D975XBX2 Marvell Controller Problem

[mmackay]

Ubiquityman said - Why don't you try it with the Intel SATA ports?

There are a few reasons why I'd like to continue with the Marvell SATA ports ....
1) reserves remaining two Intel SATA ports for future RAID storage expansion
2) does not utilise 8 port SATA feature already purchased ..... especially the red port that I thought would be most suitable for removable hard drive
3) unsure if I can run the Tandberg as a standalone (non-RAID) SATA drive (and it's hand removable!) on the Intel SATA ports and still manage to retain the 2 x 320GB Hard drives in RAID 0 on the them. Could I?

If 3) is a certainty, perhaps I'd give up on 1) and just let 2) just knaw away at me.

Mel Mackay

[mmackay]

DL126 said "You will need to install the Marvell driver for Windows"

Just one thing ……

Yes, Windows XPPro is already loaded and the PC has been working for 6 months ….. I’m now troubled by the instruction on Loading the Marvel Storage Technology Raid Drivers and Software as this seems to suppose that Window is not yet loaded.

1) Begin Windows Setup by booting from Windows Installation CD.
2) At the beginning of Windows Setup, press F6 to install a third-party SCSI or Raid driver. When prompted, insert the diskette labelled Marvel Storage Technology RAID Driver. Install the Marvell 88SE61XX SATA RAID Controller driver.
3) Finish the Windows installation and install all necessary drivers.

Bearing in mind that Windows is already installed on another drive ….. just how much do I need to deviate from this process?

Is there a difference between the “Marvell 88SE61XX SATA RAID Controller driver” in 2) and “all necessary drivers” in 3)?


Mel Mackay

[DL126]

Step 2 assumes you're installing Windows from scratch on a drive connected to the Marvell controller.
Step 3 is referring to remaining system drivers such as video, sound, ect.

All you need to do is install the drivers listed here in your already existing installation of Windows...
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_ ... 1&lang=eng

[tclanton]

Sorry I added the post to the root of the Intel MB forum. Didn't hijack your thread on purpose. I just found the forum & it was a noob mistake. I'll get the hang of things. Thanks for your help.

I have this Intel board (D975XBX2) and I have flashed the BIOS to the latest (86A 2809 released 2007-12-13). I want to set it up as follows:

Intel SATA
4 x 500 GB Samsung (HD501LJ) HDDs in RAID5 for data.

Marvell SATA
1 x 500 GB Samsung (HD501LJ) HDD for OS (Windows XP Pro SP2).
1 x 500 GB Samsung (HD501LJ) HDD on red eSATA to external AMS enclosure
1 x Lite-On 20X DVDR (LH-20A1L-06)

I need RAID5 on 4 drives for redundancy for important personal data.
I need an external drive & wanted to use eSATA for speed rather than USB2.

What do you guys think? Is this going to be a nightmare due to the unstable nature of the Marvell controller? Or has the latest BIOS revision addressed enough of the problems?

If possible, what would be the recommended install order and methods/drivers for making this work correctly?

Could I use Marvell for 4 drive RAID5 and use Intel RAID for OS, DVDR, and external eSATA?

Thanks in advance.

[Prizy]

ive just RMA my bax axe 2 and sold the new replacement and am going for the eVGA 780i (lifetime warranty even if you like 2 overclock till ur fingers bleed) :D

[Methious]

I hate to say it but I think I'd cut my hand off before I got a Bad Axe board. 29,000 views on a thread detailing the horror stories of the Bad Axe that can't be an indicator that it's a headache free board.

Your board should work around you, not you around it.

[ubiquityman]

4 RMAs and 1 year later, my BA2 went back to Intel.
However, I can recommend the board if you are not going to use the Marvell controller.
There were a few other quirks, but the Marvell issue was the show stopper.
My new mobo, Gigabyte EX38-DQ6 has been very stable though.

[Darkterror58]

Many thanks to Tony919 for the useful advice!!!

I have my son's desktop PC from 2007 with Intel Bad Axe 2 D975XBX2 motherboard, chipset Intel Glenwood-DG i975X. I just reinstalled partition C: (progs&apps) with Win 7 64 ultimate (reinstalled 3rd time in 3 years). But this was the first time I faced the Marvell Controller said:

No array
No HDD etc. already written by others in the forum.

We have the latest BIOS available from 2009. and I tried what Tony919 suggested: "go to BIOS setup, select Advanced - Peripheral Configuration - (disable) Secondary SATA Controller."

I did it and it works with my son's PC. I tell you frankly, first I was afraid that after that PC won't see the third HDD (1.5 Tb, which I placed later in 2010 as "container" for movies), but everything is O.K.

So I strongly suggest to do what Tony919 suggested and Marvell Controller won't appear again with bothering messages.

Thank you Tony once again!