Locked SATA Channels

[shira]

In a few posts involving overclocking of NF4 MBs, I recall seeing recommendations to move HDs to SATA channels 3 and 4, which can be locked (sorry if I'm getting this garbled). I've searched for, but haven't found, an explanation of this. I'm guessing that the locked SATA channels stay at the default 200MHz clock speed, regardless of the FSB speed, and this removes one source of instability. Is this correct?

Since there are only two lockable SATA channels, what happens if you have more than two SATA HDs? Since each SATA HD gets its own channel, at least one HD will be on an unlocked channel. Is this likely to be a problem?

Also, is there a way to place non-SATA HDs on locked channels?

 

[FastEddie]

The locked s-ata channels refferenced involved an NF3 board, MSI Neo2 Platinum, where the nv sata ports 3&4 were locked, 1&2 were not. 😉

 

[Tweakin]

Correct,

the locked sata channels 3&4 will stay at the reference speed regardless of the actual fsb speed. This is essential if you plan on overclocking as sata drives do not like over-bus speeds at all...they seem to corrupt the data.

 

[shira]

Originally posted by: Tweakin
Correct,

the locked sata channels 3&4 will stay at the reference speed regardless of the actual fsb speed. This is essential if you plan on overclocking as sata drives do not like over-bus speeds at all...they seem to corrupt the data.

And what does one do if there are three or more SATA drives in the system? Sounds like overclocked systems are limited to just two.

 

[FastEddie]

Or you use two sata devices, and any additional storage drives you'd put on the ide channel, whose bus can be locked. 😉

 

[Tweakin]

Originally posted by: FastEddie
Or you use two sata devices, and any additional storage drives you'd put on the ide channel, whose bus can be locked. 😉

That's the ticket...

 

[bob661]

You can get a SATA to PATA converter.

 

[21stHermit]

Originally posted by: bob661
You can get a SATA to PATA converter.

Can I get a PATA to SATA converter? That way I could put my SATA drive on the locked IDE bus. 🙂

 

[sxr7171]

Is this a confirmed issue with NF4 boards too?

 

[FastEddie]

Not that I know of, or heard of. 😉

 

[sxr7171]

Originally posted by: FastEddie
Not that I know of, or heard of. 😉

Good!

 

[shira]

Originally posted by: sxr7171
Is this a confirmed issue with NF4 boards too?

I don't know if anyone has isolated any stability problems with overclocked NF4 boards specifically to SATA drives. But I have seen threads where advice given for NF4 problems includes, "Move the SATA drives to locked channels 3 and 4". If indeed SATA drives are sensitive to overclocking, I assume that that would be the case on NF4 MBs, too. I'm planning on building a system based on the GA-K8NXP-9, and I'm just trying to cover all the bases.

 

[MajorPayne]

Originally posted by: shira

Originally posted by: sxr7171
Is this a confirmed issue with NF4 boards too?

I don't know if anyone has isolated any stability problems with overclocked NF4 boards specifically to SATA drives. But I have seen threads where advice given for NF4 problems includes, "Move the SATA drives to locked channels 3 and 4". If indeed SATA drives are sensitive to overclocking, I assume that that would be the case on NF4 MBs, too. I'm planning on building a system based on the GA-K8NXP-9, and I'm just trying to cover all the bases.

I am not sure about ALL Nforce4 boards, but I have a Chaintech VNF4 Ultra, and I am running it right now overclocked to 300HTT (!) stable, with my SATA RAID0 array on channels 1 and 2. I had heard about switching to channels 3 and 4 early on in my overclocking of this board (when the original BIOS limited me to 240 HTT), and I tried this, but it made no difference, so I moved back to channels 1 and 2. On my board, which SATA channels I use make zero difference in overclocking, so it should be the same for your board. The only issue I have with going further is that above 300, I start getting calculation errors in superpi, but those would be RAM/CPU based, so I think I hit a wall as to how far my A64 3000+ will go (but considering that I am running a processor which has a stock clock of 1800MHZ at 2700 MHZ, I do not mind having to stop here!).

 

[sxr7171]

Originally posted by: MajorPayne

Originally posted by: shira

Originally posted by: sxr7171
Is this a confirmed issue with NF4 boards too?

I don't know if anyone has isolated any stability problems with overclocked NF4 boards specifically to SATA drives. But I have seen threads where advice given for NF4 problems includes, "Move the SATA drives to locked channels 3 and 4". If indeed SATA drives are sensitive to overclocking, I assume that that would be the case on NF4 MBs, too. I'm planning on building a system based on the GA-K8NXP-9, and I'm just trying to cover all the bases.

I am not sure about ALL Nforce4 boards, but I have a Chaintech VNF4 Ultra, and I am running it right now overclocked to 300HTT (!) stable, with my SATA RAID0 array on channels 1 and 2. I had heard about switching to channels 3 and 4 early on in my overclocking of this board (when the original BIOS limited me to 240 HTT), and I tried this, but it made no difference, so I moved back to channels 1 and 2. On my board, which SATA channels I use make zero difference in overclocking, so it should be the same for your board. The only issue I have with going further is that above 300, I start getting calculation errors in superpi, but those would be RAM/CPU based, so I think I hit a wall as to how far my A64 3000+ will go (but considering that I am running a processor which has a stock clock of 1800MHZ at 2700 MHZ, I do not mind having to stop here!).

That sir is an insane OC! I hope that I can get even close with my 3200+. Also it is good news in that probably the NF4 chipset locks all its SATA ports.