H55M-USB3 and ATA channels in Windows 7

[allsor]

My first post here so hello to everyone

I'm setting up a new machine with H55M-USB3 (v1.0) with Window 7 64 and I came across some problems.

In the specification for the motherboard it is stated that the connections are the following
6xSATA (from H55)
2xSATA(from Gigabyte Sata 2 chip)
2xIDE(from GigabyteSata 2 chip)

From the initial setup of windows I have the following in device manager under "IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers"
3x ATA Channel 0
3x ATA Channel 1
1x Intel(R) 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset Family 2 port Serial ATA Storage Controller - 3B26
1x Intel(R) 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset Family 4 port Serial ATA Storage Controller - 3B20
1x Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller

(PCH and Onboard controllers are both set to IDE mode in BIOS)

Question: Am I missing something or should there actually be 10 ATA channels altogether ?
(6 (SATA) from chipset, 2 (SATA) + 2(IDE) from gigabyte SATA 2 chip) ?


I tried installing the Gigabyte Sata 2 driver + raid utility,
but all I got as a result was  that  one  "ATA Channel 0" , one "ATA channel 1" and "Standard Dual  Channel PCI IDE Controller"
were removed from the above list and "GBB36X Controller" was added ... however running the raid configurator said there was nođ
GBB36X were found.

Please forgive my ignorance if there's something obvious I'm doing wrong here.

[Dark Mantis]

Hi and welcome to the forum. Maybe I am missing something here but I can't see your problem. What exactly are you complaining about? What has the RAID configurator got to do with it anyway? Sorry.

[allsor]

The problem is that if I understand the Device Manager list and the mobo specifications, I'm missing 4 ATA channels and I would like to verify if this is in fact the case. If possible I would even like to fix the problem...maybe with a driver or something else I'm missing.

RAID configurator has no direct relation with this, however it is installed automatically alongside the Gigabyte Sata 2 driver and if I try running it, it reports an error (I don't know whether this error has any relevance or not with the number of ATA channels..it probably doesn't..., I just pointed it out in case a forum member might have had some simmilar issues).

[Peteruk]

Your understanding of what is listed in device manager is wrong fact is have you tried putting 7 SATA drives plus 2 IDE drives on this board yourself?

EDIT
Note: you only get 5 SATA from the Intel chip not 6 as you see from the board .

[allsor]

Not yet, but there will be 8 SATA drives and 1 IDE soon-ish. Right now there are 3 SATA drives and 1 IDE; each one of them is listed under a different "Channel" (2 ATA channels have no device entry)  So...you're saying I'm either going to have more than one device under one ATA channel or additional ATA channels are going to appear when I actually connect the drives ?

PS. I know there are only 5 internal SATA connectors on the board from PCH , but there's an additional one available as eSATA...it's going to be used/populated too.

[Peteruk]

PS. I know there are only 5 internal SATA connectors on the board from PCH , but there's an additional one available as eSATA...it's going to be used/populated too.

Ok fine but you still cannot go by what device manager says because if I go by what device manager says it lists having no ATA Channels.    

[allsor]

But, how does it then display your drives if you "View" "Devices by connection" ? Where are they attached to ?

[Peteruk]

But, how does it then display your drives if you "View" "Devices by connection" ? Where are they attached to ?

It just works ok you will get all drives working off all ports.

If you go look at other peoples computers that you know of with different many controllers on them you will see the same problem...which its not.