# Sil3112A update for A7N8X Deluxe Gold PCB Rev. 1.04



## Guevara (Nov 13, 2005)

I have an Asus A7N8X DeLuxe Gold Rev. 1.04 (just updated to 1009)
Soon i will get me the *SATA2* HDD *Samsung SpinPoint P120 Series SP2504C* 

Because of that i have to update my Sil3112A drivers. Maybe in the BIOS 1009-update the SATA-updates (see below) are *already included*, i don't know. Maybe someone can tell me more about that. :smooch: 

As found at: 
http://www.siliconimage.com/support/supportsearchresults.aspx?pid=63&cid=3&ctid=2&osid=4& their latest SiI3x12 32-bit Windows SATARAID Driver, v.1.0.0.51 (21-09-2004) [Sil3x12A-Serial ATA (SATA) Windows RAID Driver.zip], which i just downloaded. :smile: 

A little bit *confusing *for me is the possibility to download also their latest SiI3x12 32-bit Windows IDE Driver, v.1.3.61.0 (07-10-2005) [SWD-003x12-00W-1361.zip] Is it necessary to download that one too, because of my (IDE) DVDROM etc?  

Confusing is when you take a look under _Description _where you see that you can click also for Sil3112 BIOS where you get even more options: http://www.siliconimage.com/support/supportsearchresults.aspx?pid=63&cid=15&ctid=2& 

I have already downloaded their latest RAID BIOS too: 3112_x86_ribios-4250.zip, but do i need more to download and install as described under the Discription-link? :4-dontkno 

I know that during a fresh XP Pro install i have to push the *F6 key *to load the SATA RAID driver 1.0.0.51 (floppy). 
But there has to be done more i guess? 

*How to load f.e. the RAID BIOS v. 4.2.5.0.? *(And is it necessary?) :4-dontkno 
Which other drivers do i have to download / install? 

*Next summer i wil buy me a new ASUS AMD64 MoBo with SATA2 feature.* I presume this Samsung will "see" that there is a SATA2 controller available then (Auto detect)  

Can you savely swith from SATA1 to SATA2 without getting troubles for example losing data? Or do i first have to make a backup of all data and do a fresh XP Pro install again? :4-dontkno

I hope someone will help me with this. It is driving me crazy


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## please (Mar 2, 2005)

@ Guevara
If you have just the single Samsung SATA HDD(nice drive:sayyes: ), then you need to use the IDE driver and *not* the RAID driver. These drivers are not included in any BIOS update. You will be using the single SATA HDD in IDE mode attached to the ITE SATA connectors and using the ITE controller. If you were setting up a RAID array with two or more HDDs then you would use the RAID drivers, but you are not setting up a RAID array as I understand it. Do not install any RAID BIOS or drivers as you are not needing them

If you already have a different HDD with WinXP installed on it and your new Samsung will be for data and attached to the Silicon Image controller, you can just attach the Samsung and enable the controller in your BIOS to IDE mode and reboot. You may be asked for the driver disc or you can go into 'device manager' and click on the 'scsi and raid controller' and follow the insrtructions to install the drivers needed. It is possible that WinXP may try to install its own drivers, so you will have to 'update drivers' to the newer ones you have if that happens. You will then have to format and enable your new HDD in 'start>all programs>administrative tools>computer mnanagement>disk management' and select your new HDD and format and enable it. 

If you are trying to install WinXP on this new HDD, then during the WinXP installation, you will have to hit 'F6' when prompted to install the IDE drivers for the SilImage controller.

I hope I understood your questions correctly and have supplied you with the needed information. Feel free to post any other questions you may have.

Keep us posted with your progress


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## Guevara (Nov 13, 2005)

please said:


> @ Guevara
> If you have just the single Samsung SATA HDD(nice drive:sayyes: ), then you need to use the IDE driver and *not* the RAID driver. These drivers are not included in any BIOS update. You will be using the single SATA HDD in IDE mode attached to the ITE SATA connectors and using the ITE controller. If you were setting up a RAID array with two or more HDDs then you would use the RAID drivers, but you are not setting up a RAID array as I understand it. Do not install any RAID BIOS or drivers as you are not needing them


But the SATA2 Samsung will be connected to the *SATA* Headers on my specific A7N8X board, as far i could find in the manual, Chapter 2.7 Jumpers/P19? :sad: 

I also saw in several forums that the Sil 3112A driver MUST be updated to fix the not seeing 250GB HDD's or something like that. But, i am not sure about that latest. I do have already downloaded the latest 1.0.0.51 Sil3112A driver. Place it on a floppy and want to use that when installing XP Pro and ask me for installing SATA-drivers or something like that. :1angel: 



please said:


> If you already have a different HDD with WinXP installed on it and your new Samsung will be for data and attached to the Silicon Image controller, you can just attach the Samsung and enable the controller in your BIOS to IDE mode and reboot. You may be asked for the driver disc or you can go into 'device manager' and click on the 'scsi and raid controller' and follow the insrtructions to install the drivers needed. It is possible that WinXP may try to install its own drivers, so you will have to 'update drivers' to the newer ones you have if that happens. You will then have to format and enable your new HDD in 'start>all programs>administrative tools>computer mnanagement>disk management' and select your new HDD and format and enable it.


