Q for XP users: SATA HDD

[teleguitar]

This is a multi-part question. If someone knows right off the bat, then I want to buy you a beer! I have googled and asked in a Windows forum, but no one is replying or helping. I haven't been able to get to the bottom of it, yet!

Okay, the problem is when I went to install XP or even to just look at the drive configuration, XP illustrated one drive being Disk 0 and another drive being Disk 0. This is not a typo.

I looked at my BIOS and it shows the following:

IDE Channel 0 Master - Drive A 500GB HDD
IDE Channel 0 Slave - DVD Burner
IDE Channel 1 Master - Drive B

I'm wondering if XP is interpreting both drives as 'Drive o' since the two hard drives are on different channels. I can't think of any other explanation so if you have a theory, please offer! ;-)

Both HDDs are SATA and the mobo is a Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3R so there are several channels and ports.

Lastly, if you know of a good Windows forum to ask Windows (in particular, XP) specific or centric questions, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks.

[willy]

Are all the drives connecting to the orange SATA ports ?

Are you using the 'purple' SATA ports currently ?

http://www.hardwarezone.com.my/img/data/articles/2007/2326/ap35c_top2.jpg

[rabbit]

orange
SATA Adaptor 0 - ID 0 ... Master - Drive A 500GB HDD
SATA Adaptor 0 - ID 1 ... Drive B
SATA Adaptor 0 - ID 2 ... empty
...
SATA Adaptor 0 - ID 6 ... empty

pink
SATA Adaptor 1 - ID 0 ... empty
SATA Adaptor 1 - ID 1 ... empty

green
IDE Adaptor 0 - ID 0 ... DVD Writer (master)
IDE Adaptor 0 - ID 1 ... empty (slave)


ID = channel

[balou911]

disconnect 2nd drive,install windows.
then install 2nd hdd.

[teleguitar]

Are all the drives connecting to the orange SATA ports ?

Are you using the 'purple' SATA ports currently ?

They're all connected to the orange SATA ports. I'll have to open the case but I'm pretty sure two are connected to 'SATAII0' and 'SATAII1' respectively.

Thanks for that recommendation, 'rabbit.' The DVD Burner is SATA, though.

I have ver. 2.1 of the DS3R so the Gigabyte SATA controller uses the colour 'purple.'

balou911, I will try your suggestion.

[rabbit]

> They're all connected to the orange SATA ports. I'll have to open the case but I'm pretty sure two are connected to 'SATAII0' and 'SATAII1' respectively.

Thanks for that recommendation, 'rabbit.' The DVD Burner is SATA, though.


Okay, so let me guess ...
You've got one HDD + DVD writer on a pair of the orange SATA ports, and the second HDD on a separate pair.

If so, then there's nothing to worry about. Think of each SATA pair as master/slave. To test to see if my theory is correct, put all three drives on separate pairs and see if it is listed as:
IDE Channel 0 Master - Drive A 500GB HDD
IDE Channel 1 Master - Drive B
IDE Channel 2 Master - DVD Burner