ASUS P5GD2 Deluxe: trouble with optical drives & IDE connectors

[alepas]

Hi all,

I admit to being a newbie with DIY Pee Cees.... but I decided to go on and try. I'm putting together my first PC and I chose an ASUS P5GD2 Deluxe mobo (http://usa.asus.com/products/mb/sock...d/overview.htm). I have a Seagate Barracuda 200 GB SATA HDD, a Plextor PX-712A internal ATAPI DVD writer and a Lite-On internal ATAPI CD writer / DVD-ROM combo.

I installed the HDD on port SATA-1 Master, the Plextor on the Primary IDE blue Connector (jumper set to Master), and the Lite-On on the PRI-RAID1 red connector on the motherboard (jumper also set to Master). The mobo's User Guide says that the PRI-RAID1/2 connectors are set by default to IDE mode, and I don't see a secondary IDE connector on the mobo anyway.

I powered up, everything went smoothly.... BUT:

1) the HDD appears as "Third IDE Master" -> is this normal??? As I said, I don't see a secondary IDE connector on the Mobo, and in fact in the BIOS Main Menu the list has "Primary IDE Master / Primary IDE Slave / Third IDE Master / Third IDE Slave / Fourth IDE Master / Fourth IDE Slave". Does it mean that this mobo only has one IDE connector??

Do I understand correctly that it views the SATA-1 connector as its third IDE Master, in thic BIOS config??? I did try and connect the HDD to the Sata-2, and it appears as Fourth IDE Master.. my question is, is it ok if my primary (and only) HDD is on Third IDE Master?? I will need to instal the OS (XP Pro) on this SATA HDD.

2) As for the 2 optical devices, it only sees one. the one connected to the Primary IDE connector. I swapped them to make sure they both work, and it does see both, on that connector. I also checked the setting for the IDE Raid connectors (PRI_RAID1 - SEC_RAID1) in the BIOS (ITE8212F Controller is indeed set to IDE Mode)... but no luck... any ideas?

I also have a general configuration question. With my only HDD being a SATA HDD connected to the SATA-1 Master port, and having all the IDE connectors free, is it a good choice for me to want to keep the two optical drives as Masters, on separate IDE ports? I thought so... otherwise I'd have to configure them as master/slave on the Primary IDE connector.. but then what are the other two RAID/IDE ports for? The User Guide says explicitely that "These connectors are set to IDE mode by default. In IDE mode, you can connect IDE devices to these connectors such as boot/data hard disk drives or optical drives."

Any help would be HIGHLY appreciated. Thanks!

Alex

[RJ]

Hello and welcome to PC Mech.

1) the HDD appears as "Third IDE Master" -> is this normal??? As I said, I don't see a secondary IDE connector on the Mobo, and in fact in the BIOS Main Menu the list has "Primary IDE Master / Primary IDE Slave / Third IDE Master / Third IDE Slave / Fourth IDE Master / Fourth IDE Slave". Does it mean that this mobo only has one IDE connector?? Do I understand correctly that it views the SATA-1 connector as its third IDE Master, in thic BIOS config??? I did try and connect the HDD to the Sata-2, and it appears as Fourth IDE Master.. my question is, is it ok if my primary (and only) HDD is on Third IDE Master?? I will need to instal the OS (XP Pro) on this SATA HDD.

It is correct. The first SATA port is the third IDE, the second SATA port is the fourth IDE and so on. You should know, both PATA and SATA are IDE. The only thing that has changed is the bus, it changed from parallel to serial, from PATA to SATA. The rest is still the same.
Your board has a total of 11 IDE connections. Five of them, consisting of 4 SATA and one classic PATA port are natively supported by the southbridge. Yes, your board has only one native PATA port. PATA is dying.
The other 6 ports, consisting of 2 PATA and 4 SATA, are controlled by an external controller chip that is somewhere on the board.
You will have no problems installing Windows XP on your hard drive as long as it's connected to one of the native SATA ports (the four on the right side, not the four at the bottom). Just boot from the XP CD and install it. There is no difference to old PATA. XP will see the drive, you partition and format it, and install Windows XP on it. Done.

2) As for the 2 optical devices, it only sees one. the one connected to the Primary IDE connector. I swapped them to make sure they both work, and it does see both, on that connector. I also checked the setting for the IDE Raid connectors (PRI_RAID1 - SEC_RAID1) in the BIOS (ITE8212F Controller is indeed set to IDE Mode)... but no luck... any ideas?

The southbridge supports only one PATA port. The other one is controlled by a controller chip. It is not recommended to hook up opticals to the external controller, but it should be no problem for the chip to recognize it in its own BIOS. It's a separate BIOS, though, and you will need to install drivers for it once you installed Windows XP.

With my only HDD being a SATA HDD connected to the SATA-1 Master port, and having all the IDE connectors free, is it a good choice for me to want to keep the two optical drives as Masters, on separate IDE ports?

Yes. The best is to have each drive as master on its own channel. But you only have one PATA channel, and it depends on your onbaord controller how good it will handle the optical, as these controllers usually only like hard drives. .. even though the guide says you can hook up opticals on it.

but then what are the other two RAID/IDE ports for?

Their main purpose is to setup hard drives in a RAID setup.

Well, when did you get the optical drives ? Because the best would be to exchange the Plextor 712A for the Plextor 712SA, which is the SATA version of the 712A, and you can just connect it to a SATA port.
I don't recommend getting a single layer burner anyway, but if you do want it, best would be to get the SATA version.

RJ

[alepas]

Originally Posted by RJ Hello and welcome to PC Mech.

