Gigabyte - 970A-UD3 MB / Do I need to install the drivers?

[Herkulese]

OK, I am using this new build, and all seems to be going well. This thing is fast/quick, and I attribute most of that to the addition of an SSD system drive.
I still need to flesh out the Prim 95 error by doing more testing however.

Mobo: Gigabyte 970A-UD3
CPU: Phenom II X4 965
System Drive: Crucial M500 SSD 240GB
Data Drive: WD Blue 1TB
Ram: G.Skill Aries Orange 8GB (2x4GB Kit)
Graphics: MSI Radeon 6450 (Newest Drivers)

Full Boot-Up: 35 seconds (Including password, and finished windows screen).
MS Word 2010: Instantaneously (Blank document up and waiting).

In the old days when I built my last system (Pre SATA, and Pre PCI Express) motherboard drivers weren’t that necessary, or at least you may only need a couple, and now my video is a separate card when I have installed the newest drivers for.

QUESTION: Do I, in today’s technological world, need to install any of the MB drivers for this board? If so do I need them all, or just specific ones, and which ones would those be?

Thanks yet again,
Roger

 

[Herkulese]

Well, I decided to download all the MoBo drivers and to a test install, knowing that I can simply rewrite my old image to get back to where I was.

I had 3 yellow warnings in Device Manager, 2 for USB, and one for Ethernet Controller.

After installing the USB3 driver the two USB warnings disappeared. But the Lan driver did not take care of the Ethernet Controller warning.

I was able to install the Audeo and Chipset drivers but there is an issue with the Sata ACHI driver. After extracting it there are several new folders but no exe file in any of them, so I am not sure what to do with them

 

[Towermax]

I was able to install the Audeo and Chipset drivers but there is an issue with the Sata ACHI driver. After extracting it there are several new folders but no exe file in any of them, so I am not sure what to do with them

In Device Manager, do you have the standard MS AHCI driver installed? If so, just click on "Update driver", browse those folders, and select the one that matches your OS.

That should do it. You may then want to reinstall your video drivers to get the latest version of the AMD Sata AHCI driver installed.

I have the same board--version 1.1.

 

[Herkulese]

In Device Manager, do you have the standard MS AHCI driver installed? If so, just click on "Update driver", browse those folders, and select the one that matches your OS.

That should do it. You may then want to reinstall your video drivers to get the latest version of the AMD Sata AHCI driver installed.

I have the same board--version 1.1.

Thanks.
I will give that a try with the SATA AHCI driver.

It, sounds like that I should install the MB drivers, then install the Video drivers, in order to make soure that I get the correct video driver? Are the video drivers dependant on which AHCI driver is installed?

Also, I bought this board second hand as a deal with a Phenom II X4 965 CPU.
How long have you had yours and how have you liked it?

BTW, are there any special items of interest that I might need to know that would not come op on there own?

 

[Towermax]

It, sounds like that I should install the MB drivers, then install the Video drivers, in order to make soure that I get the correct video driver? Are the video drivers dependant on which AHCI driver is installed?

The AMD video drivers include the latest SATA driver, USB filter, etc., so it's a good idea to install them after the manufacturer's mobo drivers. The video driver is not dependent on AHCI version.

Also, I bought this board second hand as a deal with a Phenom II X4 965 CPU.
How long have you had yours and how have you liked it?

I got mine on eBay about two years ago for $43--a very lucky deal! I've been using it with a 960T overclocked to 3700MHz at stock voltage and been very happy with it. I'm using the latest BIOS, and it stays cool, rock stable, and does what I need.

BTW, are there any special items of interest that I might need to know that would not come op on there own?

Can't think of anything special--it's a pretty straightforward board. If you really want to push the overclock, you can find about anything you need to know right here on overclock.net:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1048912/...owners-club-help-thread-fx-8350-support-added

 

[Herkulese]

The AMD video drivers include the latest SATA driver, USB filter, etc., so it's a good idea to install them after the manufacturer's mobo drivers. The video driver is not dependent on AHCI version.

I got mine on eBay about two years ago for $43--a very lucky deal! I've been using it with a 960T overclocked to 3700MHz at stock voltage and been very happy with it. I'm using the latest BIOS, and it stays cool, rock stable, and does what I need.

I am not sure that I understand about the AMD video drivers having SATA driver, USB filter, etc. Why would video drivers have these items in them?

I got my board in a combo from a member here, with a Phenom II X4 960 Black Addition CPU for $140. Not a bad deal at all, and seems like a feature rich enough board to boot.

 

[Towermax]

I am not sure that I understand about the AMD video drivers having SATA driver, USB filter, etc. Why would video drivers have these items in them?

I got my board in a combo from a member here, with a Phenom II X4 960 Black Addition CPU for $140. Not a bad deal at all, and seems like a feature rich enough board to boot.

When you install the AMD video drivers, chose the "custom" mode instead of "express". You'll see a list of programs and drivers to be installed.

