2.10 Serial ATA3 (SATA3) Hard Disks Installation. ASROCK 970 Pro3 R2.0

2.10 Serial ATA3 (SATA3) Hard Disks Installation

This motherboard adopts AMD SB950 chipset that supports Serial ATA3 (SATA3) hard disks and RAID (RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5 and RAID 10) functions. You may install SATA3 hard disks on this motherboard for internal storage devices. This section will guide you to install the SATA3 hard disks.

STEP 1: Install the SATA3 hard disks into the drive bays of your chassis.

STEP 2: Connect the SATA power cable to the SATA3 hard disk.

STEP 3: Connect one end of the SATA data cable to the motherboard’s SATA3 connector.

STEP 4: Connect the other end of the SATA data cable to the SATA3 hard disk.

2.11 Hot Plug and Hot Swap Functions for SATA3 HDDs

This motherboard supports Hot Plug and Hot Swap functions for SATA3 in RAID

/ AHCI mode. AMD SB950 chipset provides hardware support for Advanced Host controller Interface (AHCI), a new programming interface for SATA host controllers developed thru a joint industry effort.

NOTE

What is Hot Plug Function?

If the SATA3 HDDs are NOT set for RAID configuration, it is called “Hot

Plug” for the action to insert and remove the SATA3 HDDs while the system is still power-on and in working condition.

However, please note that it cannot perform Hot Plug if the OS has been installed into the SATA3 HDD.

What is Hot Swap Function?

If SATA3 HDDs are built as RAID 1 or RAID 5 then it is called “Hot

Swap” for the action to insert and remove the SATA3 HDDs while the system is still power-on and in working condition.

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2.12 SATA3 HDD Hot Plug Feature and Operation Guide

This motherboard supports Hot Plug feature for SATA3 HDD in RAID / AHCI mode. Please read below operation guide of Hot Plug feature carefully. Before you process the SATA3 HDD Hot Plug, please check below cable accessories from the motherboard gift box pack.

A. 7-pin SATA data cable

B. SATA power cable with SATA 15-pin power connector interface

A. SATA data cable (Red) B. SATA power cable

SATA 7-pin connector

The SATA 15-pin power connector (Black) connect to SATA3 HDD

1x4-pin conventional power connector (White) connect to power supply

Caution

1. Without SATA 15-pin power connector interface, the SATA3 Hot Plug cannot be

processed.

2. Even some SATA3 HDDs provide both SATA 15-pin power connector and IDE

1x4-pin conventional power connector interfaces, the IDE 1x4-pin conventional

power connector interface is definitely not able to support Hot Plug and will cause

the HDD damage and data loss.

Points of attention, before you process the Hot Plug:

1. Below operation procedure is designed only for our motherboard, which supports

SATA3 HDD Hot Plug.

* The SATA3 Hot Plug feature might not be supported by the chipset because of

its limitation, the SATA3 Hot Plug support information of our motherboard is

indicated in the product spec on our website: www.asrock.com

2. Make sure your SATA3 HDD can support Hot Plug function from your dealer or

HDD user manual. The SATA3 HDD, which cannot support Hot Plug function, will

be damaged under the Hot Plug operation.

3. Please make sure the SATA3 driver is installed into system properly. The latest

SATA3 driver is available on our support website: www.asrock.com

4. Make sure to use the SATA power cable & data cable, which are from our

motherboard package.

5. Please follow below instructions step by step to reduce the risk of HDD crash or

data loss.

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How to Hot Plug a SATA3 HDD:

Points of attention, before you process the Hot Plug:

Please do follow below instruction sequence to process the Hot Plug, improper procedure will cause the SATA3 HDD damage and data loss.

Step 1 Please connect SATA power cable 1x4-pin end (White) to the power supply 1x4-pin cable.

Step 2 Connect SATA data cable to the motherboard’s SATAII / SATA3 connector.

SATA power cable 1x4-pin power connector (White)

Step 3 Connect SATA 15-pin power cable connector (Black) end to SATA3 HDD.

Step 4 Connect SATA data cable to the

SATA3 HDD.

How to Hot Unplug a SATA3 HDD:

Points of attention, before you process the Hot Unplug:

Please do follow below instruction sequence to process the Hot Unplug, improper procedure will cause the SATA3 HDD damage and data loss.

Step 1 Unplug SATA data cable from SATA3 HDD side.

Step 2 Unplug SATA 15-pin power cable connector (Black) from SATA3 HDD side.

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