GA-X48T-DQ6 New Build

[Memory Man]

Hi all in the Gigabyte community ,

I am building a new system based on a Gigabyte GA-X48T-DQ6 Motherboard and wondered if you guys can give me some assistance with the following questions.

1.   I intend to install Two Western Digital Raptors to act as the O/S drives configured to raid mirror, which is the most efficient, two of the Gigabyte SATA Chip ports or the two of the Intel ICH9R  ports?
2.   Let’s assume that I use ports SATAII0 & SATAII1 of the South Bridge Intel ICH9R chip for this task.  Is it possible to then configure in raid the remaining four ports on this chip as file storage that will then be acting independently from the two O/S drives?
3.   The instructions for raid configuration for both chips in the manual are easy to follow. Again let’s assume I use ports SATAII0 & SATAII1 of the South Bridge Intel ICH9R chip for O/S, and I am able to install 4 more drive as storage independently on this chip. I guess I will have to format these drives first on another P.C. with something like partition Magic?

4.   Does any one know of a post or link that guides one through typical installations for this MoBo covering information over and above the manual?

Thanks

Memory Man

[supershanks]

Hi,
1) I'd defiantly use the Intel sata ports , they offer the fastest raid option, also using Matrix raid gives you mre options for example you can run 2 stripes 1 raid0 for your OS - Fastest & a 2nd raid 1 or 5 i(with 3 drives)

2) You can also run with stand alone drives. I usually run with 4x80gb matrix raid as described in 1) , then with 2 further 500gb drives which though running under raid mode are stand alone drives.

3) as you add drives you can just use windows disk management utility see admin tools. to initialise & format the new drives.

Raid Guide
Build Guide
Gigabyte X48T DQ6

luck:)

[supershanks]

Sorry above links don't work unlike on other forums try these , same order
http://www.clunk.org.uk/forums/guides/6562-raid-guide-beginners.html
http://www.clunk.org.uk/forums/guides/272-building-guide.html
http://www.clunk.org.uk/forums/reviews/7548-gigabyte-ga-ep45-extreme-living-review.html