SK8N SCSI Array issue

Ok fellas - I didn't see this one posted yet, and before someone says it's a SCSI bio's issue, let me explain.

I had my system up and running. It's an ASUS SK8N using an FX-53 AMD chip, 2GB registered RAM, etc. etc. It came loaded with SK8N1004.rom version of the bios. In this, I put my LSI SCSI RAID 320-1 controller card hooked to 2 75 GB Fujitsu 68pin drives. I have 2 74GB SATA drives for storage. Set the SCSI RAID array, got it bootable, loaded WINXP Pro no issues except... my RADEON 9800 XP would constantly freeze everything or corrupt the screen. I updated to Catalyst 4.7 and figured to update my system board bios as well to get everything up to date.

The bio's flash to SK8N1007.rom went fine using AFUDOS, rebooted, set the bio's settings including INT19 enabled and quickboot off (Per LSI's instructions) - the system board bios finds the controller card - no drives. All I get is "Reboot and select proper boot device..." So I check what's set in the system board bios - make sure it's correct. Reset to default, manually set it again, repeat, repeat, repeat. I then flashed back to SK8N1004 - same result.

Anyone have some options to try? Any experience in solving an issue like this? I'm thinking it's NOT the SCSI Raid card, as I haven't touched it since the system was working properly. The SCSI Bio's utility also shows everything is "in the green", yet I can't see those drives, even in DOS.

Help help!

(^^;?( I can't make sure of this, but nobody seems not to try to answer.)

From your story, I think that this must be caused by unnecessary update. Because no other reasons are found in your explanation.

About a year ago, I updated acer bios for stepping code error, this was an old bios already, but it disabled SCSI setup and besides prevented windows from normal boot. Then I was made to search other similar bios. I found and overwrited it and got it fixed with other company name displayed.

It is often the case that Windows is updated and itself cause the trouble. Any update is not always tested enoughly or estimated by users. I'm thinking now that man should not do anything when it is not needed.

Thanks - I'm going to call LSI Technologies to find out what they think is wrong. As a side note, I've looked at the Raid array setup and for the 3rd time, one of my Fujitsu disks shows errors on it. I'm sure this is not the root cause of the issue, but I had this problem initially when I installed everything and was told that the drive was bad. I've replaced 2 Fujitsu drives and now the third drive is showing "non-media errors" on it.

I'm thinking it's probably a setup issue, but once that's fixed I want LSI to explain to me why their host adapter card always shows errors on brand new drives. The odds of me getting 3 consecutively bad drives from different distributers and all of the drives being manufactured on different months of 2003 and 2004 are astronomical. I really should play the lottery this week.

I'll post the outcome one way or another.