Gigabyte Ga-ex38-ds4

[hobo]eclipse · Mar 15, 2008, 11:34 PM

I have a Xeon 3110 on the way.

GIGABYTE GA-EX38-DS4

checking this board out i see the FSB spec is 1600/1333Mhz

will either of these two RAM kits work well with it? i'm just needing some reassurance i guess, being new to intel, i wanna get it right, i wouldn't need higher speed sticks would i for compatibility?

Leaning toward these
Newegg.com - CORSAIR DOMINATOR 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

but are interested in these for the price
Newegg.com - G.SKILL 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1000 (PC2 8000) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

or would i be better off with a P35 selection for RAM of this caliber?
Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GA-EP35-DS4 LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX Dynamic Energy Saver Ultra Durable II Intel Motherboard - Retail

i was originally lookin at this board, just wish it had a few more features
Newegg.com - GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX All Solid Capacitor Intel Motherboard - Retail

using the mentioned RAM, would that severely bottleneck me in any aspect using a x38 chipset? I know this question has more than like likely been answered but what are the major differences in the x38 and p35

what do you folks think of the newer e line of gigabyte boards incorporating the energy saving features?

How long will the LGA 775 socket be around?

thank in advance!

[hobo]eclipse · Mar 16, 2008, 03:45 AM

Went with the GIGABYTE GA-EX38-DS4
&
Newegg.com - G.SKILL 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail

now for some mad trial and error!

[hobo]eclipse · Mar 16, 2008, 10:40 PM

will this board require me to have floppy installed to install Windows to a single (no RAID) SATA 3.0 drive?

Tipstaff · Mar 16, 2008, 11:53 PM

It shouldn't as the ICH9 controller driver is built into Vista. It "may" require a driver if the controller driver has changed for that specific board though, but from what I remember it should install just fine. However, would consider installing it with the RAID controller enable anyways as the benefits are worth it.

Either way, the good thing about Vista is that it sees USB pen drives. Just put the RAID drivers on a USB pen, and you should be good to go.

PangingJr · Mar 17, 2008, 01:08 AM

Systems configured for PATA mode (SATA RAID/AHCI mode is Disabled / SATA controllers integrated in the Intel ICH9R Southbridge are configured to PATA mode)... no third party RAID driver is required during Windows installation process.

Systems Configured for RAID mode / RAID-ready system / AHCI mode...
...for XP - you must pre-install the Intel ICH9R RAID/AHCI driver using the F6 install method.
...for Vista - no third party RAID driver is required during Windows installation process

note-- not 100% sure about AHCI mode whether there will be any problem during Windows installation. never configure the SATA controllers to AHCI mode for Vista yet.
RAID-ready system means the system is configured with the SATA controller set to RAID mode and with at least one hard disk drive with no RAID volumes.

Judas · Mar 17, 2008, 09:55 PM

It's a damn good board..... very much comparible to that of the GA-x38-DQ6.... just without all the extra stuff most people don't tend to need or want ever....

I've got another one on the way as we speak....

[hobo]eclipse · Mar 17, 2008, 11:12 PM

Im pretty pumped to check out intel, only one i had was pentium 75Mhz w/8MB RAM LOL 1 gig hdd, LOL

to be sure on the installing to sata 3.0 single hdd to get the max performance(obviously)!

In bios i should set:

SATA RAID/AHCI mode = RAID
&
SATA PORT 0-3Native Mode = Native

Then:

Install Vista with no driver and then install supplied intel RAID driver.

Will i have to enter the RAID bios to do anything?

Judas · Mar 18, 2008, 09:51 AM

if you set it to raid... there is a 90% chance that you WILL HAVE to provide a raid driver.....
but it might be due to the number of drives on the raid controller... guess you'll find out

PangingJr · Mar 18, 2008, 11:50 AM

Intel Chipset Software Installation Utility
Download Software, Drivers and Utilities Filters

Intel Matrix Storage Manager software (and driver. the driver is already included in the software package)
Download Software, Drivers and Utilities Filters

this is how i do mine... for Vista and for systems configured to RAID mode / RAID-ready...

after Windows is installed, D/L and install "Intel Chipset Software Installation Utility", and then D/L and install the "Intel Matrix Storage Manager" software, your Storage controller (Intel ICH9R SATA RAID controller) driver will then be updated. you can also supply (latest version of) the Intel ICH9R SATA RAID controller drivers during Windows installation process.
and/or you could use the Windows's drivers if you find no problem with your Windows system.

you can check the Intel ICH9R SATA RAID controller's driver properties in the Windows Device Manager.

the "Intel Matrix Storage Manager" software, installs an update version of the Intel ICH9R SATA RAID controller's driver and Intel Matrix Storage Console. you can then use this console to check your disk drives status, and to manage your RAID volumes.

if you do not want to install the "Intel Matrix Storage Manager" software, but you want to update the Intel ICH9R SATA RAID controller driver only, you can also do that via the Device Manager.

when a new version of "Intel Matrix Storage Manager" software released it will also include an update version for the SATA RAID controller drivers,
and once the new version released, you can D/L and install over an older version, the update version of the Intel Matrix Storage Console and SATA RAID controller drivers will then be updated.

PangingJr · Mar 18, 2008, 11:53 AM

duplicate post.

