New motherboard

I have just installed a new motherboard.

http://www.foxconnchannel.com/Product/Motherboards/detail_overview.aspx?ID=en-us0000398

I am pretty pleased with myself because it fired up first time BUT i have a HDD missing, I have 4HDD but the PC is only seeing 3, They are all Sata so it's not the jumpers.
I opened the case and pulled all the cables then inserted them all again but it still only sees 3.

Any ideas thanks

 

Well looking at the specs and manual it has 6 SATA ports on mobo face and then 2xeSATA (External SATA) ports on the I/O panel. Page 24 shows the ports mapping table and pg. 28 shows that SATA ports 1,2,3 & 4 are Configured within BIOS as SATA#1 to either IDE, RAID or AHCI. Importantly we can see that SATA#2 will configure ports 5 & 6. I assume with 4 HDD's that these are being set up as IDE or are you creating a RAID of some form? It seems if RAID specific ports will have to be selected for specific HDD's. Also if ports 5 or 6 are being used that SATA#2 will have to be activated within BIOS.

So from looking at the manual be careful which drives is going to which port. I assume that they maybe identified from right to left counting down if that makes sense?

531
642

The missus is Asian and this is how they read and write.

 

I am using Raid so in theory it should see them all??

Maybe during the transfer one has died, fortunately it has nothing of importance on it.

If i change the sata cables round is there a chance it will see it.

To change them on the board is a fair amount of work because i have a GTX295 in there and it sits right on top of the Sata plugs.

I will restart and have look in Bios.

 

I shouldv'e asked but when is the HDD not being seen? During the POST screen or while in the OS?

What sort of RAID array? You may have to have all 4 plugged into 1-4 depending on your RAID set up or have 2 within the first 4 ports and 2 within the last 2 ports and ensure that both SATA#1 and SATA#2 are configured to RAID in BIOS. I think you want to ensure that all 4 SATA HDD are in the 1-4 ports, i.e. the top right and middle 4.

I meant to say to BILL if you are using RAID 0 at all, i.e. stripping HDD's, you will only see this as one large Partition and I believe just as one large HDD. If we look at other RAID arrays for example RAID 10 we will have stripping and mirroring occurring.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAID

 

I am sorry Bold eagle but i am in deep water when we come to this Sata control because i just do not understand it.
I am not sure if this is the raid array you speak of but i have JMB36x raid configurer ??

I have set Sata#1 and #2 to enhanced in the bios.

I will try what David suggested and try with just one cable to see what drives it will find also i have my two DVD writers on the first two Sata plugs (numbers unknown) so i will pull them as well.

Thanks for the input and as this may take some time i will report what i find later.

 

Download the manual so we can be on the same page and sorry if I was confusing you before:

http://www.foxconnsupport.com/downl...n-us0000002&keywords=&sort=Motherboard Manual

Basically a RAID array is when you get 2 or more HDD's to work together to either improve performance or provide back up and greater DATA security:

http://www.answers.com/topic/raid-technology

The primary methods are "stripping" or mirroring. Stripping will make 2 (or more) HDD's work like dual channel RAM, they will split the DATA and work on it together and almost double the writing/retrieval speed (performance improvement), but if one HDD fails you lose all DATA of both or more HDDs. Mirroring is where one HDD will periodically "back up" your other defined HDD's and there offer greater DATA protection. The important one is stripping because if the HDD's were previously stripped you will not be able to access the DATA of them unless you stripe them again in the new system.

The JMicron is the Controller hub Chip, that is whatever RAID or HDD set up you create it tells the rest of your computer "how" to communicate with your HDD set up. So if you had mirrored HDD's that had 1 create a back up each week it is the Chip that controls this.

I hope that isn't confusing you even more?

Okay I read the section in the manual and the important page is on 28-29. We can see that there are 2 SATA Channels (#1 & #2) now importantly if you do have a RAID set up with any and all of the 4 HDD's they must all be in SATA Channel #1 as SATA#2 does not offer a RAID option. You should have both #1 & #2 set to Enhanced and then for SATA#1 [IDE] will let you use all 4 HDD just as normal, [RAID] will need more settings defined (if you want a RAID set up or previously had a RAID set up we will have to discuss this option further), [AHCI] as stated in manual all 4 HDD's must have AHCI indicated on their labels for this setting.

Summary:

Only SATA#1 offers a RAID option (top 4 ports).

Best if all 4 HDD's go in the top four SATA ports if you do want a RAID.

The [IDE] setting is the easiest and would allow 2 HDD in the middle and 2 HDD on the bottom ports.

Maybe the DVD should go into the lowest 2 ports.

Hope this helps and doesn't confuse.

 

I have a hard copy of the manual that came with the board.
I am using my other PC for this post.

I will study the book and try to assimilate some sort of comprehension of how this all works.
It would seem i have been lucky in the past (beginners luck) but each step further into the sanctum of the geek the harder it becomes.

Just so you do not loose patience with me i have a memory retention problem brought on by having taken very heavy (prescription)medication for a number of years after a bad accident so please be gentle with me.

Thanks Bill

 

Bill it's all good and I notice how much you help others so the least I can do is help you....;-).

I meant to say to the JMicron setting should be on [AHCI + IDE].

 

It is going to be monday now before i can proceed further because i have to pull the GPU out and all the power cables to be able to see what the numbers of the Sata on the board are.

I am not allowed to tinker with PCs on sunday (orders of she who must be obeyed)

Thanks bill