Help me understand Sata ports vs channels

I have a GB G31m-es2l mobo and 4 sata HDs. I want them each to be running on their own channel for max performance but in bios it doesn't seem to allow me.

Example
sata
channel 1 port 1/3
channel 2 port 0/2


This is from the manual

SATA Port 0/2 Set to
This value is dependent on the On-Chip SATA Mode and PATA IDE Set to settings.
When PATA IDE Set to is configured to Ch. 1 Master/Slave, this option will be automatically set
to Ch. 0 Master/Slave.

SATA Port 1/3 Set to
This value is dependent on the On-Chip SATA Mode and PATA IDE Set to settings.
When PATA IDE Set to is configured to Ch. 0 Master/Slave, this option will be automatically set
to Ch. 1 Master/Slave.

If I had 4 channels I wouldnt see 0/2 and 1/3(sharing) right?

Does this mean I only have 2 channels but 4 ports?

Scrotie mcboogerballs

Hello,

Your MB has the 4 SATA ports all coming off the Southbridge ICH7. Just like Hawkeye described, each SATA port has 1 device on it.
The way GB still lists the channels is screwy, on your BIOS page it's IDE channel 0, 2, 3 each Master/Slave. The BIOS will list your SATA devices with these headings, over which you have no control. Just keep them all on 'Auto'.


Maybe someone else knows the logic of why the IDE categorization is still used rather than listing them as SATA drives.

I'm not sure it is critical, but I would place my system drive on SATA_0, DVD on SATA_1, other secondary or backup drives on SATA_2 and SATA_3.
They all do come off the Southbridge chip.

It just doesn't let me get the settings right in bios because I have a program called HDD regenerator and it tells me that 4 HDD share 2 channels.

None of the settings allow me to configure anything but

1/3 ports ch 0
0/2 ports ch 1

The BIOS will list your SATA devices with these headings, over which you have no control. Just keep them all on 'Auto'.


The BIOS sets these. I would just leave the channels set to 'Auto' because if you remove a HDD device, it will automatically adjust the channel. Your MB for some 'unknown reason' has Channels 0, 2, 3, if I remember correctly? There is no channel 1. So with 4 HDDs, the only change would be to place on HDD or a separate channel.

It really is not something that need fixing