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SATA Hard drive

Discussion in 'PC Hardware' started by bg9208, 2009/02/18.

  1. 2009/02/18
    bg9208

    bg9208 Inactive Thread Starter

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    I am running windows XP SP2
    I have an MSI KT6V motherboard with 2 IDE Hard drives, Maxtor6Y080L0 and Maxtor 6E040L0, and A DVD R/W and CD R/W.

    On the motherboard there are 2 SerialATA/Serial ATA RAID connectors to which C: and D: drives and removable media drives are connected
    Can I install an ATA/SATA Hard drive or is there likely to be conflicts with the other drives?
    Is there any advantage or otherwise of having a SATA drive?
     
    bg9208,
    #1
  2. 2009/02/18
    wildfire

    wildfire Getting Old

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    OK, to keep things clear...

    Your "IDE" devices are PATA.

    SATA drives should not conflict with them and generally they will be faster (think of SATA as a happy medium between PATA and SCSI).

    The main advantage is speed, the main disadvantage is setting your BIOS to use SATA as a boot device (a very minor problem).
     
    wildfire,
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  4. 2009/02/18
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    bg9208,
    I'm a bit confused ... :confused: ... or maybe you are.

    The MSI KT6V (click) does not support SATA and the only way to connect SATA drives to that motherboard is through a PCI SATA card. Do you have one? If not, your current drives are IDE (PATA) connected to an IDE controller.

    Christer
     
    Christer,
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  5. 2009/02/18
    bg9208

    bg9208 Inactive Thread Starter

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    Hi Christer,
    I quote from the installation leaflet which came with the MB.
    Installation:

    1 insert cd blah blah
    2 Cd will autorun etc.

    3 (verbatim) On the Setup screen, you will find six selections, including VIA Chipset Drivers, VIA SATA RAID Driver and One Touch Setup.
    4 Click on One Touch Setup to have all the drivers installed one by one automatically

    There are 2 slots on the MB labelled in the diagram "SerialATA/Serial ATA RAID Connectors controlled by VT8237 "

    Am I misunderstanding this to be slots fro installing SATA hardware?
     
    bg9208,
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  6. 2009/02/18
    bg9208

    bg9208 Inactive Thread Starter

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    Hi Wildfire,

    Just how "minor" is the BIOS setup disadvantage, I mean is it just selecting SATA or something similar and saving to BIOS or is it wildly complex??
     
    bg9208,
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  7. 2009/02/18
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    Seems MSI doesn't know how to provide accurate information :(

    I checked the VIA site, and noted that the VIA KT600 chip set does provide SATA capability


    It is very easy, depends a bit on the BIOS how hard it is to find the right setting.
     
    Arie,
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  8. 2009/02/18
    Rockster2U

    Rockster2U Geek Member

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    bg9208

    Is it possible that you have mis-identified this board? Do you have a revision #? I just looked at the photo and went through the manual from the link Christer provided and there are no SATA ports visible and none are referenced in the manual. Might this be an OEM board revision used by HP, Compaq, Dell, Gateway etc.?

    I didn't even look at this before because Christer is perhaps the most thorough person on this board (I think he moonlights as Head Research Librarian at Stockholm University). However, your information appears to be in direct conflict.
    ;)
     
    Rockster2U,
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  9. 2009/02/18
    Admin.

    Admin. Administrator Administrator Staff

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    Underneath the picture it says:

    So I wouldn't trust that. Seems that statement should also apply to the manual!
     
    Admin.,
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  10. 2009/02/18
    Admin.

    Admin. Administrator Administrator Staff

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    Seezzz...

    Look what the manual says:

    They can't even link to the correct manual. Guess I will never buy an MSI board!
     
    Admin.,
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  11. 2009/02/18
    Rockster2U

    Rockster2U Geek Member

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    That is pretty pathetic - Brings new meaning to RTFM.

    ;)
     
    Rockster2U,
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  12. 2009/02/18
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    I didn't check out the chipset and southbridge (not a librarian, after all ... :p ...) but yes, it does support SATA.

    Is it certain that MSI have included SATA on that specific motherboard? The webpage I linked to indicates NO but the installation leaflet bg9208 quotes indicates YES.

    ... :confused: ... Christer ... :eek: ...
     
    Christer,
    #11
  13. 2009/02/19
    bg9208

    bg9208 Inactive Thread Starter

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    Sorry if I have caused a bit of dispute with my question. As i lack the in depth knowledge of others on the BBS I may well be asking stupid and simplistic questions however..............I have looked on the motherboard and there are 2 smallish orange coloured slots marked SATA. The BIOS setup has "VT8237 SATA-IDE Controller enabled" (The mention if IDE has thrown me).
    Is the general consus that, given the above, I should be able to install and use a SATA interface hard drive or not?

    Next question I have XP with SP 2. What, if any, is the size limit of drive which I can install ?
     
    Last edited: 2009/02/19
    bg9208,
    #12
  14. 2009/02/19
    wildfire

    wildfire Getting Old

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    If you don't know the answer then the question is not stupid. :)

    From what you're saying, yes SATA is onboard and you can install SATA devices. For your information SATA and PATA are both IDE this is why I tried to clear this up earlier in the thread, my apologies if I added to your confusion.
     
    wildfire,
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  15. 2009/02/19
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    If I remember correctly XP SP2 supports up to 2TB (2000GB). Most problems are caused by the BIOS in your computer that may be limited to 137GB, although this was largely a problem in the early 2000's.

    See: The ATA Interface Limit (128 GiB / 137 GB) Barrier
     
    Arie,
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  16. 2009/02/19
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    It seems to me that MSI is to blame for the "dispute ". (Not really a "dispute" but a discussion based on erroneous information on the part of MSI.

    You should be able to use the SATA ports for additional drives.

    No size limit.

    Christer
     
    Christer,
    #15
  17. 2009/02/19
    bg9208

    bg9208 Inactive Thread Starter

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    I'd just like to say how grateful I am for the help of all those who have contributed to this thread. Apart from answering my questions, you have contributed to my knowledge pool.
     
    bg9208,
    #16

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