Ok I've tried it all again. Here's what happened in pictures...

After Bootup you see this when checking:


Checking more:


Used SiS IDE Utility:


Went into Add Hardware to see what it picks up & then search/install driver on comp and online:


After all fails, I get this again:


I don't know my BIOS setup password on this, so I can't get in

ACPI Aware O/S

I know from before this was enabled, don't know at the moment but I assume it is as I use ACPI.

PCI IDE BusMaster

Don't know the BIOS setup password to be able to check!

Thanks Jephree for all! I always notice, that how come my Motherboard is NOT on the ECS lists? I mean it says K7SOM+ version 7.5+ on the motherboard itself, but ALL of any software (but on) picks it up as K7SOM+ version 1.0

You know what I'm now thinking... this System A does not have an Intel chipset and no SMBus driver BUT the other System B does.
So If I take out this hard drive, put it to master in that and slave the faulty OS HDD, BOTH shall pick up!

Wadaya reckon, as I'm baffled by this SMBus thing. never heard of it before being needed for a HDD transfer, ever. Worse when the claim is, because its Intel when its Maxtor.

I'll be back...

In general you cannot move boot drives like that. When you install XP it also installs data on the motherboard. So I doubt that A would boot on B. Worth a try tho.

I've seen that symbolism before [][][][][][][][][][] in regards to Maxtor drives. Am looking through my links for details.

Nice presentation by the way!

You can always clear the CMOS to clear BIOS passwords.

I would also compare closely the labels on these drives. I get the feeling that this 80GB (B) is not a standard ATA drive.

Another thing you might try is to move the IDE cable over from the (B) computer. It might be an 80 wire cable. Just another idea.

Thanks Jephree.

I'll try it ASAP

My system A 40GB HDD is Maxtor 4D040H2 ATA-100 5400RPM
My system B 80GB HDD is Maxtor ATA-133 7200RPM. I know its a DiamondMax Plus 9 though.
Here its exactly this one:
http://www.memory-express.co.uk/inde...=2006-0927-428

The IDE cables are exactly the same. they even have the same prints on them, and numbers.

I've tried one, same result.

I am out of ideas at the moment. Sorry.

Here is an old Usenet Group that is still fairly active with hardware pros (via Google)

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.comp.hardware?hl=en

You can sign up to Google groups and post. I don't know what else to suggest at the moment.

Thanks Jephree.

I'll keep you updated, as I swap this HDD over to the other system B

Cheers, you've been tremendous help. Sorry to have caused you so much headache

Hi Jephree

Here's a sparse update:

I didn't swap the HDD of system A into B, because system A 40GB maxtor HDD had two jumpers on it, in an inverted L shape, one horizontal and another vertical, which I wasn't sure what it stood for.

On this system A, today I scanned for New Hardware and it brought up "SM Bus Controller", which was not in Device Manager otherwise before. It was disabled. I enabled it, and carried out a driver scan and nothing was found so it stated that the "driver controller will not function". At this moment, the only connected HDD was my usual system A one.

Here's the screenshot:



Straight after this I got a blue screen on here!!

DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_EQUAL_OR_LESS_THAN

STOP:0xID

and.sys

I was shocked, but yep I saw that this driver not being on here, and the controller being enabled is the case for this.

I visited here (a pay site):
http://www.dynamiclink.nl/htmfiles/rframes/sys-s01.htm

Most importantly, look at these drivers that Microsoft produces:

Smb.sys - 55.808 - 5.2.3790.0 (srv03_rtm.030324-2048) - Microsoft Corporation - SMB Transport driver
Smbali.sys - 7.168 - 5.2.3790.0 (srv03_rtm.030324-2048) - Microsoft Corporation - ALI SMB Host Controller Driver
Smbbatt.sys - 16.896 - 5.2.3790.0 (srv03_rtm.030324-2048) - Microsoft Corporation - SMB Host Controller Driver
Smbclass.sys - 8.704 - 5.2.3790.0 (srv03_rtm.030324-2048) - Microsoft Corporation - SMBus Class Driver
Smbhc.sys - 6.656 - 5.2.3790.0 (srv03_rtm.030324-2048) - Microsoft Corporation - SMB Host Controller Driver

Could one or all these not be the ones I require??? I hope so... and it certainly looks to be it.

Most of my drivers are Microsoft anyway.

On a side note, I cleaned my fan though, the CPU fan and its running at 5400RPM now

Any advice would be most welcome

I also saw your post in alt.comp.hardware.

The jumper question could be key. Is there not a diagram on either the top label or the rear of the drives that show jumper positions?

Also I overlooked the PowerMax option. Putting B back in B and booting PowerMax might be worth it.

This will show if the hard drive itself is damaged.

http://www.maxtor.com/portal/site/Ma...&downloadID=22

I will look at those drivers to see what I can find. I still cannot grasp why simply inserting this drive created that SM Bus Controller


Jumper Settings for Maxtor and Quantum® ATA hard drives.

https://maxtor.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/...i=&p_topview=1

Jephree wait!!

Look here: http://www.fileproperties.com/s/smbbatt.sys.htm

So you see what I see?

I checked in my Windows and the driver for it is present! (\WINDOWS\SERVICEPACKFILES\I386\SMBBATT.SYS) and all my Microsft file version are exactly these.

Manual search is on the way before further reporting

That file (\WINDOWS\SERVICEPACKFILES\I386\SMBBATT.SYS File Version: 5.1.2600.2180 (xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158)) is in the exact directory on my computer and is the same file version as all my other Microsft drivers, yet my system when doing a manual search is not picking it up!
Hmm....

To answer your post Jephree - the jumpers positions shown are three, involving only one jumper and one sleeve. My HDD on this system A has two sleeves on it, so I don't know what is what there.

It has two sleeves on the jumpers which is very odd. Otherwise I know the setup for Maxtor as you told me earlier.

The Powermax cheers. So I have to put it on CD right?
I doubt its the HDD as the system says REGISTRY_ERROR and its a brand new, hardly touched drive. Still wrth a try though.

And to rid your confusion...

The SM Bus Controller appears in Device Manager under "Other" as above in the screenshot, even without attaching the system B HDD. I found it through "Add New Hardware" (Control Panel) and the subsequent scan that follows. It was disabled and enabling it does not make it function because the driver is not present. When the system is asked and performs an automatic system scan for the driver, its not found.

When I manually point to the location above to find the Microsoft SMBus Controller Driver, its still not found (while I know its there)

BTW, your forum is taking me literally minutes to navigate just one click! I've tried other forums, and browsing off my computer and its ok. The mem usage is only at 230MB at the mo on my PC and CPU usage 6%. So whats that all about?

^Its fine now. It was a Firefox extension issue.