# GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P MB and Native SATA ?



## nhvideoguy (Jan 15, 2008)

I have a build that I'm doing (first one). I have a GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P motherboard. I'm about to use nLite (I have no floppy) to build an XP-Pro install disc with the Intel SATA RAID drives and the Gigabtye RAID drives (both from the MB CD). Had a couple of questions...

1) There is an option to enable "SATA Port 0-3 Native Mode"
From the manual...
SATA Port0-3 Native Mode
Specifies the operating mode of the integrated SATA controllers.
*Disabled* Allows the SATA controllers to operate in Legacy IDE mode. In Legacy mode the SATA controllers use dedicated IRQs that cannot be shared with other device. Set this option to Disabled if you wish to install operating systems that do not support Native mode. (Default)
*Enabled *Allows the SATA controllers to operate in Native IDE mode. Enable Native IDE mode if you wish to install operating systems that support Native mode
So my question is I think I want to enable that to get the NCQ and hotswap benefits - right? Do I need drivers for this or will the RAID drives take care of it?

2) I think this is true, but the RAID drivers also mean AHCI too right - and that is a good thing - right?

3) Also in BIOS, since I'm only using 1 LAN "Green LAN" for the unused one seems like a good thing - right?

4) And I'm thinking I should change int he BIOS Init Display First to PEG since that is where my video card is - sound right?

5) Any other BIOS and/or MB things I should be considering?

Thanks!
\Dave


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## Lead3 (Jun 14, 2006)

Hi,
I am using this board and it is great.
1) I enabled SATA Port0-3 Native mode since the operating 
system supports it .
2) If you select RAID you cannot hotswap on any port
Intel or Gigabyte, you must select ACHI.
3) Yes Green LAN is a good idea.
4) Yes PEG.
5) With no floppy, make sure you set floppy to NONE.
What RAM are you going to use?

Paul


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## nhvideoguy (Jan 15, 2008)

Thanks for the reply - and good to hear about the MB. Being my first build, I used the 'build' forum here to help me out. Most of the recommendations came from 'Wrench97'.

1) I would guess WinXP-Pro does not support native mode SATA - or does it maybe with SP3 (that is the install CD I have). If not, where would I look for drivers - any idea?

2) Humm - If I don't choose RAID, does that mean I can't do RAID at all? I know I have set up RAID some time ago on another system (a Dell) and it was a Windows thing. Is that still possible? Being a video editing system, I need the RAID more than I need the hotswap. By the way, I don't want to hotswap the RAID of course - still can't hotswap other drives when ports are set to RAID? I thought I read RAID was the way to go becauase it included AHCI (which I thought meant hotswap OK).

3,4,5) OK Thanks.

Here is a summary of everything. Let me know what you think - but I purchased everything from Newegg at the end of Nov. so I don't think I could return most items so I hope they were good choices!!!


The System – Summary

Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133056 (1) $204.99 $70 $134.99
Thermaltake ArmorPlus(Armor+) VH6000BWS Black Aluminum / Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case


Power
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703013&Tpk=N82E16817703013
1 $299.99 $224.99 
PC Power & Cooling PPCT860 860W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply


Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128358 (1) $134.99 $35 $99.99
GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard


CPU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115130 (1) $549.99 (free Far Cry 2) $549.99
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650 3.0GHz 12MB L2 Cache LGA 775 95W Quad-Core Processor


Memory
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148212 1 $82.99 $30.00 $52.99
Crucial Ballistix 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory


Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130380 9800GT 1 $114.99 $15.00 $99.99
EVGA 512-P3-N975-AR GeForce 9800 GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card


Hard Drive Trays
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817994062 
ICY DOCK MB671SK-BB Tray-less 3.5" SATA I & II Mobile Rack Removable Hard Drive Kit
3 $36.99 $110.97


Hard Drives
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148274 3 $109.99 $10 $299.97
Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST31000340AS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive


DVD Burner
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151171&Tpk=N82E16827151171
1 $24.99 $24.99
SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 16X DVD+R DL 22X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 22X DVD Burner


Operating System
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16832116515 XP Pro 1 $139.99 $139.99
Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP3 English for System Builders 1 Pack CD


