GA-880GA-UD3H RAID Options

[KEP]

Hi Absic --

Sure appreciate the level of detail there.  Working on absorbing it all.  It's a bit disconcerting to hear the AHCI isn't necessarily hot swappable.  I thought that was one of the supposed main benefits of that mode?  (Along with command queuing.) 

Now, the rest of it is kind of jumbled, from this angle.  I probably wasn't very clear originally in what I was envisioning to be connected.  So, in addition to keeping the eSATA alive, inside the case I'd have:

   Boot: 500gb RAID0 (striped), composed of 2x WD2500JS, SATA2
   Data: 1tb RAID1 (mirrored), composed of 2x HD103SJ, SATA2
   DVD: IDE

So...

1. Set OnChip SATA Controller to enabled
2. Set OnChip SATA Type to AHCI
3. Set OnChip SATA Port4/5 Type to As SATA Type
4. Set OnChip SATA RAID5 Support to enabled (you said you want to use RAID 5 so this needs to be set)
5. Set OnChip SATA3.0 Support to Disabled. (At the moment you don't have any SATA3 devices and this can be changed in the future when you upgrade HDD's)
6. Set Onboard SATA/IDE Ctrl to Enabled
7. Set OnBoard SATA/IDE Ctrl Mode to IDE (Connect your DVD/CD Drive to one of these ports)
8. Set Onboard SATA/IDE Mode to IDE

What's unclear to me is which SATA ports on the mobo I'd plug which devices into under this configuration?  It appears my choices for AHCI are limited to either SATA3_0/1/2/3 or GSATA2_6/7?  But if I were to use AHCI on GSATA2_6/7, it's unclear what becomes of the IDE controller.  And if I set the OnChip SATA type to AHCI, then I don't see where all the RAID connections are made.  Also, it seems your suggestion #4 is in conflict with #2?  But I didn't envision RAID5, so that's probably immaterial.

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Slick.  Found the graphics I believe it reminded me of.  It was David Bromberg's (not Brombeck!) first and most recent album covers...

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Sorry to go OT. 

Thanks again...

[KEP]

Hi Kep, can I ask you to have a look at our poll,,,,help for absic and DM (suggestions )

Not familiar with the nooks and crannies here yet.  Where be the poll?

[Tiger]

You can install the drive as a single drive on a RAID array. You will have to install the raid driver before it will see the HDD during the Windows setup.
After the POST memory test begins and before the operating system boot begins, look for a message which says "Press <Ctrl-F> to enter RAID Option ROM Utility". You need to have the single drive configured in the RAID Utility as something like Non-RAID.

I would install AMD SATA AHCI Driver, AMD SATA RAID Driver, and GIGABYTE SATA2 Preinstall driver (For AHCI / RAID Mode) with a floppy disk at the beginning of Windows installation. You can download drivers from Gigabyte. I believe the files need to be extracted prior to putting the drivers on a floppy disk. I think clicking the .exe file runs the self-extractor.

You have the option to run SATA3_4/SATA3_5 connectors in IDE mode if you would like to run a SATA optical drive from there. You should enable RAID for the AMD SB850 as ACHI will also work in RAID mode if you have the driver installed. Using the GIGABYTE SATA2 Chip for your hot-swap drives means you should have ACHI mode enabled as hot-swap is not available under IDE mode.

I would install your RAID 1 drives after installing the operating system on your single drive. You would need to reenter the RAID Option Utility and create the array. Specifying the boot drive is also an option in the BIOS.

[KEP]

Hi Tiger --

Okay, good stuff.  I don't have a floppy, but am pretty sure 7x64 allows driver loads from USB, right?  (Guess I can snatch/borrow a floppy, temporarily, if need be though.)  I do see all three drivers for download on Gigabyte's site, so that's reassuring.  Just as I'm only now switching to AMD, I'm also only now getting away from the security of always having Dell drivers readily accessible.

I think adding the data drives after getting the OS up is also a smart move.  One step at a time.

Do you know what becomes of the IDE controller if I set SATA2 to AHCI?  The manual is silent on that.  If need be, I can scrounge a SATA DVD drive, but for some reason I had thought it might offload [something] if I went IDE on that.  Maybe I'm getting confused here about running SATA ports in IDE mode.  Does that have anything to do with the IDE connector on the motherboard?  Or will that work regardless of how the SATA ports are configured?

Thanks...   

[absic]

The G-SATA controller also controls the IDE . That's why I suggested you set the G-SATA controller to IDE. This will allow you to run your DVD/CD drive if it is IDE or SATA.

