SUPER MICRO Computer X8STI-F User Manual
Page 83

Chapter 4: AMI BIOS
4-13
over 137 GB, your system must be equipped with a 48-bit LBA mode addressing. 
If not, contact your manufacturer or install an ATA/133 IDE controller card that 
supports 48-bit LBA mode. The options are Disabled and 
Auto.
Block (Multi-Sector Transfer)
Block Mode boosts the IDE drive performance by increasing the amount of data 
transferred. Only 512 bytes of data can be transferred per interrupt if Block Mode 
is not used. Block Mode allows transfers of up to 64 KB per interrupt. Select 
Disabled to allow data to be transferred from and to the device one sector at 
a time. Select Auto to allow data transfer from and to the device occur multiple 
sectors at a time if the device supports it. The options are 
Auto and Disabled.
PIO Mode
The IDE PIO (Programmable I/O) Mode programs timing cycles between the 
IDE drive and the programmable IDE controller. As the PIO mode increases, the 
cycle time decreases. The options are 
Auto, 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Select Auto to allow the AMI BIOS to automatically detect the PIO mode. Use 
this value if the IDE disk drive support cannot be determined. 
Select 0 to allow the AMI BIOS to use PIO mode 0. It has a data transfer rate 
of 3.3 MB/s. 
Select 1 to allow the AMI BIOS to use PIO mode 1. It has a data transfer rate 
of 5.2 MB/s. 
Select 2 to allow the AMI BIOS to use PIO mode 2. It has a data transfer rate 
of 8.3 MB/s. 
Select 3 to allow the AMI BIOS to use PIO mode 3. It has a data transfer rate 
of 11.1 MB/s. 
Select 4 to allow the AMI BIOS to use PIO mode 4. It has a data transfer band-
width of 32-Bits. Select Enabled to enable 32-Bit data transfer. 
DMA Mode
Select Auto to allow the BIOS to automatically detect IDE DMA mode when the 
IDE disk drive support cannot be determined. 
Select SWDMA0 to allow the BIOS to use Single Word DMA mode 0. It has a 
data transfer rate of 2.1 MB/s. 
Select SWDMA1 to allow the BIOS to use Single Word DMA mode 1. It has a 
data transfer rate of 4.2 MB/s. 
Select SWDMA2 to allow the BIOS to use Single Word DMA mode 2. It has a 
data transfer rate of 8.3 MB/s. 
