Official GIGABYTE Forum
Questions about GIGABYTE products => Motherboards with Intel processors => Topic started by: satchel on November 28, 2010, 06:57:15 pm
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Needing to replace an old pc I chose the GA-X58A-UD3R, a Crucial 128MB Sata III SSD and a couple of WD black 1TB HD and got the Micro Center deal on a I7-950. Now I see countless threads about problems using the Sata III SSD and read the black HD won't raid(which I really am not concerned about). I'm wondering if this setup will work and how to hook it up. If this has been covered could you please point me towards the thread. Thank you.
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Hi and welcome to the Gigabyte UK Forum.
You need have no worries! Your SSD will work fine as a boot drive and I would suggest that you put it on SATA2_0 which is connected to the Intel ICH10R Southbridge controller. This will work fastest of all the options on your board and will also transfer the TRIM commands that are required to keep your drive functioning to it's optimum level.
The Western Digital Black SATA3 drives work fine as long as you are not trying to run them in a RAID0 configuration. Again connect them to the Intel Southbridge ports.
The only problem with the board is the Marvell controller which never lived up to expectations as far as SATA3 goes. This is a Marvell problem not Gigabyte's.
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Thanks.
So I wasted $100 buying the Sata III. I should have vetted everything better before buying.
While I'm here are there any issues with this board and a Gigabyte GV-R6850C-1GD, or with a Hauppage dual tuner card? Everything is on the way!
TIA
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Two buddies of mine have GA-X58A-UD3R's one a rev 1 and the other a rev 2. Both have Crucial C300's on the SATA3 ports and they work fine. I have seen CDM scores and they smoke anything and everything else out there. I'm unsure of the actual configs, aka bios controller mode, driver used or if TRIM is actually working as I did not set the systems up. If I had a C300 I would be using the SATA3 controller unless I proved it will not work myself.
Bill
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Two buddies of mine have GA-X58A-UD3R's one a rev 1 and the other a rev 2. Both have Crucial C300's on the SATA3 ports and they work fine. I have seen CDM scores and they smoke anything and everything else out there. I'm unsure of the actual configs, aka bios controller mode, driver used or if TRIM is actually working as I did not set the systems up. If I had a C300 I would be using the SATA3 controller unless I proved it will not work myself.
Bill
I understand your stance Bill and totally agree but I did the tests myself and you get better speeds on the Southbridge controllers and they allow TRIM to be used so you dont have to rely on the Garbage Collection (which by the way is very good on the C300s).
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Well, the Crucial SSD was the first thing I went to install and thought I would put it at the bottom of the Antec case where they provide four holes expressly for this purpose. The motherboard size screws had the right thread but they bottomed out in the SSD so the SSD is not held tight against the case. No rubber/plastic standoffs came with the case or drive. I don't think it should be rattling around in there.
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I would suggest trying some different screws.
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I sure don't have any screws shorter than the 5mm length sent with the motherboard. What did they expect to be used? Thanks
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I can't imagine that 5mm screws are too long when you take into account at least 1mm will be used up going throught the chassis. 4mm going into the SSD isn't excessive.
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I sure don't have any screws shorter than the 5mm length sent with the motherboard. What did they expect to be used? Thanks
Hit a hardware store and pick up some nylon washers to use as spacers. I found a CDM screenshot of one of the two C300's. This is on a rev 1 board and the C300 is a 128 gig model. The 256 gig model is slightly faster BTW.
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I can't imagine that 5mm screws are too long when you take into account at least 1mm will be used up going throught the chassis. 4mm going into the SSD isn't excessive.
Tell that to Crucial. They all four bottomed out at the same point. It may be that the threads of the holes on the side intersecting with these holes stopped the screws and I could have forced past them. I'll have to look closer. May have a little tap to open/clean up the bottom holes or just use some nylon washers per Wonderwrench. Regardless it's working fine laying on the many extra jacketed psu cables, running off the sata 0 port. Thanks
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Please let us know what you discover in the end though as it would be interesting for other people who might find themselves in the same situation.
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They must have given preference to the side holes, the screws bottom out in them but not the bottom holes. I haven't hunted down a tap because the SSD seems happy laying in the case. Darn sure enjoying the sucker!
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As you say they haven't been drilled and tapped far enough ::) Doesn't stop it from working alright though!
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I am seeking a (hopefully) simple answer. I have a Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R Rev 1. Motherboard bios F7L. I would like to install a Crucial C400 on the SATA 3 port but I have read numerous difficulties using this port (GSATA 6) with a Marvell 9128 controller.
Can I install the C400 (or C300) on this port and get 6GB speeds? Thanks
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Hi
The simple answer is no. You can install it on the SATA3 port but it at best won't give you SATA3 speeds and at worst will corrupt the data as it can't handle such a fast throughput. Sorry.
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Is the problem the Sata 3 port on the MotherBoard?
What are the alternatives?
Buy a PCIe Sata 3 Card? (recommendations?)
Buy a new Sandforce that uses the Sata 3 port?
Attach to the Intel port and forget about the new 6GB SSDs?
New Motherboard?
Thank you for your quick and succinct response.
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The problem is all down to the Marvell 9128 chip that controlls the SATA3 ports on this board. At the time of building them the Marvell was the only option for this industry wide. All manufacturers had the same problem with it and it seems it is not something that can be cured by a software upgrade. Basically it just didn't perform as Marvell led everyone to expect.
So your options are to use the Intel controller which is SATA2 but performs well or purchase a seperate PCIE SATA3 controller card. Either option will give you a nice speed boost compared to what you are used to but if you want to use the full performance of the SATA3 SSD then you will need a dedicated card.
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Thank you for your quick response and information.
To summarize, it appears that the Intel controller is the most stable and best option to connect the C300, and especially if Raid 0 is to be used. Single drives can hook up to the Marvell controller but the speed increase and stability issues are not worth the gain and risk. The Marvell 9128 controller is hardware limited and future upgrades in drivers and firmware are not coming in the near future. It appears that this problem exists for all the boards that first came out with SATA3 ports.
Hopefully Intel will come out with a 6GB controller soon. You have provided the simplest and most useful information.
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Only too happy to help.
Intel has now come out with it's own SATA3 controller and it seems to work very well. I am running it on my review system at the moment with a pair of WD SATA3 Blacks in a RAID0 array and had absolutely no problems with them at all since installation. The speed is more what i would have expected too.
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What Motherboard are you testing that has the Intel Sata3 Controller? 1366 board? Thanks
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The motherboard in question is a GA-P67A-UD5 SandyBridge with an Intel i5 2500K CPU.