EX58-UD4P and SATA drive connections

[Bruzer]

Hi everyone. First posting on this great forum!

I have two HDD (300GB Velociraptor and 1TB Cavier). I don't plan to RAID them, but I'd like to optimize their performance. As such, I have a few questions about how to connect them to the UD4P and what drivers to use:

1. There are 6 SATA ports controlled by the ICH10R, and 2 controlled by the Gigabyte controller. Does it matter performance-wise which ports I use?

2. I installed the eSATA bracket. Again, is there a preference on which motherboard SATA ports I plug these into?

3. As far as drivers, even though I'm not using RAID, I still need to install drivers for AHCI support, correct? Is this what I want? It looks like without installing drivers, the drives are treated as IDE devices, correct? Is there a downside to this?

4. My OS is Windows 7 RTM (Build 7600). I think the drivers I need for the ICH10R controller are the "Intel Matrix Storage Manager", correct? If so, it looks like they may not be supported yet on the RTM build. I downloaded the latest version (8.9.0.1023) and ran the EXE, but it said that my system was not supported. Am I hosed until Intel provides an updated version?

5. Gigabyte has drivers for their SATA controller (1.17.42.09g). Should I install this version or get them from JMicron (1.17.50)?

Thanks for all the help.

[artdrivers]

Re: EX58-UD4P and SATA drive connections

First read this http://downloadmirror.intel.com/17882/eng/readme.txt
You can try to install windows 7 as IDE in SATAII_0 Then you install the version (8.9.0.1023) drivers in Windows 7 then shut down your computer when you boot up you go into bios and set SATAII_0 as AHCI
When installing the eSATA connectors use SATAII_4 or 5 be sure that the setting for this is in AHCI for your eSATA drives as well for hot swap. The jmicron is for the GSATAII. You may want to save it for RAID later.

http://china.giga-byte.com/FileList/Manual/motherboard_manual_ga-ex58-ud4p_e.pdf

Integrated Peripherals
SATA RAID/AHCI Mode [AHCI]
SATA Port0-3 Native Mode [Enabled]
USB 1.0 Controller [Enabled]
USB 2.0 Controller [Enabled]
USB Keyboard Function [Disabled]
USB Mouse Function [Disabled]
USB Storage Function [Enabled]
Azalia Codec [Auto]
Onboard H/W 1394 [Enabled]
Onboard H/W LAN [Enabled]
Green LAN [Disabled]
 SMART LAN [Press Enter]
Onboard LAN Boot ROM [Disabled]
Onboard SATA/IDE Device [Enabled] [SIZE="1"][COLOR="DarkRed"]GIGABYTE SATA2 Chip[/COLOR][/SIZE]
Onboard SATA/IDE Ctrl Mode [IDE][SIZE="1"][COLOR="darkred"]GIGABYTE SATA2 Chip[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[Bruzer]

Re: EX58-UD4P and SATA drive connections

Thanks for the reply. I added my comments below:

> You can try to install windows 7 as IDE in SATAII_0

OK, that's where I have my Velociraptor connected

> Then you install the version (8.9.0.1023) drivers in Windows 7

That's where I'm having the problem. The installation starts, but then stops with:

The computer does not meet the minimum requirements for installing the software.

> then shut down your computer when you boot up you go into bios and set SATAII_0 as AHCI

OK, that makes sense (once I can get the driver installed)

> When installing the eSATA connectors use SATAII_4 or 5 be sure that the setting for this is in AHCI for your eSATA drives as well for hot swap. The jmicron is for the GSATAII. You may want to save it for RAID later.

So it sounds like your recommendation is to not use the Gigabyte SATA controller unless I'm planning to use RAID.

Has anyone been able to install the Intel Matrix Storage Manager (8.9.0.1023) on Windows 7 RTM?

[artdrivers]

Re: EX58-UD4P and SATA drive connections

If you have the AHCI enabled in bios initially when installing Windows 7 you need to use the F6 drivers on cd or usb or floppy
Read this http://downloadmirror.intel.com/17882/eng/readme.txt

> You can try to install windows 7 as IDE in SATAII_0

When you do the initial Windows 7 install the bios setting must be.
SATA RAID/AHCI Mode [disabled] = PATA
SATA Port0-3 Native Mode [disabled] = Legacy mode
This equals PATA mode. For the initial Windows 7 installation.
After this you install the Intel Matrix Storage Manager version (8.9.0.1023) in Windows 7 then shut down when you reboot go into bios and make the changes
SATA RAID/AHCI Mode [AHCI] = AHCI
SATA Port0-3 Native Mode [enabled]

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: EX58-UD4P and SATA drive connections

SATA Brackets can be installed on any ports that are left over, but you want your OS On SATA2_0 and your dvd drive/drives on the last ports SATA_4/5

You may also leave those brackets out if you do not plan to ever use them.

AHCI would require a clean install and you to choose AHCI in the BIOS before installing. AHCI is not going to be any faster than IDE mode though, so not really a need to do thing for performance. IDE Mode is just Gigabyte's way of saying NOT RAID OR AHCI, there is no performance hit and the drives are operating at full SATAII Speeds.

Intel drivers will work just fine, but only if your BIOS is set properly (AHCI/RAID) before trying to install your OS then the Intel drivers. Other than that you do not need to install any drivers if you use IDE mode

Gigabyte/J.Micron drivers I suggest you do not use unless you plan to connect a RAID to those ports, otherwise you will have issues

Let us know if you need more help

[Bruzer]

Re: EX58-UD4P and SATA drive connections

Thanks for the replies Lsdmeasap and artdrivers. That led me to open up my case and recheck my SATA connections. Good thing I did since I had both HDDs connected to the GSATA ports and the eSATA bracket connected to the SATA_0/1 ports! I think this explains why I was getting the error when trying to install the Intel drivers.

