Gigabyte GA Z97X UD5H / questions about BIOS settings

[white_dove]

I purchased a motherboard Gigabyte GA Z97X UD5H and there are some settings in BIOS, and i don't know exactly what they mean
Would you, please, help me ?
So here are the settings i dont understand
1 ) Intel Virtualization Technology
  Do i need this if i don't use VMware Workstation / Virtual Box, etc ? But i install sometime Linux / Hackintosh, in dual boot with Windows 7.
2 ) Limit CPUID Maximum
3 ) Execute Disable Bit
4 ) VT-d
5 ) XHCI Mode
6 ) XHCI Hand -off
7 ) EHCI Hand-off
8 ) which LAN port would you recommend ? Intel GbE or Qualcomm Atheros Killer E2201 ??
There are 2 USB internal conectors, i mean F_USB1 and F_USB2
Right now i'm using the F_USB2 port. Is that wrong ? I use my external HDD WD with 3.0 sometime, on the front panel and there is always a message like "this device can perform faster " etc ...
Does it matter where i connected my HDD's + my SSD ?
I have 3 x HDD's SATA 2 and 1 SSD
http://www.storagereview.com/intel_ssd_330_review
And one last question : i'm able to change the BIOS visual interface. There are about 4-5 different styles and one option called " SELECT FILE " or something like this.When i press there it says " NO DRIVE FOUND "

Thank you very much, in advance

[dmdilks]

This is it in nut shell that when you are in the bios. You are looking all those things you just ask about. Must of the stuff in a bios you really never touch. Most of the time the only thing you really mess with. The CPU, Memory setting, your drives, what you are going to run IDE, AHIC & Raid.

The other stuff is there for if you are going to run it ways that you don't use the Default settings. On the sata ports in a way it really doesn't matter today because they are all 6gb ports. The Intel ports should have you boot drives & DVD connected to that one.
Intel Chip:
1 x SATA Express connector - Extra HHD
6 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors (SATA3 0~5) - Boot drives & DVD/rw
 
Marvell Chip:
2 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors (GSATA3 6~7) - Extra HHD.

M.2, SATA Express:
SATA3 4/5 connectors can only be used one at a time. The SATA3 4/5 connectors will become unavailable when an M.2 SSD is installed.)

[white_dove]

I tested yestarday and today, for about 9-10 hours, with different cables, switched PCIex slots for GPU, Windows fresh installed, everything is updatet, BIOS settings, etc, and after all i tested, i came to the conclusion that my PCIex16_1 is somehow the culprit. The monitor turns off and on, often.
When i tested in the PCIex8, i haven't see any issues with the display / nVidia driver / etc
Do i miss something in BIOS ?

[dmdilks]

What you could try is have the PCIex16 first boot. How do you have your mother board booting Legacy or UEFI? Try running it in legacy.

[white_dove]

It is already PCIex16 first boot
It was Legacy and UEFI, now i changed it to Legacy Only.
What's the difference, actually with this UEFI and Legacy ??

LE : i tried again and again with PCIex16_1 and PCIex16_2 and with PCIex16_1 i have issues, i think the slot is broken / damaged
Do you think, that's a reason for replacing the motherboard ??

[dmdilks]

That would be true that the slot could be broken. If everything is running fine in the 8x slot than I would RMA it.

[white_dove]

I replaced the motherboard wit a new one, but there is something i don't understand
On the older mainboard, the BIOS version was F10c. The new one came with F8 and i did a BIOS update to latest version, which is F10.
Where / how / did they get F10c on the pervious motherboard, which was the same model - GA Z97X UD5H ??
On the Gigabyte official web site, there is only F10, as the latest BIOS version
Thank you

[dmdilks]

First of all why did you up date it to F10. F9 & 10 are for the new CPU only. Because the bios & driver updates are there doesn't mean you have to do them. The F10c came from Tweaktown.

Now if you got this board with F10c somebody else already had this board. 99% of the time you will not get a board with a Beta bios on it. Unless they had a problem.   

[white_dove]

So, i shouldn't update the BIOS ?? Is that bad ?
I'm using now the GPU on the PCIex 16 and so far, i haven't see any issues.

[dmdilks]

I'm not saying you shouldn't update anything. It is that if you are not having any problems. Then don't update. We have see here many people that were not having any problem but after they updated something than all hell broke loose. 

Like I said you update anything you want. Most of the times it will work, but you are taking a 50 / 50 chance something will go wrong.  Plus glad this board is working vs the other one. Plus next time you get a board and it has a beta bios on it. Then there is something wrong and it should throw up that flag.