SATA controller. How to enable SATA controller in BIOS?

Computers are complex devices, the work of which provides many different elements. One of them is the SATA-controller. What is this device? How to work with him? How to take care of its speed? Here is an incomplete list of questions that will be considered in the framework of our article.

What is a SATA controller?

Serial Advanced Technology Attachment is a technology by which storage devices like a hard drive and an optical cable can exchange data over a high-speed cable with the motherboard. Optimal is the use of a connector with the smallest number. Ideal are SATA0 or SATA1. For optical drives, it is possible to use other ports.

When working with hard disks, it is necessary to initially use SATA0. It is installed on the system media. Each subsequent must have a number one more and so on. If there are multiple hard drives and RAID mode is used to increase the storage space, one wire is connected to the connector, and then everything else is fed to the controller.

Modes of operation

Controllers determine how the hard disk will communicate with the motherboard. There may be three principles of interaction:

1. The operating mode of the SATA IDE controller. The simplest option. With it, the hard disk functions as an IDE or PATA. In this case, it has limited potential, and also does not differ in the speed of operation. But this mode is very valuable, if it is necessary to ensure the compatibility of interaction with equipment that has already become obsolete. It can also be used in cases where the computer has only one hard disk and does not need to use various functions of the drives.
2. The operating mode of the SATA AHCI controller. In this case, the use of advanced drive functions becomes possible. An example is Native Command Queuing and a "hot" replacement. Also, a significant advantage is the high speed of interaction (if compared with the previous version).
3. The operating mode of the RAID controller. With this configuration, a single storage array can be created from several separate hard drives. It is characterized by redundancy of information, as well as higher speed. The first is achieved through the creation of a backup copy of the hard disk, and the second - the layering of disk space. When this mode works, then together with it AHCI also functions.

Notes

Initially, it is necessary to set the mode of operation in which the SATA controller for a laptop or computer will function correctly, and only then will the operating system be occupied. After all, if you do this later, then the OS may not work correctly until the failure. So, this can happen because the disk driver is disabled or if the wrong BIOS parameter is used.

Causes of malfunctions

Let's say the PC stopped working with the hard drive. There may be several reasons for this malfunction:

1. Cables are loose.
2. Winchester failed.
3. Does not work or slows down the SATA controller.

In the first variant it is necessary to check the tightness of the cable. In the second, most likely, you need to replace the device. And in the third - set the correct settings. For such changes, administrator rights are necessary. If they are, you can start solving the problem.

How to enable the SATA controller in the BIOS of the computer?

Initially, you need to go into the BIOS. There is no single standard here - each machine uses a separate special key for this. To learn it, you need to read the instructions on the screen, which occurs immediately after turning on the computer. And for a guaranteed result, you need to press it more than once.

After the login is successful, you need to find the Integrated Peripherals item. If it does not exist, then anyone who is consonant with the meaning will do. It contains all the parameters that relate to the internal capabilities of the motherboard. Now it is necessary to find Onboard SATA Controller. If it's not there, just look for any entry where the "SATA controller" is written. This parameter can only be set to Disabled and Enabled (respectively disabled and enabled). It must be ensured that it is activated.

To save the changes, you can press F10 and the enter button. If this is not done, the system itself will offer to perform these actions. After that, restart the computer and go to BIOS again to make sure that the hard drive was detected. You can understand this thanks to the item Standard CMOS Features. Now we know how to turn on the SATA controller. Let's deal with regimes.

AHCI connection

This is done with the help of the same BIOS. To make changes, go to the control window. After that, you need to search for IDE, AHCI or RAID. They should go along with SATA. Also, on some devices, the word "MODE" is used. The mode that we do not need is disabled, and the necessary one, on the contrary, is connected (this is done by changing the Disabled to Enabled and vice versa).

If, when you try to change the mode, a message appears that no disk is located, then there are no necessary drivers. Therefore, you will need to log in to the operating system and with administrator rights to install them first. This can be done using the OS installation disk. Still, the first option is less time-consuming. Also, do not forget that changes made to the basic input / output system need to be retained in order for them to start functioning. How to do it, said in the previous paragraph.

In general, here's how to switch the SATA controller to AHCI mode or another, which will be necessary. In this case, it is important to follow the instructions exactly, so as not to touch anything superfluous. Now let's pay attention to two options that can be useful when setting up your computer. And the main topic of the article has already been revealed, and we will now deepen our knowledge.

SATA Controller Mode

This option is used to specify the operating mode. We have already discussed this. Now let's pay attention to how and what works in this case. If you set the IDE mode, then there will be no need to use additional drivers when working with a technique that uses this technology. The RAID mode is compatible with all operating systems starting with Windows 2000. The only thing is that you will need old drives for drivers (if the technology is the same year of release as the operating system). Otherwise, their role can be successfully executed by Flash-drive or CD-ROM. But talking about creating a RAID array makes sense only if there are at least two hard disks. Positively their work will be affected by the same brand and volume. And if the parties and firmware match up, these are already ideal conditions for using this mode.

ANSI is a newer technology and with older (relatively) systems is not compatible. Due to the fact that this mode positively affects the speed of the equipment, it is recommended to stop on it. Moreover, if RAID and ANSI can still be launched on representatives of operating systems and computers starting from generation 2000, with Windows 9x they will not help: there simply are no drivers that would combine the work of software and hardware. Note that changes must be made before the OS is installed. If you change the mode when the operating system is already installed, you can find on your computer a "blue screen of death", which will display information about the error and the impossibility of correct operation. If you do not want to see him and demolish the OS, you should forcefully change the controller driver to the one that will work with the new settings.

History of development

The first of the family of controllers is rightly considered SATA 150. It is an interface that uses a serial data bus. It operates at a frequency of 1.5GHz, thus providing a throughput of 150 megabytes per second. The standard has spread due to a number of advantages that previous developments have not had. So, the architectural advantages of the bus, the small size of the connectors and the cable, the ease of use and the overall reliability of the connection have played a role. Also, when you connect two devices to one port, there are no conflicts and there are no problems.

The second generation SATA 300 provides work at a speed of 300 megabytes per second. Theoretically, both options are compatible, but problems are not ruled out. But, for the sake of justice, it's worth saying that even the most modern hard disks have not yet learned to act faster than 130 megabytes per second, so there is no special reason to chase the numbers in this case. Therefore, when using controller types, there is no difference. Important is that it is the first to be connected.

Conclusion

The SATA controller is certainly an important part of any computer. This is a device that allows us to access data that is valuable. Also, it deserves special attention to what success the developers of this detail managed to achieve in speed. In addition, this indicates that there is a significant reserve for increasing the capacity of hard disks without further development of data transmission technology, which makes it unlikely that it will become obsolete and unnecessary in the next few decades.