Is there a way to get the VIA RAID controller to accept ATAPI devices on the P4P800?

[William Cheng @work]

Hi all,

I have read in the manual that the Intel IDE controller is capable of ATAPI
devices (CD-ROMs and burners) but the VIA RAID controller on-board is
restricted to HDDs. I heard somewhere some time ago when I first bought my
MB that there was a "hack" around this which would allow the VIA RAID
controller to operate a burner or cd-rom drive. Is this true? I didn't pay
attention to it before, but having recently purchased a new DVD burner, and
not wanting to waste a perfectly good CD-RW drive, I'd like to just add it
to the VIA RAID controller channel. My primary IDE channels already have
two HDDs (both matched ATA100), and the secondary IDE channels have a
DVD-ROM drive and another CD-RW. In fact, my VIA RAID controller's master
channel is also operating an older HDD. I'd like to put my older CD-RW as
the secondary channel on the VIA RAID controller, and put my new DVD burner
in the master position of the secondary IDE channel on the Intel controller.
Is this possible?

Thanks,
William

 

[Darkfalz]

Hi all,

I have read in the manual that the Intel IDE controller is capable of ATAPI
devices (CD-ROMs and burners) but the VIA RAID controller on-board is
restricted to HDDs. I heard somewhere some time ago when I first bought my
MB that there was a "hack" around this which would allow the VIA RAID
controller to operate a burner or cd-rom drive. Is this true? I didn't pay
attention to it before, but having recently purchased a new DVD burner, and
not wanting to waste a perfectly good CD-RW drive, I'd like to just add it
to the VIA RAID controller channel. My primary IDE channels already have
two HDDs (both matched ATA100), and the secondary IDE channels have a
DVD-ROM drive and another CD-RW. In fact, my VIA RAID controller's master
channel is also operating an older HDD. I'd like to put my older CD-RW as
the secondary channel on the VIA RAID controller, and put my new DVD burner
in the master position of the secondary IDE channel on the Intel controller.
Is this possible?

No.

Use your VIA RAID for your HDs and the Intel for your ATAPI. I'm sure you
don't have more than 4 of each.

VIA RAID is ATA133 and probably slightly faster for your HDs anyway.

 

[William Cheng @work]

Can I boot from the VIA RAID Controller? Can I put my C: system drive over
to the VIA RAID controller?

 

[Darkfalz]

Can I boot from the VIA RAID Controller? Can I put my C: system drive over
to the VIA RAID controller?

Um... yes. They will be present in the BIOS to select as boot device.