What BIOS version is currently installed?
F6 (8/24/10 most recent)
Good
Have you cleared the CMOS?
Page 29 of your motherboard manual.
Not yet. I assume after doing so I'd have to go back and reset everything that I needed. Is there a benefit to nuking the BIOS and reflashing? Sounds like it introduces risks, and I would be interested in knowing the benefit.
It clears any errors or bad settings and lets you reset everything, is known to help with these type of problems.
It's recommended on motherboard forums to clear the CMOS when you update your BIOS.
If you keep having issues, you might want to consider it.
Takes a little time, but just go through your BIOS and write down all the settings.
I just did this today, flashed my BIOS to f14.
Check Device Manager for yellow triangles, this indicates driver problems.
Did this long ago. Even tried removing them so the OS could "put them back". I am a little surprised that the drivers noted in Properties are generic Microsoft drivers. Might go back to the optical drive makers and try for some device-specifc drivers, but I need to look in the BIOS first.
Sometimes you will want to load drivers from the original manufacturer, not use the ones from MS.
Most MS drivers are good but, I always get video card drivers, keyboard/mouse drivers, from the respective sites and AHCI/RAID drivers from Intel.
You should be using the Intel® Rapid Storage Technology 9.6.0.1014 files for 64-bit operating systems.
This is the one that enables Trim, and gives better performance and benchmarks for SSDs.
What mode are your HDDs and ODs in, IDE, SATA or RAID?
I mentioned earlier that I use JBOD. I took steps a while back to swap cables around, reset BIOS, and reinstall to get AHCI running. Gigabyte has an issue even in F6 in which HDs on the Marvell controller look like IDE at boot but are swappable and "really AHCI" I am assured by Gigabyte's US tech support. The manufacturer tech support in Taiwan was stonewalling the clear indication there was an issue getting the BIOS to "do" what it said it was going to set. Unrelated, I think, to my problem; I'd like to see an F7 fix, though.
JBOD, Just a Bunch Of Disks.
Load the Intel RAID driver listed above.
What are your IDE ATA/ATAPI controller drivers?
I think of AHCI as different than IDE, so I don't understand the DevMgr display: everything is "under" "IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers"
Microsoft 6.1.7600.16385 (2006?!) This is on one of the ICH10 entries in System Devices. The SATA controllers never mention Intel up in the other section.
Yes, AHCI is different than IDE.
"IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers" is just MS way of keeping the 'I don't want anything to change' crowd from complaining about not being able to find anything.
ATA is basically SATA.
The Intel RAID driver listed above is the ICH10 driver.
It's better than the old MS driver.
You should be able to change the OD cables to the standard controller ports with no problems or extra steps required.
The two ports on the Gigabyte controller are SATA2 3Gb/s ports, you need to check the drivers for these two ports, update if possible. Ports 8&9.
I wouldn't use the SATA 6 Gbps Support controller with Marvell's new SE9128 chips for high-speed SATA. Ports 6&7.
Yes, I have been pursuing this SATA + AHCI config for a while and figured the last two ports were the best spot for the OD, but perhaps nothing should go down there.
I am a little disappointed in this mobo at the moment because it seems there might be problems with 4 out of six ports.
The Marvell controller is known to have some issues, update the driver if your using it.
Have done so, see my mention above of one issue I know about.
Confirm the two ODs are plugged into the bottom two ports, #8&9.
They are there now. Have been. This may be the source of my trouble.
I would use the standard controller ports for the ODs.
OS HDD in port 0, then other HDDs, ODs in the last standard ports.
I have a Crucial SSD for OS and, yes, it's in the "0" port already. I thought you said above that you would have the Opticals in the last two ports - 8&9.
Did not say to put them in ports 8&9, just wanted to confirm where you have them.
I did put them there to free up other ports for more speed-sensitive units like HDs. I didn't have high expectation of those last two ports.
I own two 2TB Barracuda XTs - SATA3 6Gb/sec HDs. These are in the Marvell 9128 controller because a US Gigabyte tech assured me I'd get a bit of a boost there. I know it isn't close to twice as fast as SATA2. So I have 6 devices now connected. (There's a little 150Gig Velicoraptor in there, too.)
Do you think I should have them ALL on the Intel controller? Traffic jam!
Why traffic jam?
I would put all of them there, see if your ODs will work.
Even if you're maxing out all six devices at the same time you won't have any problems.
There's also a SATA cable going to the front panel. Hmm, can't remember now if the eSATA connector on the back panel of the case has a dedicated SATA feed or has to be connected to these ports. That means I'd have to find room for eight, but I think it's "just" seven.
The cable going to the front panel is for the eSATA port.
You can take it out if your not using it.
The back panel eSATA should be connected to a separate controller.
JMicron JMB362 chip:
2 x eSATA 3Gb/s connectors (eSATA/USB Combo) on the back panel sup- porting up to 2 SATA 3Gb/s devices
Thank you for your detailed help. Right after writing this I will finally reboot to look at the BIOS settings for those last two ports.
But now that I think of it I haven't used the writing capability of the opticals since flashing to F6. They are on Gigabyte's home-grown controller. That's a red flag right there.
late in Hawaii. gotta go.
jonathan7007
Test the ODs.
Install the Intel RAID drivers.
You don't need to have any SSDs or HDDs in a RAID array to use these drivers, they will be seen as non-RAID drives.
Let us know how they are working.
