Gigabyte GA-X38-DQ6 SATA install problems

[Fakum]

Im trying to find a way to determine if the SATA2 hard drive configuration is actually correct and not running as SATA1 config, or any other config for that matter?

 

[Fakum]

I downloaded Hard Drive Tach, and got these results. I am not sure if this would be concidered SATA II performance or not?

Model
Brand Western Digital
Series Caviar SE16
Model WD5000AAKS
Performance
Interface SATA 3.0Gb/s
Capacity 500GB
RPM 7200 RPM
Cache 16MB
Average Seek Time 8.9ms
Average Write Time 10.9ms
Average Latency 4.2ms
Here are the results from Hard Drive Tach, and the specs above. Does this appear to be good for a SATA II Hard Drive?

[img=http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/725/harddriveresultsxt0.th.jpg]

 

[sk1llz]

So you got it working? Great if so!
But i'm supripsed that it worked with the raid-drivers for you.
You should have choosed the "ICH9 SATA AHCI " when running AHCI-mode and ignore that it doesnt say "ICH9R SATA AHCI" (as the manual says).

I don't know if the AHCI does anything to performance, but that benchmark seems average.
And aslong as you have removed the jumper from the HD, you're running in 3GB/s mode. Btw, the AHCI-thingy that should come up after the post-screen won't confirm any 3GB/s spec anyways.

I understand that you got it wrong the first times, if you read the RAID/AHCI setup for the gigabyte-controller and not the ICH9R hehe

 

[Fakum]

Thanks for the help. I have a long way to go here still. I just didn’t want to load up all the software and debug etc to find I needed to reformat because I installed the Hard Drive SATA II config all wrong. I also just downloaded 3D Mark 06 and will run that. I have to start somewhere as I know my CPU is not really set the way it should be, nor do I know at the moment what to set it too? I will read up and figure it out, but I want to do benchmarking as I go along to monitor progress. I never used all these utilityies before, so it’s a learning cure. Memtest, 3dmark06, I seen a lot of postings with CPU-Z results, hav no idea what that is, but I will google that also. I will do follow up postings,,,by the way, (perhaps this needs another post?) I have a :

EVGA GeForce 8800GTS (G92) 512MB 256bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 HDCP & SLI Ready Video Card Retail 512-P3-N841-AR


e-GeForce 8800GTS 512MB
Part Number 512-P3-N841-AR
Core Clock Speed 670MHz
Stream Processors 128
Memory Clock Speed 1940MHz
Memory Bandwidth 62.1GB/sec
Shader Clock Speed 1674MHz
Bus PCI-E
Interface DVI-I, DVI-I, HDTV-7



Bios settings are unclear:

Robust Graphics Booster (Auto, Fast, Turbo) ????

And this one really puzzles me:
PCI Express Frequency (MHZ) Adjustable range = 90 Mhz to 150 MHz. The auto setting defaults the setting to 100 MHZ (Which is what it is set to now)

The core clock on my GPU is 670 MHZ, Shader Clock speed = 1674 MHz

What am I missing here? The PCI Express Frequency (MHZ) maxes out at 150?

 

[sk1llz]

Thanks for the help. I have a long way to go here still. I just didn’t want to load up all the software and debug etc to find I needed to reformat because I installed the Hard Drive SATA II config all wrong. I also just downloaded 3D Mark 06 and will run that. I have to start somewhere as I know my CPU is not really set the way it should be, nor do I know at the moment what to set it too? I will read up and figure it out, but I want to do benchmarking as I go along to monitor progress. I never used all these utilityies before, so it’s a learning cure. Memtest, 3dmark06, I seen a lot of postings with CPU-Z results, hav no idea what that is, but I will google that also. I will do follow up postings,,,by the way, (perhaps this needs another post?) I have a :

EVGA GeForce 8800GTS (G92) 512MB 256bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 HDCP & SLI Ready Video Card Retail 512-P3-N841-AR
e-GeForce 8800GTS 512MB
Part Number 512-P3-N841-AR
Core Clock Speed 670MHz
Stream Processors 128
Memory Clock Speed 1940MHz
Memory Bandwidth 62.1GB/sec
Shader Clock Speed 1674MHz
Bus PCI-E
Interface DVI-I, DVI-I, HDTV-7



Bios settings are unclear:

Robust Graphics Booster (Auto, Fast, Turbo) ????

And this one really puzzles me:
PCI Express Frequency (MHZ) Adjustable range = 90 Mhz to 150 MHz. The auto setting defaults the setting to 100 MHZ (Which is what it is set to now)

The core clock on my GPU is 670 MHZ, Shader Clock speed = 1674 MHz

What am I missing here? The PCI Express Frequency (MHZ) maxes out at 150?

Robust graphics booster, auto is standard, fast and turbo doesnt seem to raise any fps for me atleast, honestly i don't even know what tweaking it does.

