I have CrossfireX on z170, ok to add a PCI-e SSD?

[blackjackel]

asus z170-a, running two 7850's in crossfireX configuration. I'm using two 8x PCI-E slots. As far as I know that means I'm using 16 slots total out of 20, which means I have 4 more slots and a 4x PCI-e SSD would be ok to install... correct me if I'm wrong.

I have an m.2 connection on my motherboard but I THINK (correct me if I'm wrong) it requires the blood sacrifice of two of my sata connector slots to use it. I want to keep my sata ports so i'm thinking of either getting a PCI-E SSD or a 4x PCI-E to m.2 connector adapter and just run a m.2 card that way. What do you guys think?

Edit: I realize this means I can not add any more slots to my mobo.

Edit2: I just went over my motherboard's manual, apparently the short pci slots are all 1x slots, the only slots that give more than 1x are the long ones that you'd normally stick a graphics card in, HOWEVER, this:

http://www.amazon.com/Lycom-DT-120-PCIe-Adapter-Support/dp/B00MYCQP38/

Expansion card and same thing goes for a PCI-E SSD, their pins look like they only fit in the 1x slots.... is it possible to put a 4x PCI-E SSD or 4x PCI-E to m.2 expansion card into a 16x slot? (the long kind)

Edit3: Just came off the line with ASUS technical support, they assured me that the m.2 slot has nothing to do with SATA express or the PCI-E lanes on the board and that I can still use all 6 sata ports and even 3 SLI cards at the same time as i'm using the m.2 port. But she seemed to read off the manual and didn't know off the top of my head so not sure how much I trust her on that,

 

[bob4933]

m.2 is its own thing, wont interfere with sata or pcie lanes.

and yes you can install the smaller pin into the large slot with no issues.

 

[EarthDog]

As Bob mentioned but with more detail....

The m.2 slot's bandwidth is fed from the PCH/chipset, not the cpu so it wouldn't affect anything.

F7nny, you don't trust the manual.. Id rather have someone read me the manual than off the top of their head...

 

[caddi daddi]

my extreme6 motherboard manual says that I give up my sata express if I go m.2, do the motherboard makers do what they want with m.2 sata?

 

[DaveB]

Yep they do. My ASRock Z170 shuts down 2 SATA slots if you use the M.2 slot.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

my extreme6 motherboard manual says that I give up my sata express if I go m.2, do the motherboard makers do what they want with m.2 sata?

Yep they do. My ASRock Z170 shuts down 2 SATA slots if you use the M.2 slot.

These are because the SATA and SATA Express ports are driven off of the PCH/Chipset, along with the M.2 slot.
Once you get enough ports you have to pick one or the other, not both.

 

[blackjackel]

As Bob mentioned but with more detail....

The m.2 slot's bandwidth is fed from the PCH/chipset, not the cpu so it wouldn't affect anything.

F7nny, you don't trust the manual.. Id rather have someone read me the manual than off the top of their head...

These are because the SATA and SATA Express ports are driven off of the PCH/Chipset, along with the M.2 slot.
Once you get enough ports you have to pick one or the other, not both.

I'm getting contradicting statements, I don't know who to believe...


So do I or don't I lose sata ports? And if I have two CROSSFIRE cards, then I'm using all 16x lanes right? I can't add a sata card on the third pci-e slot?

 

[EarthDog]

Confirm with your manual. It will tell you exactly which sata ports are affected by use of the m.2 port. There are at least a few ports that it will not affect (those attached to the CPU. The Sata express it could.

Again, check your manual for certainty.

EDIT: It affects only the SATAe ports according to your manual.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

I'm getting contradicting statements, I don't know who to believe...


So do I or don't I lose sata ports? And if I have two CROSSFIRE cards, then I'm using all 16x lanes right? I can't add a sata card on the third pci-e slot?

Note who my comment was directed toward (who I quoted in the post).
Also, how was it contradicting? We both said that the M.2 is driven from the PCH/Chipset.

As EarthDog stated, how about you just read the manual for the motherboard and see what it tells you?

 

[EarthDog]

He may have been confused with my 'wouldn't affect anything' comment. It should have read, 'wouldn't affect anything YOU ARE USING' (read: Only affects the SATAe ports it seems).

 

[ATMINSIDE]

He may have been confused with my 'wouldn't affect anything' comment. It should have read, 'wouldn't affect anything YOU ARE USING' (read: Only affects the SATAe ports it seems).

In my mind that means it effects SATA also, since you can use a SATAe port as two SATA ports.