Judas · Mar 18, 2008, 12:07 PM

running through a quick test here...

apparently vista will install on a ich9r with 4 drives in raid 0 just fine (will provide it's own driver)

however the moment i pop 5 or more drives in for a raid 0 array... vista doesn't find anything and i must provide via a usb drive, the latest vista ich9r driver...

just a fyi

PangingJr · Mar 18, 2008, 12:20 PM

i'm sure your Gigabyte board is just like mines, but i just don't know how you things with yours.

Judas · Mar 18, 2008, 01:55 PM

i've tested this with 2 Asus ones with the x38 ich9r chipset and th 3 different gigabyte x38 with the ich9r....

4 drives in raid.. windows vista detects the drives....... 5 or more and vista doesn't see anything until you provide the driver via usb.....

PangingJr · Mar 18, 2008, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judas

i've tested this with 2 Asus ones with the x38 ich9r chipset and th 3 different gigabyte x38 with the ich9r....

4 drives in raid.. windows vista detects the drives....... 5 or more and vista doesn't see anything until you provide the driver via usb.....

so 4 drives in RAID no problem, but the Vista setup program won't continue the installation when system configured with 5/6 drives in RAID? i don't know why it did that to you. the last time i tried 6 drives in RAID i installed using a Windows image. i'll remember to check it and see if i run a new setup.
anyway, have you tried partitioning the RAID volumes and set active to the partition prior to the Windows installation?
also try creating a small volume just for the Windows install and leave the rest of the RAID drive space like that, try this i want to know if you can finish the install without the third party driver.

PangingJr · Mar 18, 2008, 03:26 PM

okay Judas i just read the Gigabyte X38 based boards user manual, it says at the Installing Windows Vista section that the RAID driver is required for systems configured for RAID or AHCI mode.
you tried on 5 different X38 based boards or so and Vista didn't have any problem detecting the 4 drives in RAID, and you didn't have problem installing Vista on the 4 drives in RAID?

Judas · Mar 18, 2008, 04:28 PM

There wasn't problems installing on any raid configuration....

it's just that with 5 or more drives... windows vista's supplied driver just doesn't seem to kick in for, i'm not sure what reasons...

4 drives or less.. and the window for selecting a drive pops up with the raid arrays listed.. And installation continues with the vista supplied ich9r driver

5 drives or more and the window for selecting a drive pops up with no drives and a caution message at the bottom stating "Windows was unable to find a drive that meets it's criteria".... at which point manually loading a driver via usb resolves that, you select the driver, and continue to load windows via the official intel ich9r driver.

PangingJr · Mar 18, 2008, 05:23 PM

okay so as per your experience with 5-6 drives in RAID and with X38 based baords you always get the Windows was unable to find a drive that meets it's criteria errors, and then after loading the third party driver it's worked everytime?
after Vista installs, have you ever checked the Intel ICH9R SATA RAID controller's driver properties in the Device Manager before you install IMSM software?

Judas · Mar 18, 2008, 05:40 PM

Yes... precisely..... the intel driver needs to be installed....

After installing windows and using the driver.. before installing the intel matrix storage software..... the driver listed in the device manager is that of intels and the same driver that the storage matrix would install (i ripped it from the folder for the usb drive)

PangingJr · Mar 18, 2008, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judas

Yes... precisely..... the intel driver needs to be installed....

After installing windows and using the driver.. before installing the intel matrix storage software..... the driver listed in the device manager is that of intels and the same driver that the storage matrix would install (i ripped it from the folder for the usb drive)

i think this is about limitation in the total RAID Array size, it shouldn't be the number of drives in RAID.
i don't know yet. need to check some Intel's documents later. but this is not hardware problem.

PangingJr · Mar 18, 2008, 08:09 PM

Judas, you may want to do some research into this subject.
if you have 2 TB volume(s), then see if the problem has to do with 2 TB limit
and post information you find out.

google these...
ICH9R 2 TB limit
and Intel Matrix Storage Manager Production Version 7.5.0.1017 - Supports data volumes Greater than 2 TB.

Judas · Mar 19, 2008, 09:27 AM

I've only ever done it with 500gb drives.... so that's a likely possibility... when i get my hands on 5 or more of the 320gb.. i'll give that awhirl..

PangingJr · Mar 19, 2008, 10:06 AM

Vista built-in driver is before version 7.5.0.1017?

Judas · Mar 19, 2008, 11:11 AM

not sure.. i think the built in driver is dated november of 2006.....

PangingJr · Mar 19, 2008, 11:39 AM

the "Greater than 2 TB" support, was introduced as a new feature in baseline 7.5.

Pre-Alpha 7.5.0.1002 - October 20, 2006
Alpha 7.5.0.1007 - December 27, 2006
Beta 7.5.0.1014 - February 26, 2007
Production Candidate 7.5.0.1017 - March 30, 2007
and Production Version 7.5.0.1017 was released and dated - April 6, 2007.

so, i think the driver that dated November 2006 still have 2 TB Limit.

Judas · Mar 19, 2008, 02:02 PM

that would make sense then.. the vista supplied driver predates the fix..... so anything over 2tb result in the driver not doing the job... so the intel supplied updated driver resolves the issues.