The AMD AHCI SATA driver has always been included until the current Catalyst version 14.4--they just removed it from the suite and will be providing it as a separate download--though I don't see it available yet. Take a look here and read the notes:

http://support.amd.com/en-us/download/desktop?os=Windows 7 - 64

$140 sounds like a good deal, especially considering the price of a good Phenom II these days.

 

[Herkulese]

When you install the AMD video drivers, chose the "custom" mode instead of "express". You'll see a list of programs and drivers to be installed.

The AMD AHCI SATA driver has always been included until the current Catalyst version 14.4--they just removed it from the suite and will be providing it as a separate download--though I don't see it available yet. Take a look here and read the notes:

http://support.amd.com/en-us/download/desktop?os=Windows 7 - 64

$140 sounds like a good deal, especially considering the price of a good Phenom II these days.

OK, I still am not getting why the ACHI SATA driver would be included with video drivers. Shouldn't I be using the ACHI SATA driver from Gigabyte. OK maybe I do get it, as AMD now owns ATI, so they would have a driver package for the MoBo as well as there video cards? Is that the deal?

As far as the price goes, I was going to spend that much, or more on just the CPU, and still have an AM2 board.

 

[Towermax]

OK, I still am not getting why the ACHI SATA driver would be included with video drivers. Shouldn't I be using the ACHI SATA driver from Gigabyte. OK maybe I do get it, as AMD now owns ATI, so they would have a driver package for the MoBo as well as there video cards? Is that the deal?

Yeah, you do get it. AMD designed the chipset (like the 970 on our boards) and the motherboard makers get the software from them.

Before AMD bought ATI, all they had available for download were the latest drivers for all their chipsets. Now that AMD owns ATI, they include some of the AMD chipset drivers with the video drivers. (If you're running an Intel board, you don't even see the other drivers, just the video driver.)

 

[CDC Mail Guy]

Have had this board for about 2/3 years with NO issues, and it has seen at least 3 different CPUs, and videocards. However, last week the USB3 went out, and the thumb drive was no longer recognized. Just a heads up, and not a deal killer for me

Oh, yeah...and the ACHI mode NEVER worked for me. Still boots to desktop in about 20 seconds though

 

[Herkulese]

Yeah, you do get it. AMD designed the chipset (like the 970 on our boards) and the motherboard makers get the software from them.

Before AMD bought ATI, all they had available for download were the latest drivers for all their chipsets. Now that AMD owns ATI, they include some of the AMD chipset drivers with the video drivers. (If you're running an Intel board, you don't even see the other drivers, just the video driver.)

Thanks for the clarification.

Have had this board for about 2/3 years with NO issues, and it has seen at least 3 different CPUs, and videocards. However, last week the USB3 went out, and the thumb drive was no longer recognized. Just a heads up, and not a deal killer for me

Oh, yeah...and the ACHI mode NEVER worked for me. Still boots to desktop in about 20 seconds though

Which version of the board do you have?
I ahve version 1.1

Also, when I see the BIOS version at it boots up, it says AMC BIOS version 7.0.3. pr 3.0.7, I can't remember which.

When I go to Gigabyte to check for BIOS updates, they have no revisions even close to this.
Is this a BIOS from AMD?

 

[CDC Mail Guy]

Thanks for the clarification.



Which version of the board do you have?
I ahve version 1.1

Also, when I see the BIOS version at it boots up, it says AMC BIOS version 7.0.3. pr 3.0.7, I can't remember which.

When I go to Gigabyte to check for BIOS updates, they have no revisions even close to this.
Is this a BIOS from AMD?

Will have to look when I get home tomorrow. I THINK it's 1.1 version, but not sure.

BIOS version is the one that supports the latest FX Processors, and it is a BIOS downloaded from Gigabyte's site, not from AMD

 

[Herkulese]

Will have to look when I get home tomorrow. I THINK it's 1.1 version, but not sure.

BIOS version is the one that supports the latest FX Processors, and it is a BIOS downloaded from Gigabyte's site, not from AMD

Thanks for the Info.
Can you also check your BIOS version as well?
I am very curious to see what it says.

Again, mine says AMD BIOS ver 7.0.3 (Unlike any of the version nos at Gig)

 

[Towermax]

I have Version 1.1 and I'm running the latest BIOS--F8a.

 

[Herkulese]

I have Version 1.1 and I'm running the latest BIOS--F8a.

The Beta version?
Is it stable?

 

[Towermax]

The Beta version?
Is it stable?

I've been running it almost a year and a half since it came out, and it's been perfectly stable--and that's with a 960T overclocked to 3.7. I got it because it was supposed to improve AHCI performance.

I have no idea if it actually improved anything--SSDs are so fast that I probably wouldn't notice even a big improvement.

 

[Herkulese]

I've been running it almost a year and a half since it came out, and it's been perfectly stable--and that's with a 960T overclocked to 3.7. I got it because it was supposed to improve AHCI performance.

I have no idea if it actually improved anything--SSDs are so fast that I probably wouldn't notice even a big improvement.

Thanks for the extra detail on this.
You are right about SSD's being fast. I can't believe how quick my system boots up, and how fast MS Word, Excell, etc... open up.