GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3: PCH Settings for Standard OS drive and 2ndary RAID 0

[gordonliu]

I have a GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3.

I have an SATA III standard spinning disk drive that I wold like to use as my main OS/apps drive.

I would also like to run a separate RAID 0 array using some SATA II drives.

How should I install the OS on the SATA III drive?  I tried it already in the "standard" way, WITHOUT using an F8 RAID driver, because that OS drive is not going to be run as a node on a RAID array.  Therefore, I saw no need to use the F8 RAID driver.

Everything worked fine, and the Intel RST detected the drive as SATA III.

however, after enabling "RAID(XHD)" PCH settings in the bios (NOTE:  I did NOT enable "XHD," but the BIOS calls the PCH RAID setting "RAID(XHD)" because that is the only possible/automatic setting if you enable XHD), to allow access to the RAID controller and to create the RAID array with my other drives, Windows does not load properly and fails during bootup during the Win7 animated logo (100% of the time and at the same point).

I can get around this problem by running the OS drive off the Marvel controller, and leaving the GSATA III settings as AHCI.  My only concern is that the Marvel controller is not the ideal way to run my OS drive.



Should I reinstall with F8 driver, even though the OS drive is NOT a RAID node?

Should I just leave it the way it is with the OS drive connected via the Marvell controller?

Is there a simple fix for this or does it require a full reinstall? (Eg:  can I "repair" the installation?)

It seems incredibly annoying that this kind of minor installation order/driver issue would completely dictate the drive configuration and setup procedure, but oh well.

[F5BJR]

*
You have not read with attention your documentation

Use NOT in EXTREME HARDDRIVE ( XHD )  LINE but in ICH SATA CONTROL MODE LINE

--> you have 3 * modes : IDE , AHCI and RAID

Pierre

 

[gordonliu]

Under PCH (not ICH) I have 3 options:

IDE
AHCI
RAID(XHD)

the option: "RAID(XHD)" does not turn on XHD.  in fact, I don't think it has anything specifically to do with the XHD option (which is located just above it in the BIOS).


I have come to the conclusion that the answer to my question is:  I need to install, from the very begining, with the BIOS set in RAID mode..


This appears to be the whole purpose behind Gigabyte's EZ Smart Response software, which allows you to avoid this hassle when you want to install SSD caching (normally this would require setting RAID mode, and reinstalling).


the solution is:  Live with the Marvell SATA 6GB/sec for my main drive, when I eventually do set up my RAID array.


Annoying as hell, but it has nothing to do with Gigabyte, or any other MB maker for that matter. it is a combination of windows, the inherent design of the chipset, the SATA standard itself, etc.

I pu

[Dark Mantis]

Well I am glad that you managed to sort out this issue yourself. Some of these things are very annoying but as you say not anyones fault just a combination of things.