Extreme newbie - primary device 0 is "unknown device"

A quick look thru the forum indicates that you guys are fairly technically astute, so please bear with a total BIOS newbie.

I followed the written instructions, jumpering the CDROM as slave, unplugging the IDE cable from the computer's existing hard drive and plugging that cable into the CDROM. Also (correctly, apparently) connected the new Tivo-to-be drive as the secondary.

No-go. When I check the BIOS, in indicates that primary device 0 is "unknown device" and won't (obviously) boot from it. I've tried two different known-good CD drives, and tried with primary device 1 "on" as well.

I'm certainly missing something extremely basic here, but could anyone suggest what it is? We've been without Tivo here since a Weaknees upgrade on a Series 1 Phillips crapped out. Won't try again with them.

Thanks in advance - Pat

Discussion:

Lou Jacob on March 20, 2005 12:40 PM

Its a pc-specific issue; you need to ensure your CD-ROM is connected as the primary slave (and working) and your new TiVo drive(s) is/are secondary master and slave, respectively. Beyond that, look into your PC manufacturer's guidelines for configuring devices, or find a PC-savvy friend to help you out.

If you are unable to accomplish this, we do sell preconfigured kits so that you do not need to use your PC to create an upgrade drive; you always have that as an alternative, and the original purchase price of your InstantCake can be applied to the purchase price of your kit.

tubesguy on March 22, 2005 9:27 PM

Okay, got it up and running. One thing: On this computer (Dell Dimension 4550) you DO use CS, and you DON'T change the jumpers to master or slave. Maybe the written instructions should indicate the possibility that you might not want to change the jumpers.

Aside from that, what's to complain about? I've gotten Tivo back for $20, and I'm a hero to my kids. Thanks - Pat

Lou Jacob on March 23, 2005 10:20 AM

tubesguy said:

Okay, got it up and running. One thing: On this computer (Dell Dimension 4550) you DO use CS, and you DON'T change the jumpers to master or slave. Maybe the written instructions should indicate the possibility that you might not want to change the jumpers.

Aside from that, what's to complain about? I've gotten Tivo back for $20, and I'm a hero to my kids. Thanks - Pat


Unfortunately, with so many different PC's and ways of connecting the devices, we think its best that folks just take note of the fact that they need to understand their own system well enough to know how to connect the drives as master and slave... We just can't anticipate every possible scenario - the more we try, the more folks hold us accountable when we are wrong - so its a no win situation.

Thx for documenting your specific system - hopefully the next person who uses a system like yours (and has a problem) will find your post and see the solution.

Thx for the good words, too.

boas123 on August 12, 2005 11:58 AM

Clarification on setup

I run into the same issue with the Dell Dimension. Since it took me a while to figure it out here are the settings I ended up using. I did the process for a single hard-drive (Seagate 160G).

Factory Configuration was:
- CD ROM in the end connector on the cable labeled IDE 0 with jumper settings for CS (cable detect).
- Single hard-drive connected in the end of cable labeled IDE 1.

After changing the configuration to get InstantBake to work:
- CD ROM in the end connector on the cable labeled IDE 1 with the same jumber settings as the factory configuration (CS).
- New hard-drive (160G) connected at the end of cable labeled IDE 0 with jumper settings set for Master.

That seemed to work.

autumncolor on September 20, 2005 12:33 AM

Dell Dimension

I ran into a similar issue with a Dell Dimension XPS D300. The BIOS would not recognize a CDROM as Primary Slave unless a Primary Master was also connected. Googled a bit to find that no Primary Master can be considered by some BIOS's to be an illegal configuration. To resolve the issue i used a second CDROM drive (could've been any IDE device) in the Primary Master slot and then booted from the Primary Slave CDROM. The dimension then handled everything correctly.

Bricktop on November 26, 2005 3:35 PM

Add the Dell Dimension 8300 to this list. After spending two increasingly frustrating hours feeling like a complete dope, I found this thread. All seems to be working now.

pjo1966 on December 13, 2006 11:14 AM

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I'm having a related issue.  I have a Dell 4550.  I got it to upgrade a drive when I was only adding one, but can't seem to get it to recognize a second drive.  I had the CD as Primary Drive 0 and the TiVo #1 drive as Secondary Drive 0, and that was fine.  I added the TiVo #2 drive to the same cable as the #1 drive, and it is not being recognized.  These drives have already been in my HD TiVo since I got it, and I left the jumper settings as is.   

Any help would be appreciated.