I fixed things so that both HDDs connect to the SATA_0/1 ports and the eSATA bracket connects to the SATA_4/5 ports (my CD/DVD drives are IDE).

I then chose AHCI in the BIOS, did a clean install of Windows 7, and selected the Intel drivers at the start of the install from a USB drive. This time it correctly picked the ICH10R driver and installed it.

I saw your reply about AHCI and non-AHCHI (IDE) after doing the install, so I'll just leave it that way. It's good to know that performance-wise, there's no difference.

Thanks again!

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: EX58-UD4P and SATA drive connections

Nice to see you got it all setup smoothly now!! Ya, I wish they would add something in the manual that OS should go into the first drive (0) if only one drive, or 0-x if using RAID. Would help users out a lot

Post back anytime if you have anymore questions or issues

[Bruzer]

Re: EX58-UD4P and SATA drive connections

Post back anytime if you have anymore questions or issues

OK, well maybe just one more

Continuing the discussion on drivers, here is what I was planning to install:

Audio: R2.30, from the Realtek website

LAN: 7.5.730.2009, from the Realtek website

Intel Chipset: 9.1.0.1007, from the Gigabyte website

Do those sound right? Any other drivers that I should install?

[Acebmxer]

Re: EX58-UD4P and SATA drive connections

yes that sounds right.. You can find the latest version of drivers and utilities here. latest-overclocking-programs-system-info-benchmarking-stability-tools Post 2 has the drivers.

[Squeeky]

Re: EX58-UD4P and SATA drive connections

Ya, I wish they would add something in the manual that OS should go into the first drive (0) if only one drive, or 0-x if using RAID. Would help users out a lot

Could you explain the technical reason for putting the OS on SATA2_0?

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: EX58-UD4P and SATA drive connections

That is just how things are meant to be, same applies with why memory should go into slots like they do per certain configurations. Just how things are designed is all.

[Squeeky]

Re: EX58-UD4P and SATA drive connections

That is just how things are meant to be, same applies with why memory should go into slots like they do per certain configurations. Just how things are designed is all.

Yes and no. If memory is in the wrong slot, the system won't boot, or may be unstable. Not so if the system drive isn't on Sata2_0 (while I haven't checked since reading your original post, I doubt that mine is there and, in any event, I have 2 boot drives, one with Win7-64, and one with XP-32 ... so at least ONE of them isn't on Sata2_0).

So, what do you think the consequences are of not having the boot drive on Sata2_0?

[Psycho101]

Re: EX58-UD4P and SATA drive connections

If there's nothing else on the controler then it'll be fine. If there are other drives and the motherboard hasn't detected which disk is bootable you might get the "insert system disk|" error.

As long as you alter the boot order in the BIOS to the drive you want to boot from, there won't be a problem 99.9% of the time. To be honest, it's just as easy to place the boot drive on SATA2_0 as anywhere else. The only thing that could prevent you doing this is if an expansion card blocks a port. The UD4P I believe has ports mounted on the side of the board, so this is a non issue.

I agre with Lsdmeasap about RAID configuration. Use SATA2_0 and upwards in order depending on the type of RAID, so for RAID 0 use SATA2_0 and SATA2_1. It's not worth tempting fate even if using other ports may not make a difference.

Even though you have two boot drives, there will still only be one of them with the NT Boot loader on it. This is where info is stored about which drives and partitions are bootable and also contains the boot menu to choose between Windows 7 and XP. Ideally this drive should be on SATA2_0, but if it's not and your system is working, no need to worry about it.

[Squeeky]

Re: EX58-UD4P and SATA drive connections

Even though you have two boot drives, there will still only be one of them with the NT Boot loader on it. This is where info is stored about which drives and partitions are bootable and also contains the boot menu to choose between Windows 7 and XP. Ideally this drive should be on SATA2_0, but if it's not and your system is working, no need to worry about it.

Not true for my system. I don't have it set up for dual boot (the system will boot with either drive as the only drive, and neither OS knows that the other OS is on another drive). I choose the boot order by going into the BIOS and making the selection there. I've never had a problem with it not booting to the correct drive.

The next time I open the case, I can connect my primary drive to SATA2_0, but this is definitely not the same as putting RAM in the wrong slots (resulting in either a system that won't boot, or one that is unstable at best).

[Psycho101]

Re: EX58-UD4P and SATA drive connections

If you indeed have completely seperate installs with no boot menu then you don't have a primary drive. You have two primary drives. Primary doesn't refer to the one you use the most, but to the one with the boot sector on it. If both drives have their own then they are both primarys.

Lsdmeasap gave the example of not using SATA2_0 being like not using the correct RAM slots merely as an example. I'm sure what he meant (and he can correct me if I'm wrong) is that both situations can potentially cause problems with some configs.

All hardware is different and sometimes with a certain combination of board, disk and driver there could very well be instances where not having the primary drive on SATA2_0 could cause any number of issues. Anything's possible.

As for RAM in the wrong slots giving BSOD's etc, is this a X58 thing? My board is perfectly happy to accept modules in any slot order. The only draw back is that dual channel is disabled if not using 1&3 and/or 2&4. Other than that everything works just fine. Again, I'm sure some combinations of board and RAM may be different.