X58A-UD5 Sata 3 RAID 0

[rsdunker]

X58A-UD5 rev 1.0
6gb crucial ballistix ddr31600
intel 980x proc, stock heatsink
2 WD Caviar Black 1tb, WD1002FAEX
Nvidia GPU
650watt PS
Windows 7 pro 64 bit

I could use some clarification on the controllers on this board and using the SATA 3  ports in a RAID 0.

So I know the first 6 sata ports are on an Intel raid controller.  If I configure a RAID0  windows sees the raid during install and no problem.

Are the next two ports (6 and 7) the only sata 3 ports and what controller are these ports on gsata, jmicro, marvell?

Are ports 7 and 8 on a different controller and who makes it?

What controller are the rear esata ports on?

The problem I am having is that if I use ports 6 and 7 and configure them as a RAID 0 in the bios, the Windows 7 install does not see the drives.  I have tried loading the raid drivers off the CD and still no luck.  Can these drives not be used as boot drives or is there some special driver somewhere I need to load?  I have a lot of experience with all types of raids, but this makes no sense and all the different raid controllers on-board just makes it worse.  Thanks for any help you can provide.

Lastly, I know these are not raid class drives and putting them in a raid 0 is a poor idea.  This is a very temporary situation with no critical data on the drives.

[Dark Mantis]

Hi and welcome to the Gigabyte Forum.

So I know the first 6 sata ports are on an Intel raid controller.  If I configure a RAID0  windows sees the raid during install and no problem.

That's correct they are controllled by the Intel ICH10R southbridge chip and are SATA2.

Are the next two ports (6 and 7) the only sata 3 ports and what controller are these ports on gsata, jmicro, marvell?

6 & 7 are SATA3 and are controlled by the Marvell 9128 chip

8 & 9 are GSATA2 and are controlled by the Gigabyte chip which is a rebadged  chip.

What controller are the rear esata ports on?

The two eSATA ports on the backplate are controlled by the JMicron JMB362 chip.

As you quite rightly say the Western Digital Blacks SATA3 drives are not made for RAID and do not support TLER any more so they either don't get picked up in the first place or get dropped from the array during use. I found they kept disappearing completely. There is also a problem with the Marvell controller not being able to support the SATA3 throughput and especially when in RAID0 mode.