 

[EarthDog]

I have yet to run into anyone that has split one to do so, but, I hear ya.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

I have yet to run into anyone that has split one to do so, but, I hear ya.

Not sure what you mean by "split one", you just plug in the SATA cable.
That's actually how my bench is hooked up right now.

 

[EarthDog]

A SATAe port is good for two SATA ports... I have never seen anyone do that (use a SATAe for SATA)... until now I guess. You cannot simply plug a SATA connector to SATAe. Square peg, round hole. I assume there are SATAe to SATA connectors though.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

A SATAe port is good for two SATA ports... I have never seen anyone do that (use a SATAe for SATA)... until now I guess. You cannot simply plug a SATA connector to SATAe. Square peg, round hole. I assume there are SATAe to SATA connectors though.

All of the boards I've seen have a connector like "HOST PLUG 1" below:

 

[EarthDog]

I am aware what the interfaces look like (SATAe is the port on the left in Host Plug 1)...There are boards where the SATAe connectors are stacked.

As I said, as I understand things, you need a SATAe to SATA cable and you can use it. SATAe supports 2 SATA so you can go SATAe to 2x SATA.

Perhaps I am missing something?

EDIT: I am missing something... NOt sure i knew that the SATA ports 'connected' to the SATAe were related... and therefore need a cable to convert. Seems like you can use one or the other(s).

 

[ATMINSIDE]

I am aware what the interfaces look like (SATAe is the port on the left in Host Plug 1)...There are boards where the SATAe connectors are stacked.

As I said, as I understand things, you need a SATAe to SATA cable and you can use it. SATAe supports 2 SATA so you can go SATAe to 2x SATA.

Perhaps I am missing something?

EDIT: I am missing something... NOt sure i knew that the SATA ports 'connected' to the SATAe were related... and therefore need a cable to convert. Seems like you can use one or the other(s).

Yep, they're an interesting interface where you can either use 1x SATAe cable or 2x SATA cables on the same connector.
I believe that was the disconnect here.

 

[Woomack]

M.2 Express port is using pcie bus but depends from motherboard it may limit bandwidth of other ports or motherboard will simply turn off some ports/slots. Depends from motherboard it's last pcie x16 or x4 slot or SATA Express or something else. If motherboard has M.2 SATA port then it works like any other SATA but with other connector.
Simply to know how motherboard reacts to fast M.2 SSD you have to check your motherboard's manual.

For Z170-A there is info like below:
*1: The PCIe x16_3 slot shares bandwidth with SATA6G_56. The PCIe x16_3 is default set at x2 mode. Supports Intel® RST for PCIE RAID storage.
*2: Supports PCIE RAID configurations via onboard M.2 and PCIex16_3.
*3: M.2 shares SATA mode with SATA Express. Change this item before installing M.2 SATA devices.

There is no straight info about limiting PCIE bandwidth on Z170-A motherboard. However last PCIE slot works at default x2 speed so I assume somewhere there is hidden that bandwidth for PCIE M.2 or it simply is set to max bandwidth without limitations.

Z170 boards have PCIE lanes from chipset and from CPU so there is plenty of them and all depends from mobo manufacturers how they split all of them.

ITX or mATX board can have no limits at all in this case as they've less pcie slots. Like my MSI ITX board works without issues when all slots/ports are occupied.

Most manufacturers are designing boards like 8+8 pcie for graphics + whatever left for all other devices which are not much affected by pcie bandwidth. Simply 2 graphics cards in CF or SLI won't be affected by any SSD.

 

[blackjackel]

I wanted to post a quick update, I am writing from my new m.2 Samsung 950 pro, works fine on the m.2 port and i still have ALL my sata drives. No problem whatsoever with the SataE ports... The manual was confusing, it said something like the m.2 can use sataE mode, so wasn't sure if it meant it would disable the ports...

So the answer to the question is in case of Asus z170 motherboards, the m.2 slot has nothing to do with the sata slots.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

I wanted to post a quick update, I am writing from my new m.2 Samsung 950 pro, works fine on the m.2 port and i still have ALL my sata drives. No problem whatsoever with the SataE ports... The manual was confusing, it said something like the m.2 can use sataE mode, so wasn't sure if it meant it would disable the ports...

So the answer to the question is in case of Asus z170 motherboards, the m.2 slot has nothing to do with the sata slots.

From the board specifications:
1 x M.2 x4 Socket 3, *2, with M Key, type 2242/2260/2280/22110 storage devices support (both SATA & PCIE mode)*3

That doesn't mean it'll cut off SATA ports, it means that it supports SATA M.2 SSD's and PCIe M.2 SSD's.