Gigabyte GA-A55M-DS2 User Manual

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Chapter 4 Appendix
4-1 ConguringSATAHardDrive(s)
Before you begin
Please prepare:
• At least two SATA hard drives (to ensure optimal performance, it is recommended that you use two hard
drives with identical model and capacity). If you do not want to create RAID, you may prepare only one
hard drive.
• Windows 7/Vista/XP setup disk.
• Motherboard driver disk.
• A USB oppy disk drive (needed during Windows XP installation)
• An empty formatted oppy disk (needed during Windows XP installation)
ConguringtheOnboardSATAController
A.InstallingSATAharddrive(s)inyourcomputer
Attach one end of the SATA signal cable to the rear of the SATA hard drive and the other end to available
SATA port on the motherboard. Then connect the power connector from your power supply to the hard drive.
B.ConguringSATAcontrollermodeinBIOSSetup
Make sure to configure the SATA controller mode correctly in system BIOS Setup. For the BIOS Setup
menus, refer to Chapter 2, "BIOS Setup," "Integrated Peripherals."
Steps:
1. Turn on your computer and press <Delete> to enter BIOS Setup during the POST (Power-On Self-Test).
Make sure OnChipSATAController is enabled. To enable RAID for the SATA2_0/1/2/3 connectors, set
OnChipSATAType to RAID. To enable RAID for the SATA2_4/SATA2_5 connectors, set OnChipSATA
Type to RAID and set OnChipSATAPort4/5Type to As SATA Type.
2. Save changes and exit BIOS Setup.
The BIOS Setup menus described in this section may differ from the exact settings for your moth-
erboard. The actual BIOS Setup menu options you will see shall depend on the motherboard you
have and the BIOS version.
C.ConguringRAIDsetinRAIDBIOS
Enter the RAID BIOS setup utility to congure a RAID array. After the POST memory test begins and
before the operating system boot begins, look for a message which says "Press <Ctrl-F> to enter RAID
Option ROM Utility". Press <Ctrl> + <F> to enter the RAID BIOS setup utility. To create a new array, press
<2> to enter the LDView/LDDeneMenu window. To create an array, press <Ctrl+C> to access the LD
DeneMenu. In the LDDeneMenu, use the up or down arrow key to move to an item for further congu-
ration. In the following procedure, we'll create RAID 0 as an example.
Steps:
1. Under the RAID Mode section, press the <SPACE> key to select RAID 0.
2. Set the Stripe Block size. 64 KB is the default.
3. Under the Drives Assignments section, press the up or down arrow key to highlight a drive.
4. Press the <SPACE> key or <Y>to change the Assignment option to Y. This action adds the drive to the
disk array. The Drv section will show the number of disks assigned.

Gigabyte GA-A55M-DS2 Specifications

General

Memory voltage	1.5 V
Memory channels	Dual-channel
Memory slots type	DIMM
Number of memory slots	2
Supported memory types	DDR3-SDRAM
Maximum internal memory	32 GB
Supported memory clock speeds	1066, 1333, 1600, 1866 MHz
Supported memory module capacities	16GB, 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, 8GB
Processor socket	Socket FM1
Processor manufacturer	AMD
Compatible processor series	AMD A, AMD E2
Maximum number of SMP processors	1
S/PDIF out connector	Yes
Number of SATA II connectors	4
Number of SATA III connectors	-
Number of Parallel ATA connectors	0
BIOS type	AWARD
ACPI version	1.0b
BIOS memory size	64 Mbit
USB 2.0 ports quantity	USB 2.0 ports have a data transmission speed of 480 Mbps, and are backwards compatible with USB 1.1 ports. You can connect all kinds of peripheral devices to them.
Component for	PC
Power source type	ATX
Motherboard chipset	AMD A55
Audio output channels	7.1 channels
Motherboard form factor	micro ATX
Compatible operating systems	Microsoft Windows 7/Vista/XP
RAID levels	0, 1, 10, JBOD
Supported storage drive interfaces	SATA II
Parallel processing technology support	Not supported
PCI Express slots version	2.0
Trial software	Norton Internet Security
Ethernet interface type	Gigabit Ethernet

Weight and Dimensions

Depth	174 mm
Width	225 mm