configuring a new Ivy Bridge system (graphics question + SATA AHCI question)

[Turbonium]

I'm going to be putting together a new Ivy Bridge system very soon. I have a dedicated graphics card to go with it. I'm just wondering how the BIOS or whatnot configures things with graphics, and SATA (when it comes to optical drives).

1 - My plan is to basically plug everything in, graphics card and all, before powering up. I'm assuming the BIOS will automatically disable the integrated graphics of the IB processor and default to the dedicated GPU. Is this the case? Or do I need to manually configure it?

2 - I was told that some SATA optical drives only run in IDE mode or something, not AHCI. Is this true? If so, is there anything I should know about configuring the system?

I'm using an Intel motherboard, if it matters.

 

[Sleepingforest]

Anecdotally: I just plugged in the graphics card and connected the monitor the the graphics card. That should be the case for you as well.

As for the optical drive, you'll simply need to go into the BIOS to make that change from AHCI to IDE if it doesn't work. I don't actually have an optical drive, so good luck (I used a USB stick with Win7 loaded onto it via a spare laptop).

 

[Torn Mind]

If the optical drive doesn't work it AHCI mode, it's only a few button pushes in BIOS to change to IDE mode. It probably won't be an issue. I know my cheap ASUS burner works in AHCI mode with my Asrock motherboard.

 

[tarmc]

which motherboard did you go with on your setup? also which sata port is the optical drive plugged into? try a dif sata port maybe?

 

[vailr]

Look at the motherboard or in the owner's manual for the SATA port numbering. An optical drive should be connected to either of the 2 highest-numbered Intel SATA ports. So, if you have 6 Intel SATA ports numbered as 0,1,2,3,4,5 then connect the optical drive to port 4 or 5. Usually there's 2 faster speed SATA ports, which would be most useful for connecting to the system boot drive (SATA ports 0 & 1).
The bios can be optionally configured to disable the onboard Intel graphics, so that the operating system won't detect or provide any resources towards it.

 

[mfenn]

1 - My plan is to basically plug everything in, graphics card and all, before powering up. I'm assuming the BIOS will automatically disable the integrated graphics of the IB processor and default to the dedicated GPU. Is this the case? Or do I need to manually configure it?

It should default to the dGPU if one is plugged in. If for some reason you don't see any signal on your dGPU's output's, switch over to the iGPU's outputs and change the setting.

2 - I was told that some SATA optical drives only run in IDE mode or something, not AHCI. Is this true? If so, is there anything I should know about configuring the system?

If your SATA drive behaves this way, it's broken and you should throw it out. Any reasonably new drive (<3 years) should have no problems with AHCI mode.

 

[Turbonium]

If your SATA drive behaves this way, it's broken and you should throw it out. Any reasonably new drive (<3 years) should have no problems with AHCI mode.

Someone just told me this happens with optical SATA drives. I haven't actually started assembling the system yet, but given what you said, and my own experience, it should work just fine in AHCI mode.

Still waiting on backordered items btw (still need the RAM). If I don't get the memory by tomorrow, I'll be very annoyed.