Disk Drive Cables
http://www.satagear.com/SATA_Internal_Cables.html 6 $14.56 $14.56 total (from SATA Gear)
2 – 9 inch SATA II Device Cables, 2 – 13 inch SATA II Device Cables
2 – 27 inch SATA II Device Cables


Thermal Compound
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007&Tpk=N82E16835100007
1 $5.99 $5.99
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound

Thanks again for the input.
\Dave


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## Lead3 (Jun 14, 2006)

Hi Dave,
Yes XP Pro supports Native mode.
If you install the operating system with the Controller you are installing on set to non RAID, you will have to do a repair install or other gyrations to get it set up for RAID. If you are not using the RAID array for the operating system, then it doesn't amtter. Unfortunately, all ports on the controller set to RAID are not swapable.
What I did was set the Intel to RAID and initially just used the disks as separate entities (they call it RAID ready) then later installed a second empty disk and set up the array (RAID 1 only for storage). That way the drivers are there. I have no experience with RAID 0 however. I used the Gigabyte (actually Jmicron) controller in ACHI mode for hotswaping.
BTW, I have that case and love it. It is really BIG!.

Paul


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## nhvideoguy (Jan 15, 2008)

Another thing I should have mentioned - I'm not doing RAID on the system drive.

So no special drivers for native SATA for WinXP Pro SP3?

Good idea about the setting the two Giga SATA ports to AHCI - I did have my SATA DVD burner there, but I'm move that down to on of the Intel ports and have two of my 3 Icy Dock screwless drive bays on the Giga ports for hotswap.

Ya, the case is actually too big for what I really needed I think. I ran out of SATA ports - and still have 5 empty drive slots (counting the two on the bottom). 

\Dave


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## Lead3 (Jun 14, 2006)

No special drivers for native SATA. However I would still set RAID in the BIOS and load the drivers for the Intel when you install the operating system since changing to RAID even on the non system drives later will create problems. What this allows is any drive ports an the Intel controller can be used for RAID and those you don't want RAID on will act as SATA.


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## Lead3 (Jun 14, 2006)

This is the memory I am using. 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145214

You may need to raise your RAM voltage in the BIOS to 2.0, 1.8 is the default for the board. Also an excellant site for Gigabyte support is:

http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/


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## nhvideoguy (Jan 15, 2008)

Yes, my plan was to use the RAID driver and the RAID setting for the Intel ports.

You know I was going to get 1066 memory but at the time I thought there was an issue of certain ones not being supported. (forget where I read that). They wrench97 said you won't even notice a difference if you are not going to overclock the CPU (which I'm not really into overclocking because I need this system to be rock solid) - but who knows they seem to make it easy to do these days.

Thanks for the tip about the memory voltage.

\Dave


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## Lead3 (Jun 14, 2006)

Dave,
You are welcome. Let us know how it all works out.

Paul


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## nhvideoguy (Jan 15, 2008)

OK I just finished doing the initial install of the OS - Everything Worked!

Thanks for everything...

Now on to the job of installing everything else!

\Dave


PS After everything is installed and working I'll give another update.


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## nhvideoguy (Jan 15, 2008)

Well I ran into my first issue... I wanted to back up my basic install - before I did anything else so I could get back to this if I had to. My normal backup program Acronis (I currently have Home v10) - a few years old now. I have a CD that I boot off so the system disk is not in use when I back it up.

When I try to book off this CD. it starts off OK - I get the first message: "Loading Acronis Loader" (so I know it's getting to the CD/DVD player - which (by the way) is now STAT_2 (in RAID ready and native SATA native mode) but then it says something about a boot partition not found. 

I could try installing my old version on the new system, build a boot CD from there... or try upgrading to Acronis Home 2009, or get something new.

What do you use for BU software?

\Dave


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## nhvideoguy (Jan 15, 2008)

Never mind about my backup sw issue - jst needed to upgrade to the newest release.


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## rich08 (Nov 24, 2008)

Hi! I am shopping for this! http://www.ebuyer.com/product/152609
and want to find out what difference if anything the 'T' in GA-EP45'T'-UD3P means??


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## rich08 (Nov 24, 2008)

P,S, Sorry if I hijack for a Mo!!


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## Lead3 (Jun 14, 2006)

Hi Rich08,
The T means that it uses ddr3 memory.
Paul


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## rich08 (Nov 24, 2008)

Thanks for that Lead! I have now ordered the GA-EP45-UD3P!


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