Thanks RJ (oder soll ich "Vielen Dank" sagen? )

Originally Posted by RJ It is correct. The first SATA port is the third IDE, the second SATA port is the fourth IDE and so on. You should know, both PATA and SATA are IDE. The only thing that has changed is the bus, it changed from parallel to serial, from PATA to SATA. The rest is still the same. Your board has a total of 11 IDE connections. Five of them, consisting of 4 SATA and one classic PATA port are natively supported by the southbridge. Yes, your board has only one native PATA port. PATA is dying. The other 6 ports, consisting of 2 PATA and 4 SATA, are controlled by an external controller chip that is somewhere on the board. You will have no problems installing Windows XP on your hard drive as long as it's connected to one of the native SATA ports (the four on the right side, not the four at the bottom). Just boot from the XP CD and install it. There is no difference to old PATA. XP will see the drive, you partition and format it, and install Windows XP on it. Done.

OK - this helps A LOT. Thanks. In fact, out of curiosity, last night I was able to install XP - though I will reinstall it today anyway, as I was only trying it out.

Originally Posted by RJ The southbridge supports only one PATA port. The other one is controlled by a controller chip. It is not recommended to hook up opticals to the external controller, but it should be no problem for the chip to recognize it in its own BIOS. It's a separate BIOS, though, and you will need to install drivers for it once you installed Windows XP.

OK, I get this. But then my next question is: PERFORMANCE WISE is it better for me to have the two optical drives on the native PATA port, or having the DVD+-RW on the PATA and the CD-RW/CD-ROM on the external controller IDE, or vice versa? I know they say that having them on the same PATA cable might mean problems when copying on the fly from one to the other, and I'd like to maximize performance and minimize this issue...

Originally Posted by RJ Yes. The best is to have each drive as master on its own channel. But you only have one PATA channel, and it depends on your onbaord controller how good it will handle the optical, as these controllers usually only like hard drives. .. even though the guide says you can hook up opticals on it.

OK, I guess I'll have to experiment a bit...

Originally Posted by RJ Well, when did you get the optical drives ? Because the best would be to exchange the Plextor 712A for the Plextor 712SA, which is the SATA version of the 712A, and you can just connect it to a SATA port.

I know... I just got them both, but for the price I got them for they were a steal, in my mind (the plextor was about $90+tax after rebate, the Lite-on was about $45). The SATA version of the PX-712 is about $65+tax more expensive...

Originally Posted by RJ I don't recommend getting a single layer burner anyway, but if you do want it, best would be to get the SATA version. RJ

I know, and I thought long and hard about getting a dual layer burner. After reading about them though, I decided the technology is still somewhat fresh and will need to settle, and the media is way too expensive right now anyway. I have no problem waiting for a while until better dual layer burners come out and the media's price comes down. Then I'll replace the LITE-ON CD-RW/DVD-ROM with one of these new DL burners.... The whole idea for my first DIY PC was to be able to expand and get new technology in when it's available, I'm ok with having secondary components like the optical drives in current, instead of leading edge, technology, and save a little money right now.

Thanks again RJ, your help was VERY appreciated. I'll install XP and then the motherboard drives, and I hope at that point the ITE chip sees my second optical drive.. otherwise I may bug you for more help!

Alex

[RJ]

Hi,

Thanks RJ (oder soll ich "Vielen Dank" sagen? )

Pick one, I understand both English and German

OK, I get this. But then my next question is: PERFORMANCE WISE is it better for me to have the two optical drives on the native PATA port, or having the DVD+-RW on the PATA and the CD-RW/CD-ROM on the external controller IDE, or vice versa? I know they say that having them on the same PATA cable might mean problems when copying on the fly from one to the other, and I'd like to maximize performance and minimize this issue...

Well, performance wise it is best to have every drive on its own channel. That way you can copy from any drive to any other without any performance loss.
Hooking the two drives up to native PATA would minimize the issues, but doubles the time for on-the-fly burning, and slows down the speed a bit when accessing both drives, because both have to share the same channel.
Personally I'd try to connect one of the opticals to the onboard controller PATA and see if it works well. If it does, it's good. If not, I'd hook up both together.

OK, I guess I'll have to experiment a bit...

Right. That's what I'd also do.

I know... I just got them both, but for the price I got them for they were a steal, in my mind (the plextor was about $90+tax after rebate, the Lite-on was about $45). The SATA version of the PX-712 is about $65+tax more expensive...

I see. That is a big price difference. Didn't know it was that big.

I know, and I thought long and hard about getting a dual layer burner. After reading about them though, I decided the technology is still somewhat fresh and will need to settle, and the media is way too expensive right now anyway. I have no problem waiting for a while until better dual layer burners come out and the media's price comes down. Then I'll replace the LITE-ON CD-RW/DVD-ROM with one of these new DL burners.... The whole idea for my first DIY PC was to be able to expand and get new technology in when it's available, I'm ok with having secondary components like the optical drives in current, instead of leading edge, technology, and save a little money right now.

Ok. I think by beginning of the next year the DVD+R DL price will fall significantly, due to the new glueing method and the appearance of 4x DVD+R DL media. Plextor will release a DL burner by the end of this year, too, so if you're probably gonna buy a new burner within the next half a year, I'd just hook up both opticals to the same channel now and get a SATA DL burner.
It also depends on your burning habits. . on how important on-the-fly-burning is to you, for example.

Thanks again RJ, your help was VERY appreciated. I'll install XP and then the motherboard drives, and I hope at that point the ITE chip sees my second optical drive.. otherwise I may bug you for more help!

Also make sure that the onboard PATA controller is enabled in BIOS. That controller should have its own BIOS, which appears after POST, and before Windows loads. That's how all the onboard controllers I've seen, and also the PCI add-on controller cards, did it. So during boot you should see if the controllers sees the drive.
You need the drives only to access the drive in Windows, but in BIOS it should already appear.

RJ