Controlled by P55 Chipset or SATA2? For non-RAID ...

OCChew · 1 Jul 2010 at 04:23

Hi Folks,

I have decided to go for a non-RAID configuration with 2 HDDs i.e. 1st SSD (80G) and 2nd HDD (1TB), both SATA drives.

OS Win 7 on 1st SSD.
Data & storage on 2nd HHD.

My mobo is Gigabyte GA-P55M-UD2.

In the instruction booklet it says:

SATA_0/1/2/3/ (SATA 3Gb/s Connectors, Controlled by P55 Chipset, Blue)

GSATA2_0/1 (SATA 3Gb/s Connectors, Controlled by GIGABYTE SATA2, White).

Question:

1) Which one do I choose for my setup above?

2) Are they different in terms of performance etc?

Also ... in Chapter 5 ... configuring SATA Hard Drive(s) ... the instruction says ...

"Make a floppy disk containing the SATA RAID/AHCI driver for Windows XP"

Question:

3) I do not have floppy disk so how am I going to create the driver for the SATA RAID/AHCI driver for Win 7?

Cheers

jbloggs · 1 Jul 2010 at 10:43

Which one do I choose for my setup above?

You want to connect your SSD and 1TB HDD to the Blue SATA ports, ie. SATA_0/1 and go into the BIOS and set it up in AHCI mode.

Are they different in terms of performance etc?

Yes, the Intel cont (Blue SATA ports) is better than the jmicron (White SATA ports)

I do not have floppy disk so how am I going to create the driver for the SATA RAID/AHCI driver for Win 7?

If selecting AHCI (or RAID) mode for your SSDs/HDDs you ONLY need to make a floppy with the drivers on it if you are using XP, for Win 7 you do NOT need to do this, but the drivers will be installed automatically during the Win 7 install process...

After install completes it would be a good idea to update the AHCI and Intel chipset drivers for Win 7, Intel Rapid Storage Technology 9.6.0.1014 and INF Update Utility 12/22/2009 9.1.1.1025

thingemajib · 1 Jul 2010 at 12:32

Hi again OCChew, hope the build is going well

The white ports are controlled through an external jmicron controller, that has been bolted on to boost the number of ports. From what ive heard, this controller is actually rubbish so i would avoid it if possible, and keep to the sata ports controlled by the p55 (blue).

Windows 7 does not require a floppy disk for raid/ahci - it should install it automatically. This is only for windows xp.

keep at it, sounds like you're nearly there

edit: in regards to your other thread regarding hard drives, a raid setup requires two identical hard drives, which the system will see as one. What you have bought will not be ale to run in raid, but you have done the right thing. Just install the windows/ubuntu on the SSD, and dump all your program files on the other drive. It will still show up as two seperate drives, and there may be a bit of manual work ensuring the files copy to the right drive, but this is what most people with an SSD do at the moment.

i wouldnt worry too much about hd failiure. Just ensure you have everything backed up somewhere should it happen somewhere down the line. in point 3), you are talking about raid1 - it requires two identical drives, and everything that gets writtien to one drive gets written to the other. its called "mirroring". i think you can see why

. however, like i said, i wouldnt worry too much about hd failiure, and you should be happy with what you have

NathWraith · 1 Jul 2010 at 14:34

The Jmicron controller is pap stick to the Intel one and you will be fine.

OCChew · 1 Jul 2010 at 23:56

Thanks Folks for your inputs.

Sorry for the late update as I have been changing fans & adding fans to my rig.

The cable management is a bit of a nightmare. LOL!

Oh ya ... I have also added two 40mm fans at the rear to pull out the hot air to make it some sort of air flow tunnel.

As to my question of Controller that is one item cleared, one step closer to the new build.

So Blue SATA port it is.

Question:

1) Which blue SATA2 ports do I connect my HDDs to for since there are five SATA2 ports on my mobo? I mean which two exactly? Vertically? Horizontally?

This is how they are arranged on the mobo in pairs but what are those numbers beside the ports i.e. the number 7 & 1 ? 7 [ ... ] [ ... ] 1

7 [SATA2_3] [SATA2_1]1
7 [SATA2_2] [SATA2_0]1

7 [SATA2_4]

2) Why is there a lone 7 [SATA_4] and what is it for?

I am glad that Win 7 will install the drivers for me instead of having to use floppy.

Yes, I will ask more about the updates to driver, chipset, bios etc later on once the rig is ready to go.

I am also lining up the followings software ... Shadow Defender, Macrium Reflect, etc

Cheers

p/s: I feel my proudest moment after 2 nights contemplating on how to mount the H50 radiator I feel really good using the bicycle chain links as the extension for the bolts. No case drilling etc at all.

At one point I was even thinking of using Meccano toy parts.

thingemajib · 2 Jul 2010 at 01:08

well, it doesnt matter which of those you plug the drives into, your motherboard should detect them just the same. If its bugging you, then sata0 and sata1 would be your best bet.

The 1s and 7s seem like they're labelling pins on the sata cable, so you know which way the cable goes in (ie, pin one goes on the side labelled 1 and vice versa with pin 7). however, sata cables only go in one way, so i have no idea why gigabyte decided to label them...

the lone sata4 is there because the p55 supports 6 sata ports. However, one of these is used by the esata on the backplate, so theres only 5 left in the bottom corner.

hope that helps

by the way, did you ever get your case issue sorted, or do you still have the red one?

OCChew · 2 Jul 2010 at 01:37

thingemajib said:
well, it doesnt matter which of those you plug the drives into, your motherboard should detect them just the same. If its bugging you, then sata0 and sata1 would be your best bet.

The 1s and 7s seem like they're labelling pins on the sata cable, so you know which way the cable goes in (ie, pin one goes on the side labelled 1 and vice versa with pin 7). however, sata cables only go in one way, so i have no idea why gigabyte decided to label them...

the lone sata4 is there because the p55 supports 6 sata ports. However, one of these is used by the esata on the backplate, so theres only 5 left in the bottom corner.

hope that helps

by the way, did you ever get your case issue sorted, or do you still have the red one?

Thanks for the info. Now I know. Learn something new everyday. Been reading the instruction book for the mobo ...

Will use the ports as suggested then.

No, the black case is out of stock so I am alright with sticking to the red one. No problem with the colour just don't like the price different due to colour that's all.