How to read drive channels

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  1. Posts : 97
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
       #1

    How to read drive channels


    I have an Asus M3A76-CM MB with 6 available SATA ports...here is what is being reported in device manager:

    ST31000333AS

    Location 0 (Channel 2, Target 0, Lun 0)

    ST31000340AS

    Location 0 (Channel 0, Target 0, Lun 0)

    ST32000542AS

    Location 0 (Channel 1, Target 0, Lun 0)

    in physically looking at the MB, I see that the SATA cable for the 542 is in the 3 position (facing the MB looking down), but is there a way to determine which drive is C: and what is D: (the 542 is being assigned F:, and the CD/DVD is E:).

    Any ideas?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 578
    Windows 7 Pro x64
       #2

    Look in the BIOS on the first page. It should list the drives.
    Next go into the BOOT menu and look at the Drive configuration section. There you can change what the BIOS reports to the OS as the first/second/third and so on drives in the system. Then go to Boot order and if the PC is booting properly it will list the drive it is presently going to try and boot off of.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 97
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
    Thread Starter
       #3

    I will do that (probably tomorrow)...I have been able to determine that the new drive is in Channel 2 and the DVD-ROM is in channel 4 (right where device manager said it would be). Would it be too much of a stretch to say that Location 0 (Channel 0, Target 0, Lun 0) is drive C (assuming that is the first drive that shows up in the BIOS menu)?

    What I am planning to do is to move about 850GB of media from drive D: to the new 2TB Drive F:, then run it for 24 hours (without mounting the 2TB physically), then powering down and mounting it permanently.

    I just wish that Win 7 would say that Drive Model <x> is drive letter(s) <w, y, z>, etc
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 1,364
    Win7 Ultimate x64
       #4

    G'day dogbert2.

    This may be of help to you.

    Click on the windows orb. (left bottom corner of your screen.
    Then, on the right side, click on "Administrative Tools".
    Next "Computer Management.
    Next on "Storage".
    Then "Disk Management".

    Here you should find the answer you are looking for.:)
    Others with much more knowledge than myself, may have better answers.

    Jon
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 97
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
    Thread Starter
       #5

    I found the needed information using DISKPART via the command prompt. The 340AS is drive C: and is on Ch0, Target0, Lun0.

    Here is a URL for people who have multiple drives in their system and need to figure out which drive is which:

    Understanding Disk Location Paths

    The commands needed are:

    DISKPART <enter>

    select disk=system <enter>

    detail disk <enter>
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 97
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Here is the readout from DISKPART:

    C:\Users\Bill>diskpart

    Microsoft DiskPart version 6.1.7601
    Copyright (C) 1999-2008 Microsoft Corporation.
    On computer: NERMAL

    DISKPART> select disk=system

    Disk 0 is now the selected disk.

    DISKPART> detail disk

    ST31000340AS ATA Device
    Disk ID: 1CE2F023
    Type : SATA
    Status : Online
    Path : 0
    Target : 0
    LUN ID : 0
    Location Path : PCIROOT(0)#PCI(1100)#ATA(C00T00L00)
    Current Read-only State : No
    Read-only : No
    Boot Disk : Yes
    Pagefile Disk : Yes
    Hibernation File Disk : No
    Crashdump Disk : Yes
    Clustered Disk : No

    Volume ### Ltr Label Fs Type Size Status Info
    ---------- --- ----------- ----- ---------- ------- --------- --------
    Volume 1 System Rese NTFS Partition 100 MB Healthy System
    Volume 2 C NTFS Partition 931 GB Healthy Boot

    Very useful stuff that DISKPART :)
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 578
    Windows 7 Pro x64
       #7

    dogbert2 said:
    I will do that (probably tomorrow)...I have been able to determine that the new drive is in Channel 2 and the DVD-ROM is in channel 4 (right where device manager said it would be). Would it be too much of a stretch to say that Location 0 (Channel 0, Target 0, Lun 0) is drive C (assuming that is the first drive that shows up in the BIOS menu)?

    What I am planning to do is to move about 850GB of media from drive D: to the new 2TB Drive F:, then run it for 24 hours (without mounting the 2TB physically), then powering down and mounting it permanently.

    I just wish that Win 7 would say that Drive Model <x> is drive letter(s) <w, y, z>, etc
    Actually I have never seen a reference to the SATA channels (Ports) listed like that.
    Could you post a screen shot of where you are seeing this.

    If you look in the manual for the board is should point out numbers for the different SATA connectors. SATA 0/1/2/3.
    I place my drives on the port numbers as I want them to show in the OS. Boot drive goes on Port 0 and so on. Then I check how the BIOS sees them. On my Asus board, a P7P55D-E Pro, it's a little screwed. I had to place the drive I wanted to be second in Win Explorer (actually my drive E because my boot drive has 2 partitions) on the third SATA port instead of on the second port.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 97
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
    Thread Starter
       #8

    I got that information from device manager, but the command DISKPART was able to give me the information I needed as to which drive is the Boot Drive (see post above yours for information)
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 578
    Windows 7 Pro x64
       #9

    dogbert2 said:
    I got that information from device manager, but the command DISKPART was able to give me the information I needed as to which drive is the Boot Drive (see post above yours for information)
    Oh on the properties of the drive. Thanks.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 2,686
    Windows 8.1 Pro w/Media Center 64bit, Windows 7 HP 64bit
       #10

    Go to Device Manager and right click a drive and select Properties then Volume and hit Populate and it will list what is on that drive.

    Jim
      My Computer


 
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