SUPER MICRO Computer C2SBE Appendix C Intel HostRAID Setup Guidelines, For the C2SBA+II Only

Appendix C: Intel HostRAID Setup Guidelines

Appendix C

Intel HostRAID Setup Guidelines

(For the C2SBA+II Only)

After all the hardware has been installed, you must first configure SATA HostRAID or SAS HostRAID before you install the Windows Operating System and other software drivers.

Important Notes to the User:

Note 1: This chapter describes RAID Configuration Instructions for the Intel ICH9R Host RAID Controller designed for the Windows OS.

Note 2: If you do not wish to configure onboard SATA or SAS RAID functions, please go directly to Section C-2 and Appendix D for the operating system & other

software installation instructions.

C-1 Introduction to Serial ATA and Parallel ATA

To configure the SATA RAID functions, you must first use the Intel ICH9R SATA RAID Utility program to configure the RAID Level that you desire before installing the Windows XP/2003 operating system and other software drivers. (The necessary drivers are all included on the Super Micro CD that came packaged with your motherboard.) Note: the current version of the ICH9R SATA RAID Utility can only support Windows XP/2003 Operating Systems.

Serial ATA (SATA)

Serial ATA (SATA) is a physical storage interface that uses a single cable with a minimum of four wires to create a point-to-point connection between devices. It is a serial link, which supports transfer rates up to 3.0 Gbps. Because the serial cables used in SATA are thinner than the traditional cables used in Parallel ATA (PATA), SATA systems have better airflow and can be installed in smaller chassis. In addition, the cables used in PATA are limited to a length of 40cm, while Serial ATA cables can be up to one meter in length. Overall, SATA provides better func- tionality than PATA.

Introduction to the Intel ICH9R Serial RAID

Located in the South Bridge of the G33 chipset, the I/O Controller Hub (ICH9R) provides the I/O subsystem with access to the rest of the system. It supports 1- channel UltraATA/100 Bus Master IDE controller (PATA) and six Serial ATA (SATA) ports. The ICH9R supports the following PATA and SATA device configurations: Legacy mode and Native mode.

C-1