After updating the BIOS to the latest release, the boot process of a new build system suffered from long delay around (2 mins:18 sec) where it hangs around at POST code 5A (= Resetting PATA/SATA bus and all devices).

When I disconnected the Parallel-ATA DVD-ROM (Pioneer 112BK), the system booted up in less than 5 secs. Intel has addressed this problem in previous BIOS releases, but I do not think the compatibility problem was fully resolved.

I am searching for DVD Writer that is fully compatible with the motherboard D945GNT and can work under Linux.

I checked the HCL forum, there were no direct relation between Intel D945GNT and fully compatible DVD Writer with it.

Is there any recommendation for a certain make/model?
Which is better Serial-ATA or PATA DVD Writer in term of compatibility and speed with Linux?
Is there any explanation why the motherboard hangs around at code 5A?

Many thanks

Try disabling booting from your optical drives in your bios setup. That's what I had to do on an intel 965 motherboard with both PATA and SATA optical drives when I experienced similar booting delays. If I had a bootable cd in one of the optical drives, everything worked fine but if there was no bootable cd in one of the optical drives I would get the 2+ minute delays you are experiencing. Disabling the optical drives in the bios boot sequence priority screen solved the problem. If I need to boot off of a cd, I have to go back in the bios setup an enable the optical drive booting again but it's worth it not to have to put up with that delay.

As far as recommendations on a cd/dvd burner, they are pretty much generic devices at this point and all work well with linux. I have both SATA and PATA devices and both work fine on all recent distros. As far as brands, I like Lite On as they are economical and of high quality. At this point, there are only a few companies that actually manufacture optical drives, Lite On being one of the big ones. Other companies that sell optical drives just buy from one of the original manufacturers and slap their own label on them. For example, I know Lite On has made the Sony optical drives for them in the past.

Thanks kilgoretrout

I re-connected again the Pioneer 112BK and disabled boot from optical drive in the BIOS. But the same delay happened again.

Are both of your PATA and SATA drives Lite-On?

I read on the Internet that this problem happened if the D945GNT was connected to old optical driver.

I had a 10-year old CD-ROM in the store that I never used. And I borrowed a 3-year old Emprex optical drive from my friend 11 sec. booting machine.

I tried each one of them with my new build system and in each occasion the system booted in < 5 sec.

I tried the Pioneer 112BK on my friend machine and it booted around 13 sec.

The only reason that I can think of after all this time-consuming problem is there is a compatibility issue between D945GNT and Pioneer 112KB!

After searching Intel site. I emailed their customer support guessing that they might have a list compatible DVD Writer that is certified for the D945GNT, an idea similar to Windows certified series (certified for XP, certified for Vista). Still waiting for the replay.

I read about similar problem between the D975XBX with a Pioneer D-112 PATA.

I noticed that Plextor is expensive compared with other makes. I am thinking of buying one, may be it is reliable and does not have compatibility problems. Do you have any experience with Plextor with Intel mobo under Linux?

Many thanks