No that is not what i want, just a total new XP-install and keeping the in my system present HDD's (except the start-HDD) available for getting the installfiles on it. When everything is installed, all the IDE HDD's will be removed and then the Samsung is then the ONLY HDD in the systemcase. In the future on my new Asus AMD64 board which i will get me another one like that Samsung, but that is just far away ....... :laugh: 



please said:


> If you are trying to install WinXP on this new HDD, then during the WinXP installation, you will have to hit 'F6' when prompted to install the IDE drivers for the SilImage controller.


Now i don't understand it anymore :4-thatsba 
As what i described above it is better still using the 1.0.0.51 Sil3112A driver instead of the IDE-driver? :4-dontkno 



please said:


> I hope I understood your questions correctly and have supplied you with the needed information. Feel free to post any other questions you may have.
> Keep us posted with your progress


Thanx for that. I will do that. However this "operation" will start in a few weeks while i don't have plenty time because of working :dead:


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## please (Mar 2, 2005)

@ Guevara
To clarify a bit. SATA HDDs can be used EITHER in a RAID array OR as a single disk. When a SATA HDD is used as a single disk it is considered to be in IDE mode.

Sata HDDs(two or more) can be used in a RAID array, which you would need the 1.00.51 SATARAID drivers. These drivers are used ONLY if you are building a RAID array. You are NOT building a RAID array so you should NOT use these drivers.

A single SATA HDD can be used in IDE mode(NON-RAID mode). *This is what you are doing. For this, you will need the 1.3.61.0 IDE driver.* You SHOULD use the latest IDE driver(1.3.61.0) so your nice new SATA2 250GB HDD will be recognized properly.

Maybe someone else can chime in with a better explanation and instructions than mine since it seems I am not making myself clear. 

I hope this helps. Keep us posted with your progress.


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## Guevara (Nov 13, 2005)

please said:


> @ Guevara
> To clarify a bit. SATA HDDs can be used EITHER in a RAID array OR as a single disk. When a SATA HDD is used as a single disk it is considered to be in IDE mode.
> 
> Sata HDDs(two or more) can be used in a RAID array, which you would need the 1.00.51 SATARAID drivers. These drivers are used ONLY if you are building a RAID array. You are NOT building a RAID array so you should NOT use these drivers.
> ...


*And this IDE-driver ... How should it be used? * :4-dontkno 
Maybe a stupid question, but when the XP install begin and comes with the question to press F6 to update the SATA-drivers, then i must point to the floppy where the *1.3.61.0* is copied or do i have to update that specific IDE-driver in an other way? Can you tell me that? :sayyes: 

*And should i update the SATA-driver, which wouldn't be necessary like you said,* isn't that causing problems and is it only to use when i should decide to buy another SATA and then use both in RAID mode? :4-dontkno


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## please (Mar 2, 2005)

> when the XP install begin and comes with the question to press F6 to update the SATA-drivers, then i must point to the floppy where the 1.3.61.0 is copied


yes do it like this


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## Guevara (Nov 13, 2005)

please said:


> yes do it like this


*And this "IDE" instead of SATA has nothing to do with decreasing the data transfer speed? *
(I think i ask you now something stupid) :1angel:


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## please (Mar 2, 2005)

@ Guevara
your SATA HDD will be faster than a PATA HDD. It will not 'slow down'. IDE mode is the mode a SATA HDD _has_ to run in if it is not in RAID mode...there are *only* two modes available...IDE and RAID.


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## Guevara (Nov 13, 2005)

please said:


> @ Guevara
> your SATA HDD will be faster than a PATA HDD. It will not 'slow down'. IDE mode is the mode a SATA HDD _has_ to run in if it is not in RAID mode...there are *only* two modes available...IDE and RAID.


