BIOS issues???

[pharmakon]

OK, i have had this problem since i built my computer, i don't think it's too bad, just annoying. (P.S. my computer is a few years old so please don't make fun of it)

about 3 years ago i built the following computer:
Abit IC7-G
P4 2.8ghz
120Gig Maxtor SATA drive (for operating system and programs)
160 Gig seagate Barracuda (storage)

The issue:
Every once in a blue moon, it seems as though the bios decides to change the hard drive boot order, and tries to boot from the seagate drive, and ignoring the Maxtor as if it was not even there. This leads to finding no OS and then prompting for a disk to boot from.

So is this a bios problem or could it be something else? I thought i bought descent components for the time i was building it, with maybe the exception of keeping the power supply that came with the case i bought? (aspire x-dream 420W)

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!!!

[Ceefer]

What boot order is set in your BIOS? If it is set to boot from HDD1 then HDD2 then this would suggest that every once in a while HDD1 cannot be seen during POST. This could be caused by something as simple as a loose connection.

[ultim8um]

Nah I have a friend who bought my old setup (Abit IC-7 + P4 + Sata + Pata) and just occaisionally it has the same problem... Weird isn't it! Dunno if its related to the cable for the sata drive being slightly looser in the motherboard sockets than on newer boards, but newer cables didn't fix it... Also if you replace your CMOS battery make sure you know what your BIOS settings are as I had a nightmare time getting that same machine to boot again (I had forgotten the settings as I hadn't used that PC in years and my friend didn't have a clue lol!).

[pharmakon]

thanks for the help,

I'll try to see if the cable can be tightened up a bit, if that doesn't work, i guess i'll just have to live with it a while intul i can afford a new "toy"

[0iD]

I'm using a similar setup no (at work) allbeit a 3.2 P4 Northwood overclocked to 3.6 & have never experienced such a prob. However I do have a prob where every now & again I restart & it hangs @ the bois. Have to unplug psu, wait till mobo discharges & restart.
Still, processes UD units at a mahoosive rate. There's good life in that thar hardware!