View Full Version : sata controller, sata ports...sata argh
gildan2020
06-07-2005, 03:06 PM
can someone tell me the difference between the two terms: sata controller and sata ports?
answers to this simple noob question would be nice too...
how many hard disks can a mobo support if it has either:
1) 2 controllers, or
2) 2 ports
thx,
gildan2020
Virtualbody1234
06-07-2005, 03:11 PM
The controller is the chip on the board and the port is where the device connects.
2 ports can support 2 drives (SATA).
gildan2020
06-07-2005, 03:15 PM
i see...
so, wat's the connection between controllers and ports?
gildan2020
Virtualbody1234
06-07-2005, 03:31 PM
You see this pic?
http://images.gruntville.com/images/hardware/Motherboards-AMD/abit_nf7-s/SATA_controller.jpg
The chip with the green sticker is the SATA controller chip.
The black connectors to the right are the SATA "ports".
They are interconnected by tiny circuits on the motherboard. The motherboard is multi layered so that there can more circuits in a small area.
gildan2020
06-07-2005, 03:55 PM
ok, i get the idea now
thanks
gildan2020
Virtualbody1234
06-07-2005, 04:14 PM
You're welcome. :)
Just to add a little clarity.
Unlike IDE, there's no direct rule about the number of ports a single controller can have, it is down to the chip maker.
I haven't seen any chips which handle more than 4 ports at the current time, but that doesn't mean that there aren't some or won't be in the future.
The SATA II standard allows for port multipliers. I've seen examples of these which can handle 5 drives, so when added to a 4 port controller that means you could have up to 20 drives from a single chip, although the maximum throughput on each port is still 3GB/s.
Adster
06-08-2005, 11:59 AM
hm i have a question
SATA II adn SATA i have a HD adn a mobo that has 4 SATA ports and 4 SATA II
does it matter which one I put it in???
do i have to have a SATA II HDD?? or what i know SATA II is faster
clocker
06-08-2005, 01:27 PM
No, you do not have a SATA II HDD...I'm not even sure there are any available yet.
Which set of ports you connect to is (semi) up to you.
My Gigabyte board runs the 4 SATA II ports directly on the nVidia chipset.
Any device run through this controller is presented to Windows as IDE and you need no drivers for Windows to recognize them.
The other four are on a SiliconImage 3114 controller.
For these to show up, drivers must be fed in (i.e., the ole F6 song and dance).
Either way will ultimately work, but scenario #1 is the easiest.
Edit: Furthermore, the SATA II ports on my board have the new, more secure clip-lock connections and the other four do not.
This seems stupid and I'm not sure what the thinking behind it is.
Edit: Furthermore, the SATA II ports on my board have the new, more secure clip-lock connections and the other four do not.
This seems stupid and I'm not sure what the thinking behind it is.Maybe when SATA II drives come along the higher data rates will tend to push the connectors out of their sockets. ;)
gildan2020
06-08-2005, 08:42 PM
No, you do not have a SATA II HDD...I'm not even sure there are any available yet.
Which set of ports you connect to is (semi) up to you.
My Gigabyte board runs the 4 SATA II ports directly on the nVidia chipset.
Any device run through this controller is presented to Windows as IDE and you need no drivers for Windows to recognize them.
The other four are on a SiliconImage 3114 controller.
For these to show up, drivers must be fed in (i.e., the ole F6 song and dance).
Either way will ultimately work, but scenario #1 is the easiest.
Edit: Furthermore, the SATA II ports on my board have the new, more secure clip-lock connections and the other four do not.
This seems stupid and I'm not sure what the thinking behind it is.
ur mobo is capable of handling 8 harddisks??? :ohmy:
damn...and i thought MSI K8N NEO4 is the pwnest...
http://www.msi.com.tw/program/products/mainboard/mbd/pro_mbd_detail.php?UID=638
what model is ur gigabyte mobo?
gildan2020
Virtualbody1234
06-08-2005, 09:54 PM
what model is ur gigabyte mobo?
gildan2020
I think that clocker has this mobo: http://tw.giga-byte.com/MotherBoard/Products/Products_GA-K8N%20Ultra-9.htm
http://www.laptops4me.com/images/pict/MB-K8NU-9_LG.gif
clocker
06-08-2005, 10:24 PM
Yes indeed, that's the one.
@Guildan...I can run eight HDDs on my SATA ports alone.
Add four more if you count the IDE channels.
So, in theory, I could have twelve HDDs all happily spinning round at the same time.
Not that I would, mind you.
That would be excessive and show-offy.
gildan2020
06-09-2005, 12:17 AM
Yes indeed, that's the one.
@Guildan...I can run eight HDDs on my SATA ports alone.
Add four more if you count the IDE channels.
So, in theory, I could have twelve HDDs all happily spinning round at the same time.
Not that I would, mind you.
That would be excessive and show-offy.
hmm...looking at ur specs...i realise that 4 of them are SATA-I and the other 4 are SATA-II, am i right?
oh boy...here comes another term: connector. are connectors essentially ports?
3 x USB 2.0/1.1 connectors (supports 6 ports)
2 x IEEE 1394b connectors (supports 3 ports)
i just wanna get all these terms straight before i buy myself a new mobo.
dun wanna misinterpret info :)
gildan2020
Virtualbody1234
06-09-2005, 01:14 AM
That would be excessive and show-offy.
Normal for you. ;)
Adster
06-09-2005, 01:52 AM
what model is ur gigabyte mobo?
gildan2020
I think that clocker has this mobo: http://tw.giga-byte.com/MotherBoard/Products/Products_GA-K8N%20Ultra-9.htm
http://www.laptops4me.com/images/pict/MB-K8NU-9_LG.gif
yep thats teh mobo i have
an intel fanboy told me it was shithouse
clocker
06-09-2005, 04:45 AM
That would be excessive and show-offy.
Normal for you. ;)
What can I say?
I'm American.
Adster
06-09-2005, 01:42 PM
and im australian and have teh saem bard :P
Virtualbody1234
06-09-2005, 01:47 PM
and im australian and have teh saem bard :P
Well, at least you aren't show-offy about it. :lookaroun
clocker
06-09-2005, 02:32 PM
and im australian and have teh saem bard :P
Well, at least you aren't show-offy about it. :lookaroun
Hey, give me some credit here.
I've been pretty low-key about my bard.
Virtualbody1234
06-09-2005, 02:49 PM
I've been pretty low-key about my bard.
I'm not gonna ask. Looks too much like a trap. :shutup:
hmm...looking at ur specs...i realise that 4 of them are SATA-I and the other 4 are SATA-II, am i right?
oh boy...here comes another term: connector. are connectors essentially ports?
3 x USB 2.0/1.1 connectors (supports 6 ports)
2 x IEEE 1394b connectors (supports 3 ports)
i just wanna get all these terms straight before i buy myself a new mobo.
dun wanna misinterpret info :)
gildan2020
Used that way I think it refers to a connector (probably a male one with a bunch of pins) to which you can plug either a usb bracket with ports or the cable for the usb ports on your chassis. Thus you connect the ports to the connector, and then, when using whatever usb-device you might want to use you have that connected to the ports.
connector->ports->usb device
The same goes for the firewire connector, 'cept it'd be firewire and not usb then.
Adster
06-09-2005, 03:05 PM
sorry i was saying bad in a British accent :(
although I was meant to say board
clocker
06-09-2005, 03:17 PM
I was meant to be a billionaire astronaut, but that didn't work out for me either.
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