What is a good configuration for SSD/HDDs on GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3?

[genegold]

While I've pulled my new Z68-UD3H-B3 board until some problems discussed in another thread are worked out, I am also confused about SSD/HDD configuation with this board, i.e., what to plug in where. I've got a list of drives below. I found my old Gigabyte board, a 790X-UD4P, to be pretty fickle about exactly where drives should get connected and the new one seems no different, but I don't understand the logic of it.

The Z68 board - GIGABYTE - Motherboard - Socket 1155 - GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3 (rev. 1.3) - seems to work best when the SSD and 3T are in the Marvell chip's GSATA3 headers, with the SSD in the 0 position. If the SSD is in the GSATA3-1 position, it won't work right (on my 790X board the order is reversed - the SSD has to go in GSATA2-1 or it won't boot correctly). Doing it that way allows setting those the GSATA3 ports to ACHI, without interfering with the other drives (IDE in BIOS). When I tried the Z68 SATA3's headers with anything, however, it didn't always go well, if at all. Plus, I don't see any way to set those to ACHI independent of the SATA2 ports. With the SSD/3T in the Marvell headers, however, neither drive is then is seen by XP in Windows Explorer, only in BIOS. Other configurations I tried lose one or another of the drives in BIOS, if not in booting. Pretty confusing.

So, is there a logic to all this? Any suggestions about the best way to hook up my drives when I try again? Thanks,


Corsair Force 3 SSD - 60gb - Win 7/64 SSD
Seagate 3T - 6 gb/s -
Seagate 1T - SATA II - one partition has XP/32
Western Digital 750 gb - SATA II
Samsung DVD R/W - SATA

[boondocks]

Re: What is a good configuration for SSD/HDDs on GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3?

I would put the SSD in the SATA-0 Intel port. Unless I'm not awake yet and reading your post wrong, putting the SSD in the first Intel port (0) works for me on my 2 Z68 boards (Gigabyte & Asrock)

[Acebmxer]

Re: What is a good configuration for SSD/HDDs on GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3?

If windows was installed on a drive that was previosly installed on the gsata with ahci enabled and intel ports were set to IDE. You need to put it back that way boot into windows and edit the registry to allow it to switch between IDE/AHCI/Raid. Then you should be able to connect the drive the intel ports in AHCI mode. This will work with vista/win7. WinXP is another story, I believe that would have to get reinstalled. Google search might help with out having to reinstall.

[genegold]

Re: What is a good configuration for SSD/HDDs on GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3?

What I'm not clear about re the Intel SATA3 bank is how you set it to ACHI in the BIOS for the SSD and 3T drives - PCH SATA Control Mode - and not affect the other HDDs? Maybe I didn't go about it right, as acebmixer suggests - clean install required? - but since I didn't see that working is why I ask.

[Chike]

Re: What is a good configuration for SSD/HDDs on GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3?

Simple answer is you cannot set different PCH SATA ports to different modes.
Why is AHCI mode not ok for the other drives?

[genegold]

Re: What is a good configuration for SSD/HDDs on GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3?

Since the last post, I've gotten a couple emails for this thread without there being new posts. In any case, while clean installing Win 7 on a new SSD, I plugged it into the Intel SATA 6b/s port and the DVD player into a SATA 3b/s one and set the BIOS for ACHI, but they weren't recognized (in BIOS). Only when set to IDE. Are there Intel drivers separate from the Gigabyte motherboard's that might affect this?

[Chike]

Re: What is a good configuration for SSD/HDDs on GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3?

How do you mean "were not recognized"?
I you enter BIOS Advanced BIOS Features, the Hard Disk Boot Priority, there is nothing there?

[genegold]

Re: What is a good configuration for SSD/HDDs on GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3?

The Standard CMOS Features screen. Nothing showing there when PCH SATA Control Mode set to ACHI on the Integrated Peripherals screen. I didn't try to boot to check what would happen though. To be specific, the SSD is in SATA3_0 and DVD is SATA2_0.

[will_s]

Re: What is a good configuration for SSD/HDDs on GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3?

If you mean the screen where they normally show as IDE drives well they wont show there

btw: I would have ssd and the 6 gb hard drive in the sata 3 ports

[Chike]

Re: What is a good configuration for SSD/HDDs on GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3?

The Standard CMOS Features screen. Nothing showing there when PCH SATA Control Mode set to ACHI on the Integrated Peripherals screen. I didn't try to boot to check what would happen though. To be specific, the SSD is in SATA3_0 and DVD is SATA2_0.

Obvousely, as the post above says, they are no longer IDE so won't show there, however detected and will show in Hard Drice Boot Order, and the Intel AHCI screen that shows after intial post.

[will_s]

Re: What is a good configuration for SSD/HDDs on GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3?

Obvousely, as the post above says, they are no longer IDE so won't show there, however detected and will show in Hard Drice Boot Order, and the Intel AHCI screen that shows after intial post.

I didnt realise that until my last computer build when I used ACHI for the first time .... and they do show after but very hard to see on a quick booting system

A way to see is hit the F12 key

[Acebmxer]

Re: What is a good configuration for SSD/HDDs on GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3?

Yes when using AHCI or raid, hdds or ssds will no longer show up in bios except for hdd boot order. You should see them doing boot up in the AHCI rom and also Raid rom if using raid. Also if your using the Marvell or Jmicron controller in ahci or raid, hdds and ssds should appear in their roms doing startup.

[genegold]

Re: What is a good configuration for SSD/HDDs on GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3?

Ok, I'm convinced. Be helpful is there were discussed in the manual. Now, I'm wondering why this mobo/i7 2600K combo is taking as long to boot as my previous 790X/Phenom II x4 2.8MHz set, with a lot less on it and a supposedly faster SSD (Plextor MB3 Pro vs. Corsair Series 3). Otherwise, runs well.

[will_s]

Re: What is a good configuration for SSD/HDDs on GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3?

Ok, I'm convinced. Be helpful is there were discussed in the manual. Now, I'm wondering why this mobo/i7 2600K combo is taking as long to boot as my previous 790X/Phenom II x4 2.8MHz set, with a lot less on it and a supposedly faster SSD (Plextor MB3 Pro vs. Corsair Series 3). Otherwise, runs well.

ok, this reply wont help you at all but the way I got a lighting boot up was to dump this motherboard and go to z77

But this may help .... only USB devices ( including passthrough cables etc ) to be connected at boot are your mouse and keyboard .. also turn of usb legacy devices in mobo

[genegold]

Re: What is a good configuration for SSD/HDDs on GA-Z68X-UD3H-B3?

ok, this reply wont help you at all but the way I got a lighting boot up was to dump this motherboard and go to z77

But this may help .... only USB devices ( including passthrough cables etc ) to be connected at boot are your mouse and keyboard .. also turn of usb legacy devices in mobo

Taking the memory up to 1800 or 2133 seems to help start up time, as does hibernating instead of total shut down. My USB devices are a mouse, two printers (off at start up) and a long cable, usually with nothing on it at start up. I went for the mobo because it was $94 after rebate + a little over $200 for the i7 2600K, the result of a manager who was willing to deal after a poorly phrased ad. I might have been better off waiting until the IB chips come out to upgrade to a Z77, because that would have allowed using my gpu's PCI-E 3.0 capapbilities. But really, this thing moves pretty well for the price - and is cool and barely audible.