# Update BIOS for SiL 3512a Embedded SATA Raid Controller



## SoonerLater (Nov 21, 2008)

I have a Shuttle motherboard with an embedded Silicon Image 3512a SATA Raid controller. The BIOS is 4.3.24. According to Silicon Image's website, the latest version for that family is 4.3.8x. I can't get the flash utility to talk to the controller. Shuttle has no newer motherboard bios. *My problem is that the card will recognize the original 80gb hdd, but hangs after installing a 750gb drive*. It gets part way through the bios POST, but hangs (it recognizes the drive by serial number, but won't respond to the "press F4 or ctrl-S to enter raid setup" (or something like that). 

If I can't get it to use the 750g drive, I have to install a new pci controller or buy a new pc.


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

motherboard make and model please ?

you may need to update the firmware on the bios ......... some controllers balk at 750 gig drives

new release raid controller would solve that ...... but unless you can use a PCI express raid card ....... the pci bus can be overloaded when using raid ?


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## SoonerLater (Nov 21, 2008)

The motherboard is a Shuttle ST61G4. The Shuttle's site (http://global.shuttle.com/download03.jsp?PI=477) has drivers, but no motherboard bios for this model. 

I don't need RAID. The shuttle has only one drive bay anyway. However, for reasons known only to Shuttle, they embedded a Silicon Image 3512a RAID controller. You just install it with only one drive. It came with an 80g drive. Now I need to re-purpose this Shuttle box and blindly assumed that I could put a 750g drive in it. Had I known the issue, I could have bought a 750g IDE drive instead, since the board has an IDE controller too, but now I've got $120 in this 750g sata drive and can't return it.

The Silicon Image "SATARaid Management Utility" (http://www.siliconimage.com/docs/InstallSATARaid_v10025.zip) sees the controller (when running with the 80g drive installed) just fine. However, the Silicon Image bios update utility 4.3.84 (http://www.siliconimage.com/docs/BIOS-003512-xxx-4384.zip) sees the card, but doesn't identify it fully and won't load the new bios. I'm running 4.3.24. I assume that if I could only update the bios on the 3512a, it would control the 750g just fine. However, I now fear that only a general motherboard bios update from Shuttle will do this, but Shuttle doesn't have bios for that model on its website any more.

For $500 I can buy a very capable brand new, dual core pc to serve in place of this 5, 6 year old shuttle box. In the long run, that may be the smart thing do do. However, I'm not ready to give up just yet. 

Any other ideas?


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

heck yeah; other ideas


if you dont need raid ...... abandon that fight :4-thatsba and get one of these to convert your sata drive to the ide controller

http://www.cooldrives.com/satoidecofor.html


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## godzic (May 4, 2009)

Hi,

I have the exact same problem as you. I have a Shuttle FN85G4V3 computer with a SiI Sataraid controller on the mobo. I tried to replace my two 200GByte Sata HD's with two bigger ones (750Bgyte) but the Raid utility stops at the screen prompting for F4 to enter the SataRaid utility, but nothing happens whatever keys I press...

The other of the two drives is detected listed on the screen (0 Samsung HD753LJ). B

DID YOU FIND AN ANSWER OR SOLUTION TO YOUR PROBLEM??? This drives me NUTS!!!

Is there an update for this Shutlle´s BIOS to accept 750Gbyte HD's via SataRaid? Or how did you solve your problem?

Grateful for ANY input. Mostlygrateful!!!

Cheers

Christian


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## sneeoosh2 (Jul 9, 2007)

Tried to install a clean copy for Windows 7 RC 64-bit, got to F6 and needed a signed 64-bit driver for Sil 3512A. Also tried 64 bit Vista Ultimate, same deal. Think we need a signed 64bit driver, an unsigned 64-bit drive won't work.


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## sneeoosh2 (Jul 9, 2007)

found a beta Sil3512 driver for Vista 64
http://www.station-drivers.com/page/silicon image.htm


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## sreeve29 (Oct 8, 2009)

I have the same problem.
I have a Dell Dimension, and currently I have a 200GB IDE hd.

I needed more space, so I got a 750GB WD Sata II hd.
(couldn't resist the newegg.com Shell Shocker for $56 

Now when the computer boots, I get this:

SiI 3512A SATARaid BIOS Version 4.3.47
Copyright (C) 1997-2004 Silicon Image, Inc.
Press <Ctrl+S> or F4 to enter RAID utility
0 WDC WD7500AADS-OOL5B

<and it just sits there forever>

I tried a 160GB SATA I hard drive and it worked fine. (didn't get hung up at that prompt)

Based on what I've read in this thread, it's probably the size of the drive, correct? Does the 3512a support SATA II ?

Do I need new firmware for the 3512a?

Full system details here:

http://mysite.verizon.net/vze6mrju/pc1.html

Thanks in advance,

Scott


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## godzic (May 4, 2009)

Hi,

I did some further experimenting and came to the conclusion that the BIOS sets the limit on my Shuttle mobo. I got this even confirmed from Shuttle. There IS a newer SataRaid firmware, but it is not compatible with this mobo bios. And this mobo is so old (3 years) that there ARE NO UGRADES anymore.

So the circle is closed. There IS a new Sata FW that works, but not with this BIOS, the mobo is so "old" that Shutlle is NOT fixing this error anymore!!!!

I´m stuck with SATA disks smaller than 200G byte with this PC. Nothing you or I can do here. Sad but true.

I even tried a PCIe SataRaid controller. Same problem. BIOS limits the max HD size. Don´t bang your head anymore in the wall... not worth it.

Christian


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## sreeve29 (Oct 8, 2009)

Actually, I just got it to work.

I downloaded the latest Flash Bios from Silicon Image and upgraded right within Vista.

750GB hard drive is working fine now. DIdn't even need a reboot, just right after the upgrade, plugged in the hard drive and it was recognized.

Thanks for the suggestions.


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## sreeve29 (Oct 8, 2009)

I've got the card (3512a) and the drive working fine.

Vista boots and the drive works good.

The only issue is that when the computer is booted, I will always be prompted to either enter F1 to continue or F2 to go into setup. When I press F1, it continues and all is fine. If Automatic Updates reboots my PC, no one is there to press F1 so it just sits there forever and my wife's soap opera is *not taped.* :upset:

Any ideas on how to make it just timeout on input and assume F1 ?


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## alextr98 (Jul 6, 2010)

I managed to get it going.
It is simple - just get system BIOS, integrate new SiL BIOS and reflash it.
I tried 250GB and 1TB - both works.
Do it like this:
cbrom217.exe (modding utility)
42xx.bin (SATA BIOS binary)
MOBO.bin (mobo BIOS binary)

cbrom217 MOBO.bin /pci release
cbrom217 MOBO.bin /pci 42xx.bin
cbrom217 MOBO.bin /d 

Now reflash MOB.bin - and you are good!


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## alextr98 (Jul 6, 2010)

I managed to get it going.
It is simple - just get system BIOS, integrate new SiL BIOS and reflash it.
I tried 250GB and 1TB - both works.
Do it like this:
cbrom217.exe (modding utility)
42xx.bin (SATA BIOS binary)
MOBO.bin (mobo BIOS binary)

cbrom217 MOBO.bin /pci release
cbrom217 MOBO.bin /pci 42xx.bin
cbrom217 MOBO.bin /d

Now reflash MOB.bin - and you are good!


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