Boot log will work just fine with or without harddrives.

So you have a straight through serial cable connected to a COM port on the PC and to the back of the empeg unit itself. Open the port at 8N1 115200 baud (no flow control) and just power on the empeg. You don't need to send any command or anything to the empeg.

Read here also:
http://www.riocar.org/modules.php?op=mod...mp;faqent=82#82

Define "doesn't let me do anything". The port won't open?

Connecting to your PC (running Linux preferably) will allow you to check the drive functions but little else. Personally I doubt the drive is at fault. I would guess bad cabling and/or header still.

Get the boot log. It should take just a few minutes and won't involve pulling anything apart any further.