GA-X58-UD7 ICH SATA RAID hangs Computer

[shadow6491]

As the thread title states I have a GA-X58 UD7 version 2 with fd7bios. I originally set this computer up with 4 1TB WD black caviar hard disks in 2 sets of 2 in RAID 1 mirror.

The computer would consistently hang up or crash after a few minutes or so and I went through the process of debugging my first thoughts being the latest NVIDA display driver as the symptoms were very similar to a bad display driver. I could start the computer in safe mode and it would run all night which further made me think it was a driver problem and not a hardware or bios setting fault such as a wrong voltage for the memory controller or such. At this time what I didn't notice was even though it was in safe mode the Lan was still locking up. So after getting the latest of everything from the bios to every driver I could think of installed although things were better I still had time outs and lockups. I finally thought OK back to basics and set the ICH SATA controller back to the default IDE. Low and behold the computer has operated without fault for 12 hours.

What could be causing the ICH SATA Control Mode not to be working? Is this a bios problem or a faulty motherboard?

Any ideas I should try to further prove this is the problem or ideas on how to fix it.

[shadow6491]

Re: GA-X58-UD7 ICH SATA RAID hangs Computer

anyone from gigabyte care to comment

[wazza300]

Re: GA-X58-UD7 ICH SATA RAID hangs Computer

On Intel ports? Using latest raid drivers ect?

[shadow6491]

Re: GA-X58-UD7 ICH SATA RAID hangs Computer

Yes. Although the Intel drivers are probably not really necessary are they? They are just an information and control panel. The real drivers are built into the bios are they not?

[wazza300]

Re: GA-X58-UD7 ICH SATA RAID hangs Computer

You might have trouble using raid on the white Marvell ports,blue Intel ports will be more reliable,you mean the Intel raid Rom in the BIOS? You could ask acebmxer to mod your BIOS with the newest Intel raid Rom? That might help,Idk much about raid setups myself

[Acebmxer]

Re: GA-X58-UD7 ICH SATA RAID hangs Computer

Here is a link to the modded bios. Computertechnik JZelectronic I did not mod these my self. They should work just fine, just remember to use caution while flashing.

As for raid and drivers/control panel software needed.... Windows 7 will install its own drivers needed to access and use your raid array. So there for you really do not need to install any software. If you had raid1 and you need to sync your drives or monitor your drives then yes you would need software. Also you may get a speed increase in transfer rates with Intel's driver instead of Microsoft's.

Still recommend you install the software. I would highly recommend using a bios for your revision of your board. There is rev 1 and rev 2 both boards have separate bios. I believe I saw some where that Intel raid rom 10.6 supported 2tb+ drives. This may help you out.

[shadow6491]

Re: GA-X58-UD7 ICH SATA RAID hangs Computer

For this computer I am using the Blue Intel ports. The version of the board is version two and it has Fd9 bios installed. After 30 min or so the computer just hangs up. I have confirmed that it is the raid disks that are causing this problem. When I set the ICH SATA Control Mode to Raid the computer hangs after 30 mis or so.

When I set the ICH SATA Control Mode to IDE the computer is happy and will run all night and day. However this is now without any form of redundancy in the HDD. This is one of the main reasons for the use of RAID and it should work in such a standard configuration.

What is wrong here?

[Acebmxer]

Re: GA-X58-UD7 ICH SATA RAID hangs Computer

Did you try flashing your bios with one that has been modded with a updated Intel Raid Rom. Like I said this may help with your problem as it may add better support for larger hdd's and or arrays.

Flashing the new bios will not erase your array. Everything will still be there.

[Hyper530]

Re: GA-X58-UD7 ICH SATA RAID hangs Computer

Which OS? No problem occurs in safe mode? Tried reinstalling the drivers?
The latest version of BIOS in GIGABYTE website is FF1 that is newer than your FD9, i think you can just try it.

[shadow6491]

Re: GA-X58-UD7 ICH SATA RAID hangs Computer

Hyper I am using Win 7 64bit. The problem did occur in safe mode. Which ruled out most of the drivers. I did reinstall all the latest drivers I had loaded.

Could you please post a link to the gigabyte website that has this version of Bios. I checked the USA site and the Australian site and they still post FD9 as the latest Beta Bios.

I have not installed the Bios that Acebmxer posted as I was not keen on Bios versions created by unknown sources. Maybe a little bit of an explanation about who is creating this bios may rest my concerns.

ere is a link to the modded bios. Computertechnik JZelectronic I did not mod these my self. They should work just fine, just remember to use caution while flashing.

I am quite concerend that Gigabyte would release Bios with simple and critical flaws like this. As part of my job I look after the computer purchases for my company and RAID drives are commonly used.

[Acebmxer]

Re: GA-X58-UD7 ICH SATA RAID hangs Computer

Hyper I am using Win 7 64bit. The problem did occur in safe mode. Which ruled out most of the drivers. I did reinstall all the latest drivers I had loaded.

Could you please post a link to the gigabyte website that has this version of Bios. I checked the USA site and the Australian site and they still post FD9 as the latest Beta Bios.

I have not installed the Bios that Acebmxer posted as I was not keen on Bios versions created by unknown sources. Maybe a little bit of an explanation about who is creating this bios may rest my concerns.

I am quite concerend that Gigabyte would release Bios with simple and critical flaws like this. As part of my job I look after the computer purchases for my company and RAID drives are commonly used.

Gigabyte is slow on updating their website for bios versions. Sometimes they will not post beta bios's on their site at all. You will have to find then on sites like this or the one I posted. Also Gigabyte is very slow including updated Option roms in their bios.

This forum is the afaik is the "USA Gigabyte support forum". JZ's site is the "German Gigabyte support forum". Also afaik JZ him self has done the modifications.


I strongly recommend you update the bios with one of the following modded versions for your board. If for what ever reason it does not fix your problem or causes any issues you can easily flash back to another version.

If you really have problems using "JZ's" modded bios and would like for me to make you one, Let me know either in here or via PM. Only thing is I do not have your board to test the bios out on. I have made them for my board and the ep45-ud3p so I should have no problems doing the mod. I just will not be able to test it.

[shadow6491]

Re: GA-X58-UD7 ICH SATA RAID hangs Computer

Thank you for your reply. I now realize from this discussion and others that the bios is made up of several components from different manufactures and Gigabyte assemble them all and their own code to make a working bios for a particular board.

[shadow6491]

Re: GA-X58-UD7 ICH SATA RAID hangs Computer

Well I have updated the Bios once again now to X58AUD72.FD13 and the Lan connection is still going to sleep after about an hour.

[Acebmxer]

Re: GA-X58-UD7 ICH SATA RAID hangs Computer

So is your raid setup ok now and only having trouble with Lan ports? Have you tried ping /t (routers ip address)? It would be something like c:\ping /t 192.168.1.1 this will continue to ping until you stop it ("ctrl"+"c") or until it has a error. Try both ports on the motherboard. Try diffferent cables or try different ports on your router.

Also if your overclocked and running 2 big gpu's in SLI and have a couple hdd or sdd's connected you may need to bump up the voltage for pci-e and or the ioh.

[shadow6491]

Re: GA-X58-UD7 ICH SATA RAID hangs Computer

Yes I actually tried this as a test quite some time back and continue to do so. I have been running at stock standard (optimized settings) apart from VDRAM set to 1.66V. I only have a single Gigabyte GTX 560 card. The Computer has 4 1TB western Digital HDD.

I haven't tried both of the LAN ports only the one so far. I will give that a go.