SOLVED ! SATA HDD on SATA RAID connector

[ajocius]

Hi,

 

I have bought 5th SATA HDD for my P5AD2-E Premium mobo. This mobo has four regular SATA connections and four additional SATA RAID connectors. I tried to connect my 5th SATA HDD to SATA RAID connector, but can not see it once I start Windows XP. Someone suggested that SATA RAID connectors can only be used for RAID setup, but I found in the manual of mobo the following : " if you want to connect Serial ATA boot/data hard disk drives to these connectors, set the Silicon Image Controller item in the BIOS to SATA mode." I have obviously have done that. Hopefully someone here can help me.

 

I got then following advice:

-----------------------------

"Have you entered your RAID Controller setup and defined an array? You have to do this even if your not using RAID.

 

And no, you don't have to use RAID, you can use your RAID Controller for single drive use. "

---------------------------

 

So I installed something called SI3114 which is Silicon Image driver. Also installed SAM (Silicon Array Manager), still can not see HDD.

 

Tried both to enter SATA BIOS by pressig F4 at start up and also enter SAM under XP to define an array. By the way, I can only start SATA BIOS if my MOBO BIOS has RAID selected undel advanced settings - Silicon Image Controller set up. As I wrote above it is adviced in manual to keep as SATA if I want to use this connection for additional SATA HDD. Anyway, once I enter SATA BIOS or SAM, I can see extra device available. So I have connected everything right. But how to make it visible under file explorer as a regular HDD?

 

Before connecting my HDD to SATA RAID connector, I have formated it as NTFS disk on a regular SATA connector. Could that have anything to do with my problem?

 

Can someone please help me to enable my SATA HDD?

Endret 15. september 2005 av ajocius

[Hårek]

Dette forumet er fortrinnsvis på norsk, men OK.

 

In general, the steps should be to enable the controller in the BIOS, in SATA mode. The first time this is done Windows will find new hardware and offer to install the drivers. There may be a choice of RAID or not. It is important not to select RAID.

Check Device Manager to see if the driver is properly installed (may show up under SCSI). Then the disk should be visible in Disk Management where you normally create a partition, but you have already done that.

Seems like you have already been through all of this, though.

Have you tried any of the other 3 SATA connectors?

[ajocius]

Sorry, my Norwegian is weak, but I can read, please respond in Norwegian if it is easier.

 

You say "enable the controller in the BIOS, in SATA mode". I believe you have mobo BIOS in mind? There I have set Silicon Image Controller to SATA once, then to RAID, but neither selection let me see the HDD. Windows did not suggest to install drivers, probably because I have already installed them from CD that followed mobo.

 

You say "it is important not to select RAID". As mentioned above, I have tried with SATA selection under Silicon Image Controller in BIOS.

 

Will check device manager later today (PC is at home...)

 

You say "Have you tried any of the other 3 SATA connectors?". When I connect disk to regular SATA connector it is recognized and I can use it. I do not see it only when it is connected to SATA RAID connector. I did not try to connect it to another SATA RAID connector if that was the question. However, since I can see extra device once I start SAM (Silicon Array Manager) or when I enter SATA BIOS at start up, so I didn't suspect connection itself.

[ajocius]

I somehow feel I am one step away from getting it to work. But still no luck.

 

Ok, set mobo BIOS -> Onboard Device Configuration -> Silicon Image Controller to SATA Mode.

 

Checked Device Manager under SCSI and can see Silicon Image SiI 3114 SoftRaid5 Controller (I believe that is the one I am looking for). Once I check Properties - > Device Info I can see MAxtor 7L300S0 which is the HDD connected there. Even Serial number of HDD is there !! I am impressed. The only question is how to use it. Once I look into Computer Management -> Disk Management, I only see first four HDD's connected to regular SATA connectors. I attache pictures of what I can see:

[ajocius]

and one more

[ajocius]

This is how silicon image sil 314 controller sees my hdd.... very dissapointing I can not find it in XP

[Hårek]

One idea just popped into my head:

Try to disconnect one of the other drives to see if this drive then appears in Disk Management. I have heard something about a limit on the total number of ATA devices.

[ajocius]

Tried to disconnect one of drives. Still can not see HDD connected to SATA RAID connector in Disk Manangement.

 

Thinking if that could be some drivers that need to be reinstalled. Plus Java run time environment, since silicon image utility runs under Java. The problem is I don't understant what should be the order to reinstall required drivers or even updating silicon image controller BIOS...

[Hårek]

Windows drivers are handled in the Device Manager. There is a button to uninstall and another to update. If you uninstall you should see plug-and-play wanting to reinstall it on the next boot.

Controllers that are integrated on the mobo have their BIOS integrated with the main BIOS.

[ajocius]

Well, am I one step closer? Finally started that mysterius SATA RAID Gui. Again, can clearly see it detects drive connected to SATA RAID connector

 

In another thread I postd lacizh adviced following:

-----------------

Have you entered your RAID Controller setup and defined an array? You have to do this even if your not using RAID.

 

And no, you don't have to use RAID, you can use your RAID Controller for single drive use.

---------------------------------------

 

So how should I enter RAID Controller setup and define an array?

 

Tried to start Raid Configuratin wizard, but it could not progress far (options were all disabled). I think it is because I only have on HDD connected to SATA RAID connector, therefore there is no way RAID could be created (it needs two drives). But then again, what do I do next?

[_crs_]

The SIL 3114 controller has different drivers for any RAID setup (to be used together with the management console) and for single drives mode. I suspect your problem lies in a conflict between drivers used and your BIOS controller setup.

[ajocius]

Searched drivers and that is what I found:

 

Original mobo CD contains: Silicon Image SATA Driver

 

When I checked Device Manager within Control Panel, I see: Silicon Image SiI 3114 Soft Raid 5 Controller

 

Checked ASUS webpage for driver downloads for my mobo P5AD2-E Premium. There I found:

SATA Raid driver;

Silicon Image Serial ATA IDE Driver V1.0.0.7 and RAID driver V1.0.0.7;

Silicon Image Serial ATA RAID5 Driver V 0.0.0.14 and Utility

 

Not to mention available number of various drivers on Silicon Image web page for 3114 controller..... (the one integrated into mobo). But I do not focus on them, as someone adviced, that mobo drivers should cover controllers as well.

 

Should I install one of above??

[_crs_]

Try the "Silicon Image Serial ATA IDE Driver V1.0.0.7 and RAID driver V1.0.0.7". You are running a RAID5 only driver, not usable for a single drive.

 

Trond

[ajocius]

Removed Silicon Image SiI 3114 Soft Raid 5 Controller driver, system requested reboot. Have installed Silicon Image Serial ATA IDE Driver V1.0.0.7 and RAID driver V1.0.0.7.

 

Java SATARaid utility was placed at startup. Restarted PC. Checked device manager. Under SCSI and RAID controllers I can see Silicon Image SiI 3114 SATARaid Controller. No 5 left

 

However, looking at properties of this new controller, I can not see my hard disk. Neither in Java SATARaid utility. So I can think, controller does not detect HDD at all. Or is there anything else I should do?

[ajocius]

Well, it finally worked !!!!!!

 

I have done what _crs_ suggested, but that immediatelly didn't show result. I have then tried to connect Maxtor Maxline III to regular SATA connector and Seagate, that was previously connected there, moved to SATA Raid connector. This is because I have read on other forums Maxtor sometimes is hardly recognized on SATA Raid connector!

 

AND IT WORKED.

 

And that is only after one week of reading and trying

 

Thank you all good people for your support, ideas.

 

I hope this thread will help other beginners like me