The Mystery of the Atapi Errors

[lemonskin]

Hello

The Event Log on our 2-year-old Isys Elite Pro Novatech PC has been showing atapi errors (Event ID 11) for many months.

Sometimes these errors appear to cause no problems, other times they cause the computer to freeze/hang, requiring a re-start.
They are intermittent - we can go several weeks with no problems, then the freeze-ups will start again. I have been told that atapi errors are related to the optical drive. Our DVD/CD drive doesn't get an awful lot of use (I mainly use it to occasionally burn data cds) but, in any case, the atapi errors occur whether or not the optical drive is being used.

I emailed Novatech tech support a few months ago, and received this reply:


In regards to the ATAPI errors I have spoken to a few co-workers and we have come to a few ideas / causes/ solutions for you to try.

All in all I have been advised that ATAPI is only related to the DVD drive and doesnt have anything to do with the Hard drive.

1. Things you can try are to uninstall the DVD drive in device manager.
2. Change the cable for the DVD drive
3. Or reseat (unplug andplug back in the cable for the DVD dive).
4. Worse case scenario swap out/replace the DVD drive.

The bottom line from two people here is it is related to either the drive/the software for it or cable it uses."



I tried options 1, 2 and 3, but the atapi errors & the freezes still kept on happening.

As an experiment, I disconnected the dvd/cd drive and we had two weeks of no errors.
I plugged it back in, and the errors soon returned.
When the errors became too annoying, I unplugged it once more, and again, we had a longish (3 weeks?) period of no errors/freezes.

I decided that, although the errors are intermittent, and therefore a period of 'good' behaviour was not conclusive, the problem very likely is with the drive itself, so I bought a new one from Novatech just before Christmas.

I haven't got around to fitting it yet ( i need some guidance from tech staff before i try!), BUT - tonight the computer had a big freeze-up, and the event log reported 8 atapi errors at the time of the freeze-up ... yet the dvd/cd drive is currently disconnected!

How on earth can our pc be having atapi errors when the drive is not connected?

So now I don't know what to do. Is there any point in replacing the drive when the atapi errors occur even when the current drive is not connected?!

I'm just a housewife/mum but have managed to sort out a lot of computer problems over the years through googling and sheer determination/******-mindedness to get to the bottom of things. But this time i'm stuck. I would appreciate any suggestions/advice.

Louise

P.S.

We're running Windows Vista Home Premium. All updates/both service packs are installed.
There're no bugs/malware - Kaspersky does its job well.
Last year we had a problem but with Novatech's help I narrowed it down to the RAM (one stick had 'gone bad'), and I bought a replacement pair of Corsair and installed them.
I ran Memtest86 again quite recently (just in case) and had lots of clear passes.
I ran the Western Digital Data Lifeguard software thing that tests the hard drive - it passed both the quick test and the extended test.
I ran Speedfan to check temps and though I don't understand much about it, everything was green/blue arrows - no alarming reds.

[snakedoc]

Hi, I have to agree this is rather odd. Do you have any Virtual drives set-up at all? Such as Daemon Tools? When you removed the drive, did you uninstall it first or simply unplug it? If you just unplugged it might be an idea to plug back in and uninstall to remove the driver.

Have you tried a fresh clean install?

[lemonskin]

Hi, and thanks for quick reply.

No, we don't have any virtual drives set up.

All I do each time is pull the two plugs out of the dvd drive - i've never removed the driver first.
I could try that, and see if that stops the atapi errors. Thanks! Though as we can go weeks error-free anyway, it could be some time before the results lead me to a conclusion.

I did a fresh clean install a few months ago, but it didn't alter anything. (i'm assuming by clean install, you mean wiping the hard drive, and installing windows from the disk? that's what i did, anyway).

I found some other person had a similar problem.... though he has IDE cables, not SATA:

http://www.computing.net/answers/hardware/not-atapi-compatible-error-msg/53100.html

i've only skim-read the thread, as a lot of it is beyond my understanding. I wouldn't dare start fiddling with the BIOS settings, for example, without first getting step-by-step instructions from someone.

[snakedoc]

Probably a very good idea. I would check which BIOS version you have installed, it should tell you at boot. Or hit <del> or <F8> to enter BIOS setup and you may be able to locate the BIOS version there. It would be good to know the make and model of the motherboard as an updated BIOS may cure it.

[lemonskin]

Here's my BIOS/motherboard info:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2533/4238580549_a708f8c2a9_o.jpg

But maybe I should first try uninstalling the dvd drive's driver, to try and ascertain if the drive is faulty?
Or should I update the BIOS first? (if there are any updates).
Is there any risk in updating the BIOS?

questions, questions! i'm such a worrier.

[lemonskin]

Is updating the BIOS the same thing as flashing the BIOS? Because I remember once reading that flashing the BIOS can mess up the motherboard for good, and that you do it "at your own risk".
eep!

[snakedoc]

Yes. It's possible but highly unlikely you will kill a motherboard while flashing the BIOS. It still may not solve the issue. I have flashed more BIOS' more times than I can remember and have NEVER had an issue. I have been building PCs since 1995.

http://eu.msi.com/index.php?func=downloaddetail&type=bios&maincat_no=1&prod_no=1184

Suggests there is an updated BIOS availible and indeed it try at your own risk. I would use the Pendrive method rather than through windows. Never flash through Windows (Ohh err missus).

But indeedy, try the driver thingy first, it may help. See if you are able to delete the driver as well as uninstall it, it will give you this option when you start.

[lemonskin]

okay, thanks for that advice. (yep, i'm still up).

I want to copy some photos to a cd soon, so i will open the case and re-plug the drive back in to do that, then afterwards i will uninstall the driver before once more unplugging the drive. Then, I shall wait!


See if you are able to delete the driver as well as uninstall it, it will give you this option when you start

I'm not sure what you mean by "when you start" - do you mean when i select "uninstall" in device manager, or when i restart the computer, afterwards?

Also, if i do manage to delete the driver, how do i get a new one? (don't laugh at my naivety. ok, laugh!)

Will windows automatically generate a new generic driver? Or do I have to go in search of a new one to download? When I uninstalled the driver some weeks ago, windows automatically loaded it at the next boot. But I'd only uninstalled it that time, not deleted it.

[snakedoc]

To delete the driver, simply right click on the dvd drive and select uninstall. During this process it will ask you if you want to delete the driver. Click yes.

When you fit the drive again, Windows will locate the "correct" driver for it.

[lemonskin]

Cheers for that. Good night!

[snakedoc]

No problem, hope it helps. Nighty night. Tis very late!