A7N8X-E Deluxe question

[Sin Loi]

I'm getting ready to build on one of these, I haven't built for several
years, last using an asus also.

I'm putting in 2 SATA drives, but i don't want to run RAID. Iassumed, but
haven't seen it in the group, nor found it through google, that one does not
*have* to run RAID from the SATA controller, but can run just the regular 2
drive set up. Am I correct?

In addition, can anyone direct me to a site giving set-up tips for this
board? When I used an A7V, quite sometime back, theer was one giving a lot
of real good pointers. Any for the A7N8X-E deluxe?

TIA

 

[Paul]

I'm getting ready to build on one of these, I haven't built for several
years, last using an asus also.

I'm putting in 2 SATA drives, but i don't want to run RAID. Iassumed, but
haven't seen it in the group, nor found it through google, that one does not
*have* to run RAID from the SATA controller, but can run just the regular 2
drive set up. Am I correct?

In addition, can anyone direct me to a site giving set-up tips for this
board? When I used an A7V, quite sometime back, theer was one giving a lot
of real good pointers. Any for the A7N8X-E deluxe?

TIA

I was ready to say no, but found some posts from a search in
Google on "a7n8x sata single disk". If Doug is around, maybe
he can elaborate on what he did to get two independent disks.

http://groups.google.com/[email protected]
http://groups.google.com/[email protected]

The download page has, for example:

http://www.asus.com/pub/ASUS/misc/ide/silicon/silicon_v10022.zip

Inside the ZIP is a PDF manual "SATARaid_Manual_Rev092.pdf" on setup,
but the manual, as usual, doesn't mention the single drive case.
Just in case you were wondering if Silicon Image provided a
manual :-(

The closest thing to a FAQ is this page. It has recommendations
on where to find the best set of drivers, and it is not the
stuff on the Asus download page:

http://www.ben.pope.name/a7n8x_faq.html

For other issues, you might try visiting a forum like
http://www.nforcershq.com/forum/

If you use their search engine, remember to click "Search for
all terms", if using multiple terms in the search window. That
should really be the default.

As for the BIOS on the download page, there are two missing
files. They were pulled, due to problems, and that is why
there is a gap in the numbers. If the board you bought has
1009 on it, don't panic. You may want to backup the BIOS, using
the flash utility (there is no risk if you are just copying the
BIOS from the flash chip onto a floppy). Save the image, as
otherwise you won't be able to download another copy of it
later. AFAIK a board with 1009 from the factory should be
OK - haven't heard of any complaints that way. Perhaps
nforcershq has more info on 1009.

Paul

 

[Ken Maltby]

I'm getting ready to build on one of these, I haven't built for several
years, last using an asus also.

I'm putting in 2 SATA drives, but i don't want to run RAID. Iassumed, but
haven't seen it in the group, nor found it through google, that one does not
*have* to run RAID from the SATA controller, but can run just the regular 2
drive set up. Am I correct?

Yes, you will have to load the RAID/SATA controller with an XP
installation but you won't have to setup a RAID Array. I have two
Raptors running without RAID.
/Ken

 

[Sin Loi]

I was ready to say no, but found some posts from a search in

Hey, thanks, Paul. I checked those and it *seems* that Lare accomplished it
by installing the drivers during an F6.

I remember doing that with the promise setup using the A7V, but when i look
at the SATA drivers, aren't they around 4 megs? Can't get them puppies on a
floppy.

I've got about 2 weeks to figure this out at the most, a little over 2 grand
worth of components are on their way to me now, and my only confusion at
this point is getting the 2 SATA drives to load and play happily as single
units.

Yea, if Doug or Lare are around, I'd welcome tutoring. If not, I'll try to
ping them in a few days.

 

[Sin Loi]

Yes, you will have to load the RAID/SATA controller with an XP
installation but you won't have to setup a RAID Array. I have two
Raptors running without RAID.
/Ken

Did you copy the drivers off the cd and F6 them in, Ken?

 

[Sin Loi]

http://www.techsupportforum.com/showthread.php?t=11075&goto=nextnewest


There is a line, at the bottom of the first part of the reply, wher the guy
says that you *must* run in RAID, because there are no *non-raid* drivers.

Doesn't make sense. Isn't that a 3112 chip in the silicone controller?

 

[GF]

Have two independant SATA drives.

The guy is wrong.

 

[texterted]

Have two independant SATA drives.

The guy is wrong.

I too have two independent WD 200 gig drives off the Sil controller.
Just copy the inf files and oemsetup.txt files to a floppy and f6 during
the install... no worries.
Just go into the controller bios and ensure the right drive is id'd for boot
select scsi as boot in the bios.
I put one drive in at a time to make sure... and don't have any hard
drives on the ide until after the install... so you don't confuse windows!
Good luck and hth
cheers
Ted

 

[Ken Maltby]

Did you copy the drivers off the cd and F6 them in, Ken?

Right you can, but I think I downloaded the latest version and
used those. "Texterted" pretty much laid it all out.

Luck;
Ken

 

[Sin Loi]

cheers
Ted

Thanks, Ted.

As mentioned, last time I did this, I used an A7V, and one had to F6 the
Promise controller drivers in then. I recall that at the time, ther was
major confusion and hassles for a while with getting the hang of that.

Hopefully this time it will go smooth.

Thanks again to all.