Z68X-UD3H-B3 Rev 1.3 GSATA3-5 non-RAID setup Lion/Win7

[tdrmr4]

I need to install an additional hard drive and was wondering if it could be installed on GSATA3_5.

I currently have
SATA3_0 Win7 -Western Digital Cavair Black HD
SATA3_1 Snow Leopard/Lion HD - Western Digital Cavair Blue HD
SATA2_2 Backup HD
SATA2_3 Lite-on 24x Light Scribe dvd/cd

I tried to install two backup drives on the GSATA ports, but they were positioned at the top of the boot list in the BIOS (as SCSI) and I could not change the boot priority (the '+' or '-' had no effect).  I believe the GSATA controller mode was configured as PCI and maybe should have been AHCI. 

So I removed the drives.  From what I have read it seems possible to use the GSATA ports for non-RAID configurations or for the DVD.    How do you set these GSATA ports for non-RAID devices?  My concern is that they may work with Windows, but will the OSX system recognize them?  Are there drivers for Win7?  Is there a kext for the Marvell 88SE9172 chipset?

Z68X-UD3H-B3 Rev 1.3
Intel Core i7-2600
Gigabyte NVIDIA GeForce GTX 500 Ti
Corsair Vengeance DDR3 16GB
Lite-On 24x LightScribe DVD/Cd
3 WD 1TB Cavair Black HD
1 WD 1TB Cavair Blue HD

[Lsdmeasap]

You just set them to not RAID, that is how to use them in a Non-RAID fashion.

Sorry, I can't help with OSX concerns though, I use Intel, so I'm not sure about anything on the software side of things for you.  No drivers are needed for AHCI or IDE on those ports in windows, default Microsoft ones are used, not sure what would be loaded in OSX?

Why don't you just use the last two Intel ports - SATA2_4/5?

[tdrmr4]

My major problem is that when I connected the drives to the GSATA ports they were positioned as the first drives in the BIOS boot order and I could not move the position so therefore the machine would not boot.  I am assuming the GSATA Control Mode Setting determines whether or not to use RAID and it was set to IDE (probably should have been set to AHCI for my purposes). 

The SATA2_4 is an eSATA connector and the connector is different than the other SATA connectors.  Are you indicating that I could get a cable that would have an eSATA on one end and the regulare SATA on the other and it would work?  Didn't think of that.  Good suggestion.

I am not aware that there is SATA2_5 on this board.

Thank you for your quick response.  I really appreciate it.  I'm really a noobie at a lot of this.

[Lsdmeasap]

SATA2_4 is an Intel port, and is a normal SATA2 connector, it is not eSATA, you can connect any regular SATA drive to it

See here from your manual, it is a regular SATA2 port, and sorry about the SATA2_5 comment, I always forget these boards only have 5 regular Intel SATA ports (2x 6Gb/s and 3 x 3Gb/s)



No worries about being new to setting up a motherboard, we all have to start somewhere!   Hope this helps you, and good luck with your Lion OSX setup, sorry I can't help with those issues for you!

[tdrmr4]

Many thanks for enlightening me about the SATA2_4 port.  I was told it was for a different type of connector and never questioned it.  Yes, it does work as you described.  This is my first build and I have a lot to learn.  It is quite exciting when things begin to click.
Thanks again for your help.

[Lsdmeasap]

Anytime, I'm glad I could help you learn something new!

Congrats on getting your first new build up and running!   Post back anytime if you need more help with anything!