307013-003 Datasheet, PDF (191/848 Pages) Intel Corporation – Intel I/O Controller Hub 7

Functional Description
5.17
SATA Host Controller (D31:F2) (Desktop and
Mobile Only)
The SATA function in the ICH7 has dual modes of operation to support different
operating system conditions. In the case of Native IDE enabled operating systems, the
ICH7 has separate PCI functions for serial and parallel ATA (“enhanced mode”). To
support legacy operating systems, there is only one PCI function for both the serial and
parallel ATA ports if functionality from both SATA and PATA devices is desired
(“combined mode”).
The MAP register, Section 12.1.33, provides the ability to share PCI functions. When
sharing is enabled, all decode of I/O is done through the SATA registers. Device 31,
Function 1 (IDE controller) is hidden by software writing to the Function Disable
Register (D31, F0, offset F2h, bit 1), and its configuration registers are not used.
The ICH7 SATA controller features four (desktop only) / two (mobile only) sets of
interface signals (ports) that can be independently enabled or disabled (they cannot be
tri-stated or driven low). Each interface is supported by an independent DMA controller.
The ICH7 SATA controller interacts with an attached mass storage device through a
register interface that is equivalent to that presented by a traditional IDE host adapter.
The host software follows existing standards and conventions when accessing the
register interface and follows standard command protocol conventions.
Table 5-43 lists ICH7 SATA Feature support information. Table 5-44 contains
descriptions for the SATA features listed in Table 5-43.
Note:
SATA interface transfer rates are independent of UDMA mode settings. SATA interface
transfer rates will operate at the bus’s maximum speed, regardless of the UDMA mode
reported by the SATA device or the system BIOS.
Table 5-43. SATA Features Support in Intel^® ICH7
Feature
Native Command Queing
(NCQ)
Auto Activate for DMA
Hot Plug Support
Asynchronous Signal
Recovery
3 Gb/s Transfer Rate
ATAPI Asynchronous
Notification
Host Initiated Power
Management
Staggered Spin-Up
Command Completion
Coalescing
Port Multiplier
External SATA
ICH7 & ICH7-M
(AHCI/RAID Disabled)
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Supported
(Desktop Only)
N/A
N/A
Supported
N/A
N/A
N/A
ICH7 & ICH7-M
(AHCI/RAID Enabled)
Supported
Supported
Supported
Supported
Supported
(Desktop Only)
Supported
Supported
(Mobile Only)
Supported
N/A
N/A
N/A
Intel ^® ICH7 Family Datasheet
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