have always thought that it was important to keep the HDs and CDs off of the same IDE bus - e.g., HDs on the Primary and CDs/DVDs on the Secondary. IMHO, and my experience, if you mix HD and CDs you get very poor performance. I have always believed it to be because the drive controller, at times, will have to wait for the slowest drive (CD or DVD) to start transferring / writing data. I have operated under this assumption for years so I wonder why you keep suggesting to mix and match on the IDE bus like you do? Thanks, John computers!