Vista - Problem with IEEE 1394 HDD not starting

I recently had to buy a new computer and got an HP Pavilion a6700f with Vista Home Premium 64 bit SP1 pre-installed. This machine has an AMD X4 quad processor, 4 GB of RAM, a 500 GB SCSI main hard drive, two factory-installed Firewire ports, and a generic IEEE 1394 PCI board with three additional 1394 ports.

On the old system, I had one extra dvd drive and three Western Digital EIDE HDDs connected via Oxford 911 bridgeboard Firewire running under Win XP Pro PS2, through the PCI Firewire card. This setup worked perfectly for four years until the machine failed.



Since getting the new machine, I have had continuing problems with keeping my extra dvd drive and HDDs operating (Code 43). After getting that solved I started experiencing problems with the HDDs not starting (Code 10). The dvd drive is always recognized, starts fine and stays running.

Now my HDDs either will not start or aren't recognized. On the HDDs that don't start, I get a Code 10 error.....with a little more diagnostics I get an error message that Windows can load the driver software, but the software encounters a problem when trying to run. The driver is a Windows driver 6.0.6001.18000, not a third party driver.

I have extensively verified that ALL my hardware is Vista 64 bit compatible, is operating properly, all my drivers are up to date, all cables are tight, etc. In short, I have proven that this is not a hardware failure.

I have even had one dvd and one HDD connected (on different Oxford boards) and operating correctly, but after an overnight reboot, the HDDs cannot be started because of the driver software problem.

The drive manufacturer, Western Digital, refuses to support EIDE drives connected via bridsgeboards to Firewire. No help there.

The computer manufactuerer (HP) is equally clueless and their Tech Support doesn't even seem to understand the problem. They cop-out by saying it's a Microsft problem. And because Vista is pre-loaded, I don't have OEM disks to try a clean install....I can only do a System Restore.

I am open to suggestions.....

wiggle any ribbon cables, wide flat hdd cables, if the drive flakes out. Get a new ribbon cable for it. For other cables replace them with a spare, or try just one hdd with a cable. If it flakes out, shut down, use another cable of the same type on the same hdd.

You want to eliminate bad cables, bad connectors, hard drives going bad, etc. by going with one of each until you find one good set.

One way is to use one item of each, cable, hdd, any power cords. If those work, then try a different cable with the known good hdd.

This will help you find any bad cables, etc.

I'm not saying you have a bad cable, but if you eliminate that possibility, then you can go elsewhere in the computer.

Ribbon cables can break a wire, and it not show.

Thanks for the reply, JimJoe.

As I wrote, I have already done ALL the troubleshooting of ALL cables and ALL hardware. I have verified that EVERYTHING is working fine...no loose or improperly plugged in cables, all cables have been verified as working correctly by swapping with known good hardware, all boards are tight and verified, connectors are tight. ALL drives have been verified for compatibility and correct operation. In short, ALL the hardware has been verified. This problem is NOT due to faulty hardware.

Also as I mentioned, my HP dvd 1040i LightScribe drive is working just fine connected via a brdigeboard to the 1394 PCI card and is physically located in the same external case as the HDDs.e


This is most definitely one of the following:

1. configuration or parameter setting incorrect
2. registry value(s) incorrect
3. bridgeboard firmware update needed (doubtful but possible)
4. Vista problem not yet addressed by SP1 (I have read of similar problems on more than one forum)
5. marginal compatibility with Western Digital HDDs connected via Firewire (?)
6. something else nobody understands yet (?)
7. evil spirits (LOL!)

I have even tried running an Oxford firmware updater utility, but it came back with a message that the 1394 host card was not found. This is every odd, since I verified in Device Manager that the 1394 host controllers are present, recognized and reported as operating correctly. In fact, the fully operational HP dvd 1040i drive is connected to one of the bridgeboards and a 1394 port. But the utility was written in 2004 and may or may not be Vista-compatible.

Ah, you said 'cables are tight'. Doesn't tell me you checked the cables themselves. I have gotten the same info from local to me users, 'cables are tight', but they didn't check the cable to see if they worked. Sorry.

Have you tried reinstalling the drivers for the hardware ?

Or it could be a conflict between drivers.

I did test the cables by swapping known good ones around to make sure all of them were okay. Sorry for the confusion.

I also swapped the HDDs between bridgeboards to no avail. One bridgeboard that runs the dvd drive perfectly did not help the HDD problem. So it's not the bridgeboards unless Vista doesn't handle Oxford 911 electronics well. But once again, it works fine with the dvd drive, and for awhile was working fine with the HDDs until after a reboot.

On Microsoft's recommendation, I tried reloaded the driver software per a current HotFix. They suggest deleting the INFCACHE.1 file followed by rebooting. This is supposed to reload the system drivers, but it didn't help. None of the hardware uses third party drivers, and I have checked manufacturers websites to be sure.

I have also asked MS about possible driver conflicts, but the dvd drive connected via Firewire uses the same driver as the HDDs connected via Firewire and it is a Microsoft driver, not third party. Can't understand where there would be a driver conflict unless an Automatic Update somehow conflcits with the specific driver/device combo. I'm told that happened with XP SP3 and certain brands of HDDs....except Western Digital wasn't one of them.

I'm still stumped and so far, so is everyone else....