2.NVIDIA������® nForce 780a SLI Serial ATA connectors (7-pin SATA1–4 [blue]; 7-pin SATA5–6 [black])

These connectors are for the Serial ATA signal cables for Serial ATA hard disk and optical disk drives.

If you install Serial ATA hard disk drives, you can create a RAID 0, RAID 1,

RAID 0+1, RAID 5, or JBOD configuration through������� the��� onboard������� NVIDIA������® nForce 780a SLI controller.

GND RSATA RXN2 RSATA TXP2 GND RSATA TXN2 RSATA TXP2 GND

GND RSATA RXN1 RSATA TXP1 GND RSATA TXN1 RSATA TXP1 GND

 

 

 

 

SATA2

 

 

 

 

SATA1

GND RSATA_RXN4

RSATA_TXP4

GND RSATA_TXN4

RSATA_TXP4

GND

GND RSATA_RXN3

RSATA_TXP3

GND RSATA_TXN3

RSATA_TXP3

GND

CROSSHAIR II FORMULA

 

 

 

SATA4

 

 

 

 

SATA3

GND RSATA_RXN6

RSATA_TXP6

GND RSATA_TXN6

RSATA_TXP6

GND

GND RSATA_RXN5

RSATA_TXP5

GND RSATA_TXN5

RSATA_TXP5

GND

SATA6 SATA5

CROSSHAIR II FORMULA SATA connectors

•SATA1�������–4 connectors���������� are��� set��� to�� [IDE]������ by�� default��������. ��If ���you ������intend ��to ������create a Serial ATA RAID set using these connectors, set the SATA Operation Mode item to [RAID]� in the BIOS. See section 4.5.6 MCP Storage Config for details.

•SATA 5–6 connectors support AHCI mode and RAID mode only. Make sure to install the AHCI driver or RAID driver in the bundled support DVD before connecting devices to SATA 5–6 connectors. Otherwise, the devices will not work.

•For RAID 5, use at least three hard disk drives. For RAID 0+1, use at least four hard disk drives. Use two to four Serial ATA hard disk drives for each RAID 0 or RAID 1 set.

•Before creating a RAID set, refer to 5.4.2 NVIDIA® RAID configurations or the manual bundled in the motherboard support DVD.

•You must install the Windows® XP Service Pack 1 before using Serial ATA hard disk drives. The Serial ATA RAID feature (RAID 0/RAID 1/RAID 5/RAID 10) is available only if you are using Windows® XP or later version.

Connect the right-angle side

right angle side

of SATA signal cable to SATA

 

device. Or you may connect the

 

right-angle side of SATA cable to

 

the onboard SATA port to avoid

 

mechanical conflict with huge

 

graphics cards.

 

2-30

Chapter 2: Hardware information