SUPER MICRO Computer X7DA3 Introduction to Serial ATA and Parallel ATA, Serial ATA Sata

Appendix D: Confi guring Intel HostRAID and the Windows OS

Appendix D

Configuring Intel SATA HostRAID and the Windows Operating System

After all the hardware has been installed, you must fi rst confi gure the Intel ESB2 SATA RAID before you install the Windows Operating System and other software drivers.

Important Notes to the User:

Note 1: If you do not wish to confi gure onboard SATA RAID functions, please go directly to Section D-2 and Appendix E for the Windows Operating System & Other

Software Installation. For more information on the Intel SATA HostRAID settings, refer to the documentation posted on our website at www.supermicro.com.

Note 2: Please refer toAppendix C for theAdaptec SAS/SATAHostRAID confi guration

instructions.

D-1 Introduction to Serial ATA and Parallel ATA

To confi gure the SATA RAID functions, you must fi rst use the Intel ESB2 SATA RAID Utility program to confi gure the RAID Level that you desire before installing the Windows XP/2000/2003 operating system and other software drivers. (The necessary drivers are all included in the Supermicro CD that came with your motherboard.) Note: the current version of the ESB2 SATA RAID Utility can only support Windows XP/2000/2003 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 3Gbps. Because the serial cables used in Serial ATA are thinner than the traditional cables used in Parallel ATA (PATA), SATA systems have better airfl ow and can be installed in smaller chassis than Parallel ATA. 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 functionality than PATA.

Introduction to the Intel ESB2 Serial RAID Controller Hub

Located in the South Bridge of the 5000X (Greencreek) chipset, the I/O Control- ler Hub (ESB2) provides the I/O subsystem with access to the rest of the system. It supports an 1-channel UltraATA/100 Bus Master IDE controller (PATA) and six Serial ATA (SATA) ports. The ESB2 supports the following PATA and SATA device confi gurations: Legacy mode and Native mode.

D-1