How to boot from SSD?

gothmog · Post by **gothmog** » 09 Mar 2008, 17:24

Hi,

I got myself a 32GB SSD for a ultra-quiet HTPC, but wanted to play around first by putting it in my Bubba

Unfortunately it didn't work.......
My bubba doesn't seem to recognize it. The HDD LED remains ON constantly, and won't even try to access the USB disk for the install image. I guess it's because it won't spin up (surprise, surprise) and the bootloader will wait forever.....

Is there a way to get around this?

/Gothmog

Post by **johannes** » 10 Mar 2008, 02:13

Just to check, did you set it to master or CS? Having it set to slave would give those symptoms...

gothmog · Post by **gothmog** » 10 Mar 2008, 16:31

Hi Johannes,

As I was typing a reply that I had tried all jumper options, I reinstalled it in a PC to see if I could boot from it. The PC didn't recognise it anymore! I put it in another which did recognise it, but 'lost contact' during a file copy.....

I just found out that the problem is in the 40to44 pin IDE converter. If I 'bent' the connector to the SSD one way both PCs would recognise it, but not (always) if I bent it the other way......

I re-soldered all pins on the converter and now it works, but only if I set it to Master. CS still has the same result: HDD LED won't go out.....

The image install just finished, and I can login to my very quiet Bubba

So it was just the 4 euro converter.........

Any idea why it won't work using CS?

Post by **johannes** » 10 Mar 2008, 16:38

Hi again,

Ok, good that it works now!

Ang regarding CS it must have to do with the converter. Do you still use the IDE cable shipped with Bubba, or does your converter have it's own cable? CS is (as it sounds) Cable Select, cables normally have one "master" and one "slave" connector, and you have to use the master connector if you set the disk to CS.

The cable supplied with Bubba only has one connector (master).

gothmog · Post by **gothmog** » 10 Mar 2008, 18:52

The converter is nothing more than a small PCB with a Molex power connector, a 40pin IDE connector and a 44pin 'laptop' IDE connector.
I have used the converter several times in a PC to connect 2.5" drives (also this SSD) and CS works.

My IDE cable is a standard aftermarket round cable, I've tested it with two different HDs on the master connector on my bubba with CS. Before I switched to SATA in my PC this cable had two HDDs with CS....

It should work, but maybe my soldering wasn't good enough on the CS pins

But even if it doesn't: I can live with a manual Master setting.

Post by **johannes** » 11 Mar 2008, 03:33

Yes, I can't really say why it won't work.. We use CS on all Bubbas without problems, and it works.