BIOS dont list any drives but Boot Priority does

[Bardock]

Hi, im new to this forum. My motherboard is GIGABYTE GA-H55M-S2 rev 1.3. My problem is that i cant see any drives on BIOS and cant boot. On Standard CMOS Features i dont see any drives but on Advanced BIOS Freatures-- Hard Disk Boot Priority i can see both HDD and CD-R. I have checked on Integraded Peripherals and SATA AHCI Mode is on IDE ( i got 2 choses IDE and AHCI) and SATA Port0-3 Native Mode is Enabled ( so the SATA ports are enabled). I have also checked SATA 0, SATA 1, SATA 2, SATA 3, SATA 4, SATA 5, SATA 6 and non off those ports seem to work properly (same problem). I have also tried to boot from usb , Linux and windows ( Bootable USB throw Rufus) and i got the USB listed on Hard Disk Boot Priority but when i press the F12 to choose my boot it doesnt show up. I have set the boot priority First USB-HDD and Second HDD. I always end up on the same message "DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER". I have changes PSU,CPU,RAM,GPU anything just to check the hardware but nothing sims to work, also Cleared the CMOS and tried with an pci-express card to SATA (SATA Controller , Sil 3132 chip),i got the drives there listed but i cant go further. Suggestions please.
Thank you very much.

[Karlsweldt]

On a BIOS page concerning features, there are control lines regarding controller activity. Ensure all are enabled. For SATA, use the 'auto' or "JBOD" setting unless using a RAID array. SATA '0' would be the first detected boot path. Depending on BIOS date of system, ensure that hard drive capacity is within limits. If more than 4 years old, BIOS may not recognize larger disk capacity unless partitioned within BIOS limits, although correctly listed.
If the BIOS does list drives but not bootable paths, they must be formatted and have an OS boot record for enabling a bootable media.

[Bardock]

Thank you very much for the quick replay Karlseldt.
I have no RAID,1x HDD Under 2TB ( i know about the limit),have tried with 80GB, 160GB and 500GB (all working drives and different companies).
For the first part of your answer, i couldnt find the option for "auto or "JBOD" but all options that has to do with SATA is enabled,i am not sure about the path that you gave me although, i know how to configur BIOS.
Also, something i forgot to mention is that i can see the drives only if i got them pluged on PCIxPress, on BIOS and of course on Controllers BIOS (sub-BIOS).
I think that SATA controller is dead but i am open for suggestions.
It's difficult to find 1156 MOBO this days.

[Karlsweldt]

The 'auto' or 'JBOD' setting refers to maybe only one hard drive, not matching pairs or a set of drives. Or if more than one hard drive is used. Should be a control line in a BIOS page specifically for IDE (PATA) and SATA controller activity.
Have you tried the AHCI mode? (AHCI stand for Advance Host Controller Interface, may be required for SATA use.)
There may be up to six SATA ports, two as 'primary' and the others for RAID or other use. Check the user manual as to priority.
The logo on separate chipsets should appear as a silver color. If a brownish color, the chipset may have suffered heat damage.
The CPU has memory controllers on the die itself, but a remnant of the North bridge still controls other features. Usually has a heat sink on it. The South bridge also controls other features, normally no heat sink.
Have seen listings for that 1156 socket type on sites like New Egg, Amazon and eBay. Some "new", others "refurbished".
WIKI description: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGA_1156
Example, with specs: http://www.esaitech.com/intel-blkdh57dd ... DQodNlQFQQ

[Bardock]

i have checked alla those settings about SATA Controller (Motherboard's Controller) and AHCI mode, no difference. But yesterday i got in my hands a pci to SATA controller from DeLOCK and chip Sil 3114 and i saw that i can boot my DVD Drive and log on my my liveOS. The problem here is that i can not install it in any drives beacause it is not "psyciacal". Linux distributions saw my HDD but can not install in them and Windows distros cant find the HDD.
I am trying to fix it for personal fun, i know that probably i would have to buy a new one.
Thank you again for the assintance and the guidness.

[Karlsweldt]

Again, "If more than 4 years old, BIOS may not recognize larger disk capacity unless partitioned within BIOS limits, although correctly listed."
If you cannot install an OS, then likely the hard drive capacity is beyond the BIOS limits. A primary partition must first be formed within those limits.. then the OS install should accept it. Use the facility that comes with the OS install for creating the primary partition. An 'extended' or other partition(s) can be created later or at the same time.

[Mr T]

If you are unable to load windows or linux from the PCI SATA controller, try changing the RAM out to another brand and only use one stick for diagnosing purposes. Also use 2Gb and under sticks for diagnostics too. The Board may have issues with larger sticks...

[Bardock]

The disk is under 120 GB and i use 1 Memory with 1 GB.
Today i was able to boot from the SATA Controller Card with Kali Linux 2016 version 1.
The disk is a Corsair GS 120 GB.
Booted and opened like a charm.
I tried to install Windows 7 but no luck, the windows cant recognise them self (that the disk is in the DVD Drive) , nore the SSD.
I will install the windows 7 in the disk from another pc and i will try again.
I will keep you updated.

[Karlsweldt]

Windows 7 minimal system required: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/hel ... quirements
If you install the OS on another system, likely it will go 'belly up' if run on another system.. or refuse to run normally.
This is due to an anti-piracy feature, which compares chipsets, features and other system parts.
The DVD optical unit may have the ability to read a bootable path, but if the BIOS is not programmed for that, then no luck.
If the OS install is in the drive, on powering up, and is listed as #1 choice for bootable path, then look for a message about "press any key to boot from CD-ROM (or similar)." You have only about 5 seconds to respond.

[Bardock]

The problem is only on Windows. The PC has the minimal specs.
For now i will keep Kali Linux until i get another MOBO.
Thank you very much for the support.
I am from Greece by the way, if anyone has a motherboard for sell.