PCI-e card's BIOS

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kev
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Kev

I have installed a PCI-e RAID card (Silicon Image SiI3132) which apparently
has installed ok, apart from not being able to alter the settings.
According to the instructions, the settings can be altered by accessing the
card's BIOS. When booting, a message is displayed to indicate that the
card's BIOS can be accessed by pressing either F4 or Ctrl+S. However, there
is no response when pressing these keys and the boot process just continues.
I have tried installing the card in 3 different PCI-e slots but this made no
difference. The motherboard is Epox EP-9NPA Ultra.

I reported the problem to the manufacturer via their website, but the
automated reply was unhelpful. Any ideas?

Kev
 
Kev said:
I have installed a PCI-e RAID card (Silicon Image SiI3132) which apparently
has installed ok, apart from not being able to alter the settings.
According to the instructions, the settings can be altered by accessing the
card's BIOS. When booting, a message is displayed to indicate that the
card's BIOS can be accessed by pressing either F4 or Ctrl+S. However, there
is no response when pressing these keys and the boot process just continues.
I have tried installing the card in 3 different PCI-e slots but this made no
difference. The motherboard is Epox EP-9NPA Ultra.

I reported the problem to the manufacturer via their website, but the
automated reply was unhelpful. Any ideas?

Kev
Click to expand...

I have a Vantec PCIe two port card with some similar problems for which
I havd found no solution yet. I cannot access the BIOS as you
mentioned. I have dl'd and installled new drivers and BIOS, 1.0.19.0
and 7.3.7.0.
The card works with a WDC 2500 KS but checking Device/Info in System
Devices I see:

Current Transfer Mode Ultra DMA Mode 6
Device Link Speed Generation 2 (3.0 gb/sec)
Host Link Speed "

The drive should be running at least in SATA 1 speeds. Hope someone can
offer some advice. Have not yet heard from Vantec support.
 
Kev said:
I have installed a PCI-e RAID card (Silicon Image SiI3132) which apparently
has installed ok, apart from not being able to alter the settings.
According to the instructions, the settings can be altered by accessing the
card's BIOS. When booting, a message is displayed to indicate that the
card's BIOS can be accessed by pressing either F4 or Ctrl+S. However, there
is no response when pressing these keys and the boot process just continues.
I have tried installing the card in 3 different PCI-e slots but this made no
difference. The motherboard is Epox EP-9NPA Ultra.

I reported the problem to the manufacturer via their website, but the
automated reply was unhelpful. Any ideas?

Kev
Click to expand...

I don't see any options in the manual:

http://www.epox.nl/downloads/files/manual/mu-9npa+ultra&+&j.pdf

On my motherboard here, related functions are:

Interrupt 19 Capture [Enabled]

"...allows the option ROMs to capture Interrupt 19"
and is known in other manuals as 0x16 as the hexidecimal
version of the same number. AFAIK, when the option ROM loads,
it registers the fact that the system can boot from it. If
the above setting is disabled, then the ROM is not loaded.

Add-On ROM Display Mode [ ]

This setting controls what is printed on the BIOS screen.

This item explains Interrupt 19 a.k.a 0x16

http://www.techarp.com/showFreeBOG.aspx?lang=0&bogno=290

This item explains Add-On ROM Display, and this one appears
to be mostly cosmetic from the perspective of not getting
the ROM to load at all.

http://www.techarp.com/showFreeBOG.aspx?lang=0&bogno=371

Maybe the actual motherboard BIOS contains more settings than
are shown in the manual, in which case you might find it.

AFAIK, the above would still apply to PCI Express cards.

Another place to look for info, would be forums.2cpu.com ,
as people have been using things like the Areca RAID
controller cards for a while. That would be the only other
forum I know of, who are leading edge enough to have run
into a problem like this. Many other enthusiast sites
concentrate more of their energy on overclocking.

Paul
 
I reported the problem to the manufacturer via their website, but the
automated reply was unhelpful. Any ideas?
Click to expand...

Are you using an USB keyboard that the BIOS might not detect?
 
I reported the problem to the manufacturer via their website, but the
automated reply was unhelpful. Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Are you using an USB keyboard that the BIOS might not detect?
Click to expand...

If so, see if you can enable Legacy USB support. If your keyboard has an
F-Lock key, press that before pressing F4.
Mike.
 
Are you using an USB keyboard that the BIOS might not detect?

No, it's ps/2. I tried another keyboard (also ps/2) and this didn't work
either.

Kev
 
If your keyboard has an F-Lock key, press that before pressing F4.

The F11 key has a lock symbol on it. Is that the same thing?

I tried pressing F11 before F4, but still no effect.

Kev
 
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