Datasheet

Appendix D: Installing the Intel HostRAID and the Windows OS
D-1
Appendix D
Installing the Intel SATA HostRAID and the Windows
Operating System
After all the hardware components have been installed, you must fi rst confi gure
the Intel ESB2 SATA RAID* before you install the Windows Operating System and
other software drivers.
Important Notes to the User:
*Note 1: If you do not wish to confi gure onboard SATA RAID functions, please go
directly to Section D-2 and Appendix E for the Windows Operating System & Other
Software Installation.
*Note 2: This chapter describes RAID Confi guration Instructions for the Intel ESB2
RAID Controller designed for the Windows OS. For the Adaptec SAS/SATA HostRAID
confi guration instructions, please refer to Appendix C.
*Note 3: For more information on the Intel SATA HostRAID settings, please refer
to the Intel HostRAID Utility and documentation included in the CD that came with
your motherboard.
D-1 Introduction to Serial ATA and Parallel ATA
To confi gure the SATA RAID functions, you must fi rst use the Intel ESB2 SATA
RAID Utility program to confi gure the RAID Level that you desire before installing
the Windows XP/2000/2003 operating system and other software drivers. (The
necessary drivers are all included on the Supermicro CD that came packaged with
your motherboard.) Note that the current version of the ESB2 SATA RAID Utility
can only support Windows XP/2000/2003 Operating Systems.
Serial ATA (SATA)
Serial ATA (SATA) is a physical storage interface that uses a single cable with a
minimum of four wires to create a point-to-point connection between devices. It is
a serial link, which supports transfer rates up to 3Gbps. Because the serial cables
used in SATA are thinner than the traditional cables used in Parallel ATA (PATA),
SATA systems have better airfl ow and can be installed in smaller chassis than
Parallel ATA. In addition, the cables used in PATA are limited to a length of 40cm,
while Serial ATA cables can be up to one meter in length. Overall, SATA provides
better functionality than PATA.
Introduction to the Intel ESB2 Serial RAID Controller Hub
Located in the South Bridge of the 5000X (Greencreek) chipset, the I/O Control-
ler Hub (ESB2) provides the I/O subsystem with access to the rest of the system.
It supports an 1-channel UltraATA/100 Bus Master IDE controller (PATA) and six
Serial ATA (SATA) ports. The ESB2 supports the following PATA and SATA device
confi gurations: Legacy mode and Native mode.