BX133-RAID

"This RAID isn't for cockroaches..."

Specifications and Features:

I can ramble all day about the features packed into this motherboard...  I'll try to stick with a couple standout features that really grabbed my attention.  Some of the most notable features with this motherboard include CPU SoftMenu III which was first introduced with the release of the Abit BE6-II motherboard.   If you aren't already familiar with this feature, it allows you to do all BIOS configuration via a software menu interface.  The most remarkable aspect of SoftMenu III is the ability to configure CPU Front Side Bus (FSB) setting in 1mhz increments all the way up to 200mhz.  The ATA-100 and RAID features are obviously very interesting, too.   RAID stands forr Redundant Array Inexpensive Disks or Redundant Array of Independent Disk, depending on which text book you read. In the past, RAID was reserved for high end SCSI servers because of cost issues.  But, with the advent of the HighPoint HPT368 and HPT370 IDE controller chipsets RAID is now accessible to the masses.    I won't go into great detail explaining RAID.   Basically, RAID allows faster hard disk performance (RAID 0 Striping), data safeguarding (RAID 1), or both (RAID 0+1).  This is accomplished by taking two or more hard disks and linking them according to which type of RAID array you want.   Moto put together a great "RAID 101" which does a great job explaining RAID in his Iwill SIDE-RAID66 review.  If you want a little background on RAID, check out Moto's review here.   Another interesting feature is something that Abit calls "133 For All!".  Abit has done some hardware tweaking which helps overcome any of the stumbling blocks associated with running BX chipset based motherboards at 133mhz FSB (such as an overclocked AGP port). 

Here's the specifications provided by Abit:

CPU

• Supports Intel Pentium^® III  Socket based  processor

• Supports Intel Celeron^® Socket based  processor

• Reserves support for future Intel Pentium^® III/Celeron processors

Chipset

• Intel 440BX chipset (82443BX and 82371EB)

• Supports Advanced Configuration and Power Management Interface (ACPI)

• Supports AGP 1X/2X (Sideband) 3.3V device

Ultra DMA 100/ RAID

• High Point HTP370 IDE Controller

• Ultra DMA 100MB/sec data transfer rate

   

  • RAID 0 (striping mode for boosting performance)

  • RAID 1 (mirroring mode for data security)

  • RAID 0 + 1(striping and mirroring)

Memory

• Three 168-pin DIMM sockets support SDRAM module s

• Supports up to 768MB MAX. (8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256MB SDRAM)

• Supports ECC

System BIOS

• SoftMenu^TM III Patent Technology and DIP switches  to set CPU parameters

• Award Plug and Play BIOS

• Write-Protect Anti-Virus function by AWARD BIOS

Multi I/O Functions

• 2 Channels of Bus Master IDE  Ports support Ultra DMA 33/66/100(up to 4 HDD devices)

• 2 Channels of Bus Master IDE  Ports support Ultra DMA 33(up to 4 devices)

• PS/2 Keyboard and PS/2 Mouse Connectors

• 1 Floppy Port  ( up to 2.88MB)

• 1 Parallel Port (EPP/ECP)

• 2 Serial Ports

• 2 USB  Connectors

Miscellaneous

• 1 AGP slot, 5 PCI slots and 1 ISA slot

• Hardware monitoring – Including Fan speed, Voltages, System environment temperature and one Thermal header for CPU or other temperature monitoring.

• Keyboard / Mouse / Password and  Hot Key multifunction Power On.

• Built-in Wake on LAN/ Wake on Ring  header

• Built-in IrDA TX/RX  header

Next page: Installation

[Page 1] [Page 2] [Page 3] [Page 4] [Page 5] [Page 6] [Page 7] [Page8] [Home]