Gigabyte GA-Z77-D3H User Manual page 49

SATA Mode Selection
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Enables or disables RAID for the SATA controllers integrated in the Intel Z77/H77 Chipset or configures
the SATA controllers to AHCI mode.
IDE Configures the SATA controller to IDE mode. (Default)

RAID Enables RAID for the SATA controllers.

AHCI Configures the SATA controller to AHCI mode. Advanced Host Controller Interface

(AHCI) is an interface specification that allows the storage driver to enable advanced
Serial ATA features such as Native Command Queuing and hot plug.
xHCI Pre-Boot Driver (Intel Z77/H77 Chipset)
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Enabled The USB 3.0 ports are routed to the xHCI controller before booting to OS. (Default)

Disabled The USB 3.0 ports are routed to the EHCI controller before booting to OS.

When this item is set to Enabled, the xHCI Mode below will be automatically set to Smart Auto; when
this item is set to Disabled, the xHCI Mode below will be automatically set to Auto.
xHCI Mode (Intel Z77/H77 Chipset)
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Allows you to determine the operating mode for the xHCI controller in OS.
Smart Auto This mode is available only when the BIOS supports the xHCI controller in the pre-

boot environment. This mode is similar to Auto, but it adds the capability to route the
ports to xHCI or EHCI according to setting used in previous boots (for non-G3 boot)
in the pre-boot environment. This allows the use of USB 3.0 devices prior to OS boot.
xHCI controller enabling and rerouting should follow the steps in Auto, when previous
boot routs ports to EHCI. Note: This is the recommended mode when BIOS has xHCI
pre-boot support. (Default)
Auto BIOS routes the sharable ports to EHCI controller. Then it uses ACPI protocols

to provide an option to enable the xHCI controller and reroute the sharable ports.
Note: This is the recommended mode when BIOS does NOT have xHCI pre-boot
support.
Enabled All shared ports are eventually routed to the xHCI controller during the BIOS boot

process. If BIOS does not have pre-boot support for the xHCI controller, it should
initially route the sharable ports to the EHCI controller and then prior to OS boot it
should route the ports to xHCI controller. Note: OS has to provide support for the
xHCI controller in this mode. If the OS does not provide support, all sharable ports
won't work.
Disabled The USB 3.0 ports are routed to the EHCI controller and the xHCI controller is turned

off. All USB 3.0 devices function as High Speed devices regardless of xHCI software
support/availability. If this item is set to Disabled, the HS Port #1/2/3/4 Switchable
and xHCI Streams items below will become unconfigurable.
HS Port #1 Switchable~HS Port #4 Switchable (Intel Z77/H77 Chipset)
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Enabled Corresponding USB 3.0 port is routed to xHCI. The USB 3.0 device attached on this

port with Super-Speed capability is visible to xHCI controller. (Default)
Disabled Corresponding USB 3.0 port is routed to EHCI. The USB 3.0 device attached on this

port with Super-Speed capability will function as High-Speed.
xHCI Streams (Intel Z77/H77 Chipset)
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Enables or disables multi-stream data transfer. Note: For Windows 7 USB 3.0 Streams support, devices
may require UASP class driver updates from UASP driver vendors to be fully compatible with Intel USB
3.0 Streams Support. (Default: Enabled)
- 49 - BIOS Setup