Mainboard oddity?

I had purchased a Tyan S2060 mainboard via ebay for a rather attractive price way back when (I know, I know, I can hear the groans from here.) Nevertheless, the board seemed to work fine save for the primary IDE controller. I was resigned to the fact that I bought a dog and since it didn't "pay" for me to send it back, I kept it (I actually gave it to a friend, dispensing the aforementioned conundrum).

OK, so I'm a glutton for punishment and decided to perpetuate this torture by purchasing another one - it, too, at an attractive price but this was replete with all its accoutrements including originalbox - from a dealer of some repute (I had made several gratifying purchases from them prior.)

Here's the irony: its primary IDE controller was unresponsive, too. I did read somewhere that Tyan's boards of this ilk should ONLY use Tyan-approved HD cables.

Got any feelings, ideas, suggestions, etc.? Thanks in advance...