Barebones kit help

[Eskolas]

So I'm planning on filling out an AM3 socket barebones rig, but i have a few concerns that some might be able to help me with as it relates to fresh installing Windows 7 on the fresh harddrive.

Ill first give you a rundown.

I'm starting with ECSGF800A MOBO. The thing to consider here is that it has one IDE connector to spare and assorted SATA2 connectors.

I am picking up the barebones kit with the necessary DDR2 modules and AMD Phenom II X4 965 as well as a fresh blank 500GB Sata2 HD.

So far so good.

The part where things becomes problematic, is where i am using a scrap IDE DVD as my optical drive as opposed to a SATA device.


Here is where my concerns arise..

1) Can i install Windows 7 through this IDE DVD Reader I'm just throwing in the rig without issues? VS Installing it from a typical SATA Optical.

2) Will i get a "no cd/dvd device detected" through trying to install OS via IDE disc drive? I hear this has been something of an issue on SATA/SATA2 dependent MOBOS even if they have the IDE connector and capability.

3) Will i run into any driver issues for this IDE device on this MOBO? I'm hoping it will be as easy as plug-n-play optical and install OS with maybe switching around the boot order a bit, but something tells me it may not be that simple.

While keeping in mind this MOBO comes with 1xIDE Connector and this rig comes with a clean, blank SATA2 HD.

Constructive answers only please! I understand the easiest solution would be to simply buy a SATA optical, but this rig has driven me into the ground financially thus far. If i can skim by with installing the OS with an IDE optical for now, that would be great.

Many Thanks!

 

[Trotter]

Can you give a link to the motherboard? ECSGF800A does not exist.

1. Yes. IDE and SATA either one would work. After all, we used IDE a lot longer than SATA has been around.

2. As long as the IDE drive works you should have no problem. Heck, most of the computers working today still have IDE optical drives.

3. Without being able to check out the board online I can't give you a definite yes or no. However, AM3 is rather recent, so the board should work with SATA natively. Win7 has no problems with SATA at all. "Switching around the boot order" makes little sense unless you mean having it boot from the optical; if that is the case there will be no problem. Both my wife's and her mother's computers use IDE opticals and I installed Win7 to SATA drives on both of them.

I have a question though... how are you going to use DR2 with a AM3 board? AM3 is DDR3 only. AM3/AM2+/AM2 boards use DDR2. You might want to make sure that the stuff in the barebones kit you are getting will all work together.

 

[Eskolas]

Well, to clarify, the 'board' is AM2+ going with the Phenom II x4.

And the linke: ECS GF8200A GF8200A nVidia GeForce 8200 AM2+ Phenom FX / Phenom X4 / Phenom X2 / Athlon X2 /AM2 Athlon 64 X2 / Athlon 64 FX / Athlon 64 / Sempron Socket AM2+ 2600 MHz PC2-8500 (DDR2-1066) ATX Motherboard Retail at ZipZoomfly

3) I meant switching the boot order for the IDE optical first, yes. This is an important question for me, because if newer boards dropped 'boot-driver' compatibility for the slightly older IDE Optical devices, then you can imagine how useless what I'm trying is haha.

I'm probably way off on this, but I'm just assuming that they threw this 1xIDE in for PATA HD's, as 90% of the time i see that spare IDE being used for.

But thanks for the help!

 

[Trotter]

OK. AM2+ uses DDR2, so you are good on that.

The BIOS will recognize the IDE drive and list it as an optical. It will also allow you to put it first on the boot order as I did the same with my wife's and her mom's computers. They put the IDE on there for the same reason they have two PS/2 jacks in the back... some people are still using the old stuff.

No worries, mate.

 

[Eskolas]

Excellent. Ty =D

 

[Eskolas]

Not to stir your brains or anything, but do you see anything about that MOBO&BIOS to distinguish whether it is 'USB Bootable' or not?

 

[Trotter]

I don't see anything, but being able to boot from USB is pretty standard. Even my old s939 board had it and that was six years ago.