GA-X58A-UD3R wich SATA connectors?

[russtobin]

Hi There
Have the above mobo running Win7 and was wondering which SATA connectors will give me the optimum performance for 1xSSHD(Win7) and 1xHDD.
Thx in advance for any replies.

[Dark Mantis]

Hi
Definitely use the Intel ICH10R southbridge ports for both drives. They will give you the best performance and as far as the SSD goes they will also transfer the TRIM commands which the Marvell ports won't.

[russtobin]

Thx DM that's how I've got the connected.

[FunkyErn]

Hey Dark Mantis - now that I appear to have resolved the RAM cold boot issue (separate thread), my thoughts have turned to whether I have configured the hard disks optimally. I am using the ICH10R southbridge ports in raid mode for all three disks:

1x WD3000HLFS (not part of a RAID array) for OS and system files
2x WD5000AAKS (as a RAID 1/mirrored array) for data files (for audio recordings with Sonar)

Q: Is this the optimal config? The windows experience index only shows 5.9 out of 7.9 for hard disk performance.

From reading other forum postings it would appear that one should steer clear of the Marvel ports. What do you recommend?

[Dark Mantis]

Yes I would agree with the ports you are using now and they are indeed the fastest ones available to you. It appears that Windows Experience I ndex only goes up to 5.9 maximum if you are using magnetic disks. Even a RAID0 configuration will still only give a 5.9 this is one reason we don't advise using it.

[FunkyErn]

Thanks for confirming that.

[Graceman]

I am also puzzled bythe Sata sockets I have a single drive and use the Sata 0 port only for HD and the IDE socket for the CD/DVD however the Boot processes show the CD/DVD on Sata 4 and its why I leave this on in the Bios Config, Should I turn off all unused Sata systems in the Bios?
Will my CD/DVD stil work ok?

[Dark Mantis]

If I am understanding your question correctly, the port that the drive shows on really doesn't matter in this instance and it is made more complex by the fact that you are mixing SATA and IDE. The only thing you would gain by disabling any unused ports is a slight decrease in boot up time.

[Graceman]

The board has Sata sockets and an IDE socket. I connected my DVD drive which is an IDE type using the ribbon cable and the Sata HDD using the Sata cable.
During boot the DVD drive is identified as being on one of the Sata sockets which has always puzzled me.
I shal try and turn off all unused Sata numbers in the Bios and see what happens.

[Dark Mantis]

I really wouldn't worry about how the different drives are displayed or reported in the BIOS as Gigabyte has their own way of doing it in the BIOS.

[Graceman]

Ok Tested and found this. In Bios I have:-

Esata Controller set as Enabled
Esata Ctrl set as IDE.
Gsata 6-7/IDE Controller set as disabled
Gsata Ctrl 6-7 set as IDE
Gsata 8-9/ide controler set as disabled
Gsats 8-9 Ctrl set as IDE

This gives no detection of my DVD drive which is connected to the MoBo by ribbon cable and its not seen in windows.

Next test :-

Esata Controller set as Enabled
Esata Ctrl set as IDE.
Gsata 6-7/IDE Controller set as Enabled
Gsata Ctrl 6-7 set as IDE
Gsata 8-9/IDE controler set as disabled
Gsats 8-9 Ctrl set as IDE

This gives no detection of my DVD as well. Also not seen in windows


Next test:-

Esata Controller set as Enabled
Esata Ctrl set as IDE.
Gsata 6-7/IDE Controller set as disabled
Gsata Ctrl 6-7 set as IDE
Gsata 8-9/IDE controler set as Enabled
Gsats 8-9 Ctrl set as IDE

This Detects  my DVD drive on Port 4 as Master is seen in windows and runs normally.
This kind of confuses as why its port 4 with Gsata 8-9 enabled?

[Dark Mantis]

If you check your motherboard manual and see the block diagram you will be able to see exactly why it happens as the EIDE channel is controlled by the GSATA2 chip but why it should show it as port 4 I really can't say.

[Graceman]

Manual?

You meanthat brightly colured book  I should have read before I started to build my PC:-0

It was an interesting read which i should have done first but it also seems I can disable the esata seting, so what is the difference between esata & gsata.

[Dark Mantis]

ESATA just stands for External SATA and are controlled by the JMicron chip and GSATA (Gigabyte SATA) is just a connotation that Gigabyte has put on their chip that controls the IDE and 2 SATA2 ports.