Appendix B: Software Installation
B-1
Appendix B
Software Installation
After all the hardware has been installed, you must first configure the
Adaptec Embedded Serial ATA RAID Driver before you install the
Windows operating system. The necessary drivers are all included on
the Supermicro bootable CDs that came packaged with your motherboard.
(For Adaptec's SCSI Host RAID Utility, please refer to the CDs that came
with your motherboard.)
B-1 Adaptec Embedded SATA RAID Controller Driver
Serial ATA (SATA)
Serial ATA (SATA) is a physical storage interface. It uses a single cable
with a minimum of four wires to create a point-to-point connection between
devices. SATA is a serial link which supports transfer rates from 150
MBps. Because the serial cables used in SATA are thinner than the tradi-
tional cables used in Parallel ATA (PATA), SATA systems have better air-
flow and can be installed in smaller chassis than Parallel ATA. In addition,
the cables used in PATA can only extend to 40cm long, while SATA cables
can extend up to one meter. Overall, SATA provides better functionality than
PATA.
Configuring BIOS settings for the SATA RAID Functions
1. Press the Del key during system bootup to enter the BIOS Setup Utility.
Note: If it is the first time to power on the system, we recommend that
you load the Optimized Default Settings. If you have already done so,
please skip to Step 3.
2. Use the arrow keys to select the "Exit" Menu. Once in the "Exit" Menu,
scroll down the menu to select the item "Load Optimized Default Settings"
and press the Enter key. Select OK to confirm the selection. Press the
Enter key to load the default settings to the BIOS.
3. Use the arrow keys to select the "Main" Menu in BIOS.
4. Scroll down to the item "SATA RAID Enable", select Enabled and
press Enter.