PCI Express Frequency, should be at 100Mhz. (+/-5Mhz for some strange cases). As it is a frequency for it to "speak" with the rest of chipsets. Just as a radio station tunes in best at xx.x Mhz for example


And for the CPU, it should be at it's normal clock-speed without having to set anything manual.
I guess you're CPU is at ~1864Mhz (to save energy and produce less heat when idling) wich is normal. If you put some load to the system it'll raise up to 2400Mhz. This is called speedstep and is a very common among intel-cpu's.

//Michel

 

[Fakum]

Thanks for the info, just so you know, that config for idling the cpu is disabled in the bios. I have below my CPU-Z validation, which thanks to you, I never knew I could display that. I also am new to using all these utilitys. I was also thrown back on your HD Tach results, then I realized you were running Raid. I also posted my results for this test, I am only running a single SATA II 500 GIG Western Digital. Tell me what you think of the results. Thanks


http://valid.x86-secret.com/show_oc.php?id=291552

 

[sk1llz]

Thanks for the info, just so you know, that config for idling the cpu is disabled in the bios. I have below my CPU-Z validation, which thanks to you, I never knew I could display that. I also am new to using all these utilitys. I was also thrown back on your HD Tach results, then I realized you were running Raid. I also posted my results for this test, I am only running a single SATA II 500 GIG Western Digital. Tell me what you think of the results. Thanks


http://valid.x86-secret.com/show_oc.php?id=291552

No problem! Glad to help.

Then i guess you have turned off CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E) and also <something> EIST in BIOS (just to make sure) to make it running at 2400Mhz, always.


Your HD Tach result looks OK, though they can always vary a bit from time to time. Did you benchmark HD Tach when you didn't have anything else running? That is kinda "critical" to do, to get a correct result.

But so far, everything looks good!

 

[Fakum]

yeah ,, I turned the CPU settings in the bios off because I read something in CPU-Z Faqs about disabling then because the CPU speed will not show up as intended (something of that nature), So I disabled them. As far as HD Tach goes, I had nothing running when I benchmarked. I have just been reading up on the benefits of loading up the SATA drive using the AHCI config as it facilitates "Native Command Queuing" and my drive supports that feature. I plan on starting from scratch again this weekend, the only conflicting info I am reading is as to whether or not I need to install the driver in F6 mode while installing the new OS? Reading till my head explodes, it is not clear, then it seems to matter whether or not you install the SATA drive on the Intel ICH9R South Bridge SATA controller, or Gigabytes SATA Controller???? which offers better performance,, I have not yet determined. On another note, I also wanted to test my 4 gig of memory, so I downloaded Memtest,,, that SUCKED! When I ran it , it prompted me and told me I had to run 4 tests simultaneously @ 1028 values each. That thing ran over an hour and never finished anyway, I shut er down. Is there better freeware to test memory? Thanks,,, wheres the Tylenol?

P.S. I originally posted my questions in many forums I visit. this is the only forum so far that has not only responded, but offfered great assistance. Thanks to all that contribute!

 

[sk1llz]

yeah ,, I turned the CPU settings in the bios off because I read something in CPU-Z Faqs about disabling then because the CPU speed will not show up as intended (something of that nature), So I disabled them. As far as HD Tach goes, I had nothing running when I benchmarked. I have just been reading up on the benefits of loading up the SATA drive using the AHCI config as it facilitates "Native Command Queuing" and my drive supports that feature.

Sounds good!

I plan on starting from scratch again this weekend, the only conflicting info I am reading is as to whether or not I need to install the driver in F6 mode while installing the new OS? Reading till my head explodes, it is not clear,

If you install windows XP, you need to install drivers in F6 mode.
If you have the drives on the yellowish ports, then you need the intel ICH9 AHCI driver when you're running AHCI, if you run it in a RAID config you'll need the intel ICH9R driver. So.
ICH9 for AHCI mode
ICH9R for RAID. See the diff?

If you install Windows Vista on either AHCI or RAID, you don't need any drivers at all, as it is built in, in vista.

then it seems to matter whether or not you install the SATA drive on the Intel ICH9R South Bridge SATA controller, or Gigabytes SATA Controller???? which offers better performance,, I have not yet determined.

The ICH9R will be best for RAID with SATA/SATA-II HDD's.
For AHCI, use whatever, as i haven't seen any performance change between those.

On another note, I also wanted to test my 4 gig of memory, so I downloaded Memtest,,, that SUCKED! When I ran it , it prompted me and told me I had to run 4 tests simultaneously @ 1028 values each. That thing ran over an hour and never finished anyway, I shut er down. Is there better freeware to test memory? Thanks,,, wheres the Tylenol?

Try memtest86 and burn it to a bootable cd, boot up and run that memtest, if you wanna check your memory. As it is the best program to test your memory.

P.S. I originally posted my questions in many forums I visit. this is the only forum so far that has not only responded, but offfered great assistance. Thanks to all that contribute!

Hehe, not that this answer has to do anything with that, but that's exactly why i joined this forum about 2 months ago, being on a a swedish computer hardware forum for 7 years, that i've noted now: lacks alot of knowledge.

Ps. skip the tylenol