Booting OS with P5W-DH

Is there a way to boot from the other hdd controllers on this motherboard? I plugged my hdd into each of the slots and I can only get it to boot from the intel controller.

I want to use the intel controller's 3 ports for my 3x750gig hdds that I am going to put into a linux software raid 5. I want all those drives on the same controller and I want to put my boot drive (150gig raptor) on a different controller but I cant get it to boot from any of the other controllers.

There is a spot for a 4th sata port to be added; they should have put that in then I wouldnt be having this problem .

Any suggestions?

Have you tried that Jmicron controller plug just north of the WIFI? I don't know if it can be used for anything other than raid but might be worth a shot. The missing plug you mentioned is actually relocated straight south at the bottom edge of the board. Asus took that one channel and made it the "EZ Raid" but I don't if those could be used as a single.

yea i tried booting from the jmicron controller with no success. I will keep playing around with it and see what i can come up with.

S_Wilson said:

Have you tried that Jmicron controller plug just north of the WIFI? I don't know if it can be used for anything other than raid but might be worth a shot.

Click to expand...

I think this is the answer...

I have a drive plugged in there and it shows up as it boots up, but I'm not sure about whether or not it is listed in the boot options.

I'll check and edit this, but then you could (as said) have the 3 other drives all on the ICHR7 ports and run them as a raid5 array.

+++edit... Should work absolutely fine. My 320 drive is on the port up by the wifi on the JMicron controller, and is available as a boot drive, so if I chose to install the O/S on that (unsure about the linux procedure but) hit F6 on the way through and load the JMicron driver... she would be all sweet.

Then as you say, set the 3 x drives up on the ICHR7 controller as a raid5 array, and you're there.