Succesful POST sata in IDE?

[marxr87]

Im installing windows 7 as we speak, i didnt get time to hit delete to check my bios, but it beeped once and seems to be running smoothly. A couple questions, however...When it posted it said that my sata was running in ide...I dont even have an ide cable plugged in...and how do I know what to set my ram voltage and cas and what not?

I'm running
GIGABYTE GA-790XTA-UD4 AM3 AMD 790X SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128416

Crucial 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model CT2KIT25664BA1339
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148262

AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Deneb 3.2GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103808

Also, is there a low key, safe amount of OC I can do with the processor or ram? Nothing fancy or requiring more cooling...just would like to start experimenting with it.

 

[tecmo34]

It is okay be running your hard drive in IDE mode. It isn't thinking you are running an IDE hard drive. It is just the type of disk mode to select. The other is ACHI, which is the new format and provides better options. I would recommend switching to that down the road, but you'll need to do some register editing before hand to get the PC to boot after switching it in your BIOS. Here is a good link on what I'm talking about (the best answer)... http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/255232-32-next-move-fresh-install-windows-intel

As for your RAM question, you'll need review the actual timings listed on your RAM to be able to set it in your BIOS. Based on the Newegg link, it shouldn't need to be adusted because 1.5V is typically the default RAM voltage and the timings are Cas9, which they should default to.

On your overclocking question, You can easily go up to 3.7GHz with a proper aftermarket cooler and I don't think you have much wiggle room on the RAM, as they look pretty basic.

 

[marxr87]

Oh, cool. Thanks for the help. Now I have two more problems, but they are probably simple.

1. When I was installing Windows 7...it asks how much space you want to allocate or w/e. I clicked the new option...thinking I was making a partition and set aside 100gb for windows 7. Now that its installed...thats all the space that is showing up on my 1tb hdd. Even when I click on properties it shows it as having only 100gb. How do I allocate the rest of my hard drive for use?

2. I'm trying to install my drivers from DVD and my oem asus blu ray player won't run them. I can view the files but not actually do anything. I knew I would need to buy software to be able to play blu ray but I thought the cd/dvd part would still run fine. I mean I installed Windows 7 from it...why can't I use it now and is there free software I can get to run at least the dvd/cd part? I tried looking on Asus's website but no luck....
ASUS Black 4X BD-ROM 8X DVD-ROM 32X CD-ROM SATA Internal Blu-ray Drive Model BR-04B2T - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135205

Thanks again!

 

[tecmo34]

First one... You need to go to your start menu, right mouse click on Computer and select Manage. This will take you to your computer management screen. From here you select disk management under storage. You should see 800GB in black on your 1TB drive that is unallocated. You'll need to format that partition to see the rest of your hard drive.

Second one... I'm not sure what your issue is... You can review the files but they won't install or autorun? I would copy them onto your hard drive in a folder and install them from there. If you can see them, you should be able to copy them and install from the hard drive.

 

[marxr87]

Alright I think I might have found the firmware I need for the blu ray. Strange that it needs a firmware upgrade just to work lol. Hope this works

 

[marxr87]

Hm, do you mean a new simple volume? Format isnt available as an option. It is on the part that I already had set aside for windows...but not the part thats black and unallocated. Lol copying and pasting seems to work. Thanks! Windows 7 is all new to me. Shiny!

 

[tecmo34]

Sorry... Yes... I mean new simple volume or Windows 7's way of saying format an unformated drive

 

[marxr87]

one other thought, I was checking my bios...whats a good temp for the cpu to be running at? Mine was 39c and case temp 41c....I could turn off smart fan and run the cpu fan at max all the time if it was an issue...but that didnt seem to bad to me

 

[marxr87]

Hehe K

Silly Windows 7. I don't know if I'll ever get over XP...

 

[tecmo34]

Those temps seem a little high for an idle CPU but within safe limits. Once you get up and running, Download Prime95 & RealTemp (or HWMonitor) and run the Prime95 Blend test for at least an hour. Monitor yout Core temps with RealTemp and post an update. If it is under 60C, you are doing just fine and have no worries.

 

[marxr87]

k, Retired Chief told me to run memtest86 or w.e when I booted up which i didnt, but I know that wouldnt be it. I also ran Smith Micro diagnostics. I'll let you know when I run the prime95 whats up. Thanks again! I don't know if this is important; when my comp is idle it is taking up 15% of my physical memory...seems a little high for 4gb ram but maybe not? And I thought someone had told me my ram could be ran in cas 7 instead of cas 9? Idk

 

[tecmo34]

15% usage doesn't seem to bad... You always have services/programs running in the background taking up memory.

I don't really think you can run your RAM as Cas7. You would have to run at lower speeds & most likely increass voltage to get the RAM to be stable with Cas7 settings.

 

[pat]

IDE is the controller type. SATA is the interface type. So, an IDE drive that use a SATA interface is still an IDE drive.

Just like when in a car, you switch from town road to highway.. You still have the same car, but are driving faster

 

[marxr87]

do you think this would be some decent ram instead?
OCZ Platinum 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model OCZ3P1333LV4GK
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227478

 

[tecmo34]

Yes, the OCZ Platinums are better RAM than what you currently selected.