*Another question about the 1.3.61.0 IDE driver ...* :1angel: 
Is the one located here the right one? 
Is that the one which also can be used for my *Sil3112A *and is not to be used for the *Sil3112*? :4-dontkno 

Because when you take a look at the *Windows SATA Raid Driver 1.0.0.51 *(same URL) you'll notice that *thàt *one is for *Sil3112A*


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## Guevara (Nov 13, 2005)

Guevara said:


> *
> Is that the one which also can be used for my Sil3112A and is not to be used for the Sil3112? :4-dontkno
> 
> Because when you take a look at the Windows SATA Raid Driver 1.0.0.51 (same URL) you'll notice that thàt one is for Sil3112A *


*

Can someone tell me what the difference is between Sil3112 and Sil3112A?  :4-dontkno

Can you can use the Sil3112 even when your mobo has the 3112A chip or would give that big troubles? *


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## please (Mar 2, 2005)

@ Guevara
The SiliconImage website lists only the SiI 3112 chip, so I am thinking the 'A' in 3112*A* might be for 'ASUS'. You probably could use the newer v1.3.61.0 drivers...try them and see. The worst that could happen is that your system will reject them, then you can go to the original ASUS drivers v1.0.0.22.

If you want to be safe, try using the drivers from the ASUS sight v1.0.0.22 and try to install/update the newer SiI 1.3.61.0 drivers later after you are up and running. If the update fails, you still have your original ASUS drivers installed. If the 1.0.0.22 drivers won't work, then have the 1.3.61.0 drivers ready to go.

Keep us posted with your progress


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## Guevara (Nov 13, 2005)

please said:


> @ Guevara
> The SiliconImage website lists only the SiI 3112 chip, so I am thinking the 'A' in 3112*A* might be for 'ASUS'. You probably could use the newer v1.3.61.0 drivers...try them and see. The worst that could happen is that your system will reject them, then you can go to the original ASUS drivers v1.0.0.22.
> 
> If you want to be safe, try using the drivers from the ASUS sight v1.0.0.22 and try to install/update the newer SiI 1.3.61.0 drivers later after you are up and running. If the update fails, you still have your original ASUS drivers installed. If the 1.0.0.22 drivers won't work, then have the 1.3.61.0 drivers ready to go.
> ...


Thanx again, i will first try the SiI 1.3.61.0 drivers and if that won't work i'll try the Asus-one ... :smile:


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## Guevara (Nov 13, 2005)

*SATA2 installed properly incl. Sil3112 drivers?*



Guevara said:


> Thanx again, i will first try the SiI 1.3.61.0 drivers and if that won't work i'll try the Asus-one ... :smile:


I have my *Samsung SpinPoint SP2504C* running now, but i am not sure if something going wrong, because in the BIOS the HD is not recognized , however *it is *during POST ! :4-dontkno (_Or could it be while the SATA2 is not located at the PRI-IDE Master?)_ 

*Oops, i think this could be the reason why i didn't see it ..* :grin: 


It say's there is a *Samsung SP2504C *with *238xxx MB * _(the last three digits i don't know anymore)_ and there is a message, like "*Press CTRL + S" or "F4" *to enter *RAID Utility * 


I have installed the hard drive like i would, with all partitions (NTFS) and also have installed all the drivers from CD, incl. IDE-SW, USB2, 3COM, SP2 a.s.o. and did also run Windows Update. However when i took a look at *Device Manager > Other Devices*, then i saw there only *?'s *... 


When i ran *XP Setup *and hit *F6* during to load the *Sil3112 Windows IDE Driver: SWD-003x12-00W-1361.ZIP *it seems to me, that XP didn't install those driver-version. I got this working again, by installing the 1.0.0.22 - drivers  


*Is everything fine or is there indeed something going wrong?* :4-dontkno 
I hope someone can give me the right answer for this ...... :1angel: 

Thanx 


I truly hope i don't have to start all over again with the XP-install 

Tia




CHIEFTEC BX-03B | Fans (Side Panels) 2x PAPST 3412 NGL (92*92*25mm) | Fans (Front/Back Panels) 4x PAPST 8412N/2GML (80*80*25mm) (Tacho Fan) | ATX 480W ANTEC BLUE 480 | ASUS A7N8X DeLuxe PCB Rev. 1.04 (1.09) | AMD Athlon XP 3000+ Barton FSB 333 | ThermalRight SP97 Socket A AMD Cooler with PAPST Variofan 3412 NGMV (92*92*25mm) (with Thermal Control) | Artic Silver 5 | CORSAIR TWINX1024-3200XLPRO DDR400 | Samsung SpinPoint SP2504C | Hama 46958 SPRING MultiCard Slot M USB Device | ASUS V9280 Ti 4200 with 8x AGP 128 MB (NVIDIA GeForce4 Ti 4200 with AGP 8x) | EIZO L778-K 19" TFT | ALCATEL Speedtouch 510 ADSL Modem | Sitecom Modem Switch 10/100 MBPS | HP ScanJet 5300C | HP DeskJet 895Cxi | Logitech Laser G5| Microsoft Natural Ergo Keyboard 4000


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