Serial ATA Bios Setting Utility Introduction

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Serial ATA BIOS Setting Utility Introduction

RAID Levels

RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) is a method of combining two hard disk drives into one logical unit. The advantage of an Array is to provide better performance or data fault tolerance. Fault tolerance is achieved through data redundant operation, where if one drives fails, a mirrored copy of the data can be found on another drive. This can prevent data loss if the operating system fails or hangs. The individual disk drives in an array are called members. The configuration information of each member is recorded in the reserved sector that identifies the drive as a member. All disk members in a formed disk array are recognized as a single physical drive to the operating system.

Hard disk drives can be combined together through a few different methods. The different methods are referred to as different RAID levels. Different RAID levels represent different performance levels, security levels and implementation costs. The RAID levels which the nVIDIA nForce3 250 chipset supports are RAID 0, RAID 1, and JBOD.

RAID 0 (Striping)

RAID 0 reads and writes sectors of data interleaved between multiple drives. If any disk member fails, it affects the entire array. The disk array data capacity is equal to the number of drive members times the capacity of the smallest member. The striping block size can be set from 4KB to 128KB. RAID 0 does not support fault tolerance.

RAID 1 (Mirroring)

RAID 1 writes duplicate data onto a pair of drives and reads both sets of data in parallel. If one of the mirrored drives suffers a mechanical failure or does not respond, the remaining drive will continue to function. Due to redundancy, the drive capacity of the array is the capacity of the smallest drive. Under a RAID 1 setup, an extra drive called the spare drive can be attached. Such a drive will be activated to replace a failed drive that is part of a mirrored array. Due to the fault tolerance, if any RAID 1 drive fails, data access will not be affected as long as there are other working drives in the array.

JBOD (Spanning)

A spanning disk array is equal to the sum of the all drives when the drives used are having different capacities. Spanning stores data onto a drive until it is full, then proceeds to store files onto the next drive in the array. When any disk member fails, the failure affects the entire array. JBOD is not really a RAID and does not support fault tolerance.

GA-K8NS Pro Motherboard

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GA-K8NS Pro specifications

The Gigabyte GA-K8NS Pro is a reliable and feature-rich motherboard designed for users seeking high performance, particularly for AMD Athlon 64 processors. Launched in the early 2000s, this ATX form factor motherboard is still noted for its robust features and expandability options, making it a solid choice for both gamers and general users.

One of the key features of the GA-K8NS Pro is its support for the AMD K8 architecture, allowing it to handle AMD Athlon 64, Athlon 64 FX, and Sempron processors. This compatibility ensures that users can experience significant processing power, particularly beneficial for multi-threaded applications and gaming.

The motherboard boasts a versatile memory architecture with support for up to 4GB of DDR RAM running at 400 MHz. This capacity allows for smooth multitasking and improved overall system performance. The presence of four DIMM slots provides users with the option to upgrade their memory easily, accommodating varying needs from gaming to heavy-duty graphical tasks.

In terms of connectivity, the GA-K8NS Pro features an impressive array of options. It includes three PCI slots, one AGP 8x slot for graphics cards, and various onboard connectors. This ensures flexibility and expandability, allowing users to install additional components, such as sound cards or network adapters, to fit their specific requirements.

The motherboard comes equipped with a total of four SATA II ports, facilitating high-speed data transfer rates, and it also includes two IDE ports for connecting legacy drives. Gigabyte has incorporated RAID support, enabling users to configure their storage in RAID 0, 1, or 0+1 setups, enhancing data performance and reliability.

Additionally, the GA-K8NS Pro features Gigabit Ethernet connectivity, ensuring fast networking capabilities suitable for online gaming and large file transfers. Audio support is provided through an integrated Realtek ALC655 codec, delivering decent sound quality suitable for gaming, multimedia playback, and general use.

For reliability and longevity, the motherboard is designed with Gigabyte’s renowned durability characteristics, including high-quality capacitors and efficient thermal management solutions. The inclusion of Dual BIOS technology enhances system stability by providing a backup BIOS, preventing any potential failures from affecting the system boot process.

In conclusion, the Gigabyte GA-K8NS Pro remains a commendable motherboard, delivering a solid foundation for users seeking performance, expandability, and reliability in their computing experience. With its support for a variety of processors, ample memory capacity, and numerous connectivity options, it continues to be an appealing choice for those looking to build or upgrade their systems.