Motherboard won't detect an IDE drive other than primary master

The obvious would be setting them up with both as master, etc., but you wouldn't do that. Have you tried another of either device? Different cable?

Does this happen even if drives are on separate channels? Try with on-board IDE first and the controller card removed.
Double-check the drives' jumpering - use either master + slave system, or Cable Select on both. In the latter case, the drive on the end of the cable will be master and the middle drive will be slave. If you try on separate channels, jumper both for master, or CS and put them on the end connector.

Also try another cable and check all connectors for straight pins and such.
/RID

here are a few:
-try testing your drives separately and together in a different computer, see if they run at all;
-update the firmware on both drives (if available at all);
-try your HD on the mobo's IDE and the CD on the promise card, or vice-versa. Make sure the Promise card is firmware-updated;
-replace the cables.

Can you also state the make and model of both drives? This might prove helpful when searching the MSI knowledgebase for known incompatibilities.

Does any of this help?

What type of hard drive. I do know that some HDs require a extra jumper if a slave is present or if you have a non-ATA/100-133 device on the same cable.

Boy, It's amazing how many people submit comments at once.

I feel so embarassed, but hopefully it will add to everyone's knowledge here - I resolved it myself by simply selecting, "load safe defaults" from the first BIOS setup menu.  It recognized the IDE CDROM immediately.

It's not a solution ...

You don't know what has it changed.

Many users has that this kind of problem.  It's happening when some devices are connected to the same IDE.

In most cases -  changing jumpers to correct works, BUT SOMETIMES NOT.
Based on my experience - some devices can't work on the same IDE ... and anyone don't know why. It's just because it's architecture.

  I fixed the problem and you say it's not a solution???
  Jeez, just how granular does a person have to get with their problem
  solving to get it to the "solution" category in your estimation???
  Very little changed with the configuration between the client identifying
  the failure to recognize drives through my solution. The setup was
  plain vanilla; a Maxtor on the Master IDE on the primary(drive 0) and a new Sony    
  CDRW unit (as well as an Acer CD reader) on the secondary channel (drive 0).
  The system was for all intents and purposes, "gummed up" or "hung up"
  during the recognition phase.
  Because I didn't change any jumpering, cables or anything, I simply
  flashed the BIOS - it still didn't recognize the CDROM.
  Then, I figured, "this smacks of being gummed up or stuck" so I selected
  "load safe defaults" or something similar to that.
  The minute I tried that, the machine recognized both drives, and I was able
  to use a bootable CD and install an operating system.
  I appreciate everyone's feedback  - as crazijoe pointed out, everyone
  came rushing in at once, which is a good thing... :)
 

 To clarify - the original setup was a Maxtor IDE drive on Pri Master, and an Acer CDROM on Sec Master.
  I swapped out the Acer for a Sony, and continued duking it out with the recalcitrant mobo until I flashed it, and loaded the setup defaults, and got it working again.
 
 

What? You flashed the BIOS without loading factory defaults?! I never! :rolleyes:

I've seen lots of weird post-FLASH symptoms but that's fairly annoying..

For grins, how far apart were the old and new BIOS in dates or revs?

 I went for the jugular, cyrnel.  It didn't help that I got up at 4:50 AM Eastern time to start wading through the pile of take-home pcs that accumulated in my office/workshop and living room, or else I might have loaded defaults.
  Didn't keep a close eye on BIOS rev dates, but I'd take a guess that I brought it up to date by about two years.

Yea, suppose that shouldn't be surprising. What with all the 3rd party RAID & SATA chips much of the newer disk code just gets delivered to and integrated by our favorite mobo firmware companies. Something from that long ago would have very different values in the default zones. (updating mental FAQ)

Not holding my breath for "load defaults" for individual BIOS screens.

 I think my assumption was that by blasting in a new BIOS, it would put pristine, factory-normal default settings in.
  Well, enough navel-gazing.  I'm just glad it's working now.
  I can now bill for labor and parts (CDRW) for a machine my client wrote off as dead and allowed me take home!