Multiple "Internal" Hard Drives

[the_arje]

Hello everyone.

I've got an issue with my Hackintosh that involves the installation of drives internally into the case. My Lion install is on an SSD mounted inside. My user folder (~username) and data is on another internal drive. I have a third drive that I decided to put my Aperture library on after the Lion install and it is connected via a SATA connection on top of the case - it's outside. The specific case I have is the Cooler Master RC-692-KKN2.

So here's where the problem comes in. I wanted to move that 3rd drive into the case and free up that external connection point for backup drives. When I put that 3rd drive in though, the computer boots up and loads up a dummy/generic user profile because it says it can't find the drive with my user folder. When I disconnect the 3rd drive and reboot, all is well. When I reconnect it to the external connection point, all is well. It's only when I use the internal SATA connection. My user folder drive just disappears.

I know this is more of a hardward issue, but can't figure out what's going on.

I'd appreciate any help

Thanks!
RJ

 

[lrusak]

How did you go about moving your user folder? did you just copy and paste it? or?

 

[the_arje]

Irusak,

THanks for chiming in...
Yes I copy and pasted my user profile folder to the other drive and then pointed to it via the User Accounts utility in System Preferences. As this is a standard, allowed OS X option, I figured this would be okay.

Again, what I don't understand is that why it's not accessed if I move another drive (which only has media files on it and no user profile data) from outside to inside, my System can't see a drive it already sees.

I know it's gonna be an easy fix, and I'm waiting for that DUH moment to hit.

Any thoughts

 

[OverHeat_1]

You need to change the sata cable position in your motherboard. It's really easy.
The external conector has a sata cable going directly to the motherboard(port).
The port usually has a number (0~3)
You need to use this port on the motherboard to reconnect your HD.

That´s the problem. In the time you change the HD position you change the sata port together.

That´s the way. Keep the HD on the same port.

 

[the_arje]

Over_Heat,

THanks. I kinda noticed that when I just switched which cable was going into either of my internal drives. It didn't work one way, so I switched it, and it worked again.

Hoever in the process, my computer is now running pretty slow - graphically (Aperture) and also in terms of application start up. Ive got an SSD, and Photoshop starts up in 7 seconds (maybe even 10). It used to only take 3. Everything seems sluggish. Even start ups are slower.

My board has SATA 6 ports. Does it matter which port the main HD is in. Should it be the first one? (ie if labeled 0 to 6, should my system drive be 0).

What a learning process

Thanks,
RJ

 

[the_arje]

DOH,

Just answered my own new question. But am I right?
I connected the SSD to port 0 (assuming that the 6 ports count from top to bottom, then right to left - so port 0 being under port 1) and my user data folder into port 1,
and all is back to normal. Phew....

But why?