Yes, you can install the necessary drivers from a USB Stick so you don't have to worry about running a Floppy Drive. I actually disable this feature in BIOS as I never use a Floppy these days.

[KEP]

I seem to have some sort of mental block here...

I just don't see which ports I'd be plugging 4 internal SATA drives into, if they're a mix of RAID 0/1, in addition to the two eSATA /w AHCI (so six SATA ports in use on the mobo altogether), while maintaining the option of using an IDE optical drive. 

[absic]

Sorry I think I got confused somewhere along the line.

Originally I thought you said you were going to be using a single drive for the OS which you would be replacing in the future when SSD's become a little more affordable.

If that is still the case then if you set the G-SATA ports to RAID/IDE in BIOS you can put your RAID Array onto these ports. If you look at page 7 of your user's manual they are shown as GSATA2_6 & GSATA2_7. This will allow your IDE DVD/CD drive to also work.

Then Set the SATA3_0 through SATA3_5 Ports to AHCI and use two of the ports for your E-SATA  and another one for your OS HDD. You won't need RAID 0 for your OS as a single HDD will be OK

You can't set-up both RAID 0 and RAID 1 and get the E-SATA connections too.
 

[KEP]

Sorry I think I got confused somewhere along the line.

Originally I thought you said you were going to be using a single drive for the OS which you would be replacing in the future when SSD's become a little more affordable.

Ahhh, dang...  Yeah, I did, didn't I?  That's the problem with having this conversation in multiple venues.  I came across a second drive and the thought of going RAID0 for the boot seemed like a nice option to get the most speed out of the older disks.

I'm really sorry for injecting that level of confusion here.

If that is still the case then if you set the G-SATA ports to RAID/IDE in BIOS you can put your RAID Array onto these ports. If you look at page 7 of your user's manual they are shown as GSATA2_6 & GSATA2_7. This will allow your IDE DVD/CD drive to also work.

Then Set the SATA3_0 through SATA3_5 Ports to AHCI and use two of the ports for your E-SATA  and another one for your OS HDD. You won't need RAID 0 for your OS as a single HDD will be OK

Okay, in light of what I told you, yeah, this makes sense now.

You can't set-up both RAID 0 and RAID 1 and get the E-SATA connections too.

Ouch.  That hurts.  So, long term, would a $10 add-in card solve that if I didn't need the eSATA right away?

Thanks...

[absic]

Yes, that would be a good option.

You could set the SATA3_0 through SATA3_5 to RAID instead of AHCI. You can then set-up RAID 0 on here for your OS

The GSATA ports can stay as I previously stated for your RAID 1 and your IDE DVD/CD drive. As Tiger said it would be better to install this RAID Array after you have the OS installed.

The add-in card can be used for your E-SATA and will probably be a much better option.

[KEP]

Heh, it's almost comical, isn't it?  A motherboard with eight SATA ports, and I'm looking at needing to add more??? 

One of those laugh/cry kinda things...  I guess what leads one towards the laughter though, is that it makes sense in a truly perverted way.

Now I just need to sort out what I really want to do, here.  Probably should've taken some of the initial advice I got elsewhere, and just put a chunk of the money into one of those NAS devices (eg, http://www.readynas.com/?p=331).

Thanks much...

[KEP]

Okay, just so all the cards are on the table...  What if I were to decide to go ahead and get some sort of NAS device, for longer-term *safe* storage of important data.  Then, just skip the RAID1 (data) array altogether (install the disks singly), but leave the RAID0 (boot) array in place.  Would there be a better optimal configuration in that scenario?  Something that'd leave all control on the mobo?

[absic]

If that were the case then I would probably set the SATA3 ports to IDE or AHCI (personally I would use IDE Mode).
The GSATA Ports I would leave as I previously stated and use them for the RAID0.

[KEP]

If that were the case then I would probably set the SATA3 ports to IDE or AHCI (personally I would use IDE Mode).
The GSATA Ports I would leave as I previously stated and use them for the RAID0.

Interesting.  Why the preference for IDE over AHCI? 

Isn't AHCI the only way I'd - potentially - get hot plugging on the externals?  I ask because I'm also considering just ordering a SATA DVD drive, and forgetting about trying to get any IDE devices running, versus the need to add an expansion card for the eSATA ports. 

Thanks...

[absic]

Hi,

The only reason I pick IDE Mode over AHCI is that I have found it more robust and also I don't need hot-swapping capabilities.

Even if you get a SATA DVD/CD writer you could find that it struggles when connected in AHCI mode.

I think the option of an add-on card for your e-SATA devices is the more reliable solution and will cause less of an issue with your HDD's and RAID array.

[KEP]

Really appreciate your insight there!