New Build, question on license.

[blazenarrow]

Okay, i'm going to be building a new system this evening, so help is appreciated.

I currently have a i7 4790K system, main storage is 256 samsung 940 ssd.

I have like 6 other drives with photos and videos and documents.

It's all on a Windows 10 home system.

I want to build my new computer, load my copy of Windows 10 on it, and then connect my new PC to the old one and transfer files.

1.) Will this work if I don't plug the old one into the internet, just connect the two computers via ethernet.??

 

[Mr.Scott]

You could just plug the other drives in.
They're just storage drives.

 

[blazenarrow]

You could just plug the other drives in.
They're just storage drives.

What if the main windows files like Downloads, documents, are mapped to these drives?

 

[Mr.Scott]

Your new OS install won't be.
All it will see are the files on the drives.

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Do your install with only the drive you want the OS on. After your done with your install, plug the other drives in.

 

[blazenarrow]

Your new OS install won't be.
All it will see are the files on the drives.

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Do your install with only the drive you want the OS on. After your done with your install, plug the other drives in.

Oh man, I hope this works!

 

[blazenarrow]

Ok so it worked great. However I am so confused about something.

I've installed windows 10, and am trying to download all the drivers like chipset for motherboard, lan, etc. However, the Asrock website link https://www.asrock.com/MB/Intel/Z370 Taichi/index.asp#Download for the chipset drivers link to this driver: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/27004/Intel-Chipset-Device-Software-for-Intel-Compute-Card

And it says it's for :

This download is valid for the product(s) listed below.
Intel® Compute Card CD1C64GK
Intel® Compute Card CD1M3128MK
Intel® Compute Card CD1P64GK

And I can't find a link to the intel x370 chipset! What's going on here?

 

[Mr.Scott]

Not necessary. W10 takes care of all the necessary drivers.
If you have no flags in device manager, you're good to go.

 

[blazenarrow]

That's interesting! Okay, so I went and downloaded several items from Asrocks website before I saw your reply. (Intel INF, Intel RST, Intel Lan drivers) Would you recommend me reinstalling the OS and not downloading these 'extra' drivers? Basically since i'm starting fresh I wouldn't mind reinstalling.

Second question, and I am puzzled about this:

My Mobo, the z370 TaiChi, has 3 m.2 slots, and depending on which one you use the SATA ports will be disabled. I get that. However, in the manual it states " To minimize the boot times, use Intel Z370 SATA ports SATA3_0) for your bootable device"

Well, since i'm using the m.2 as my bootable device, which m.2 slot should I use? Does it matter? Should I use the m.2 slot which would then disable the SATA3_0 port?

Does this make sense? From the motherboard guide (see below) it appears since I have a m.2 pcie, and use the M2_3 slot, I'll still have all my sata ports available for use? But if that's the case, will having the m.2 in M2_3 be slower than M2_1?

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Here is from the manual. I just don't know which m.2 I should use for maximum performance.

Serial ATA3 Connectors
(SATA3_0_1:
see p.8, No. 13)
(SATA3_2_3:
see p.8, No. 14)
(SATA3_4_5:
see p.8, No. 15)
(SATA3_A1_A2:
see p.8, No. 16)
These eight SATA3
connectors support SATA
data cables for internal
storage devices with up to
6.0 Gb/s data transfer rate.
* M2_1, SATA3_0 and
SATA3_1 share lanes. If
either one of them is in
use, the others will be
disabled.
* M2_2, SATA3_4 and
SATA3_5 share lanes. If
either one of them is in
use, the others will be
disabled.
* If M2_3 is occupied by
a SATA-type M.2 device,
SATA3_3 will be disabled.
To minimize the boot
time, use Intel® Z370 SATA
ports (SATA3_0) for your
bootable devices.

The M.2, also known as the Next Generation Form Factor (NGFF), is a small size and
versatile card edge connector that aims to replace mPCIe and mSATA. The Ultra M.2
Socket (M2_3) supports SATA3 6.0 Gb/s module and M.2 PCI Express module up to Gen3
x4 (32 Gb/s).
* If M2_3 is occupied by a SATA-type M.2 device, SATA3_3 will be disabled.

 

[Mr.Scott]

The drivers you downloaded won't make a difference if they're there or not. W10 will choose the best or newest supporting driver and install that one.
I would not re-install.

On your M2 drive:
Being that this will be your boot drive, and boot drive is normally installed in SATA 0 port, I would install your M2 in M2_1.

 

[blazenarrow]

The drivers you downloaded won't make a difference if they're there or not. W10 will choose the best or newest supporting driver and install that one.
I would not re-install.

On your M2 drive:
Being that this will be your boot drive, and boot drive is normally installed in SATA 0 port, I would install your M2 in M2_1.

Okay thanks. It just sucks because I loose two SATA ports with that option.

 

[blazenarrow]

If I wanted to actually benchmark my system with the M.2 in either slot to see if it makes a difference what would you recommend using?

 

[Mr.Scott]

Okay thanks. It just sucks because I loose two SATA ports with that option.

If you use M2_3, you only loose 1 SATA port.
Performance wise, it won't make a difference.

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If I wanted to actually benchmark my system with the M.2 in either slot to see if it makes a difference what would you recommend using?

ATTO benchmark

 

[blazenarrow]

If you use M2_3, you only loose 1 SATA port.
Performance wise, it won't make a difference.

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ATTO benchmark

But my m.2 isn't a "SATA-type M.2 device" so thus doesn't that mean nothing will be disabled?

 

[Mr.Scott]

No.
If you use a M2 device, the corresponding SATA ports will be disabled, so the M2 doesn't have to share lanes.
At least, that's how your manual reads.

 

[blazenarrow]

No.
If you use a M2 device, the corresponding SATA ports will be disabled, so the M2 doesn't have to share lanes.
At least, that's how your manual reads.

I am not trying to argue just want to understand, as I am totally new to this M.2 stuff. The manual states

"* If M2_3 is occupied by
a SATA-type M.2 device,
SATA3_3 will be disabled."

So, for the M2_3 slot, it doesn't say "they share lanes" like it does for M2_1 and M2_2.

* M2_1, SATA3_0 and
SATA3_1 share lanes. If
either one of them is in
use, the others will be
disabled.
* M2_2, SATA3_4 and
SATA3_5 share lanes. If
either one of them is in
use, the others will be
disabled.

Thus it's not clear to me what's happening, because right now I have my M.2 in the M2_3 slot, and I have a drive plugged into SATA_3 and it's working.

 

[Mr.Scott]

No argument involved.
I'm just quoting your manual. I do not own this board.
If it's not doing what it says it's supposed to, I don't know why.

 

[blazenarrow]

Okay after doing some more research, the manual actually has different installation instructions for M2_3, and then M2_1/2. It doesn't say why or how, but if you use a PCI m.2 then no sata ports will be taken away. However, it doesn't say whether they will be sharing the lanes.

Also, I wish it said what to use for the boot drive!

 

[Johan45]

That's why you're confused, that's a PCI based drive so doen't interfere with SATA lanes but will reduce available PCIe lanes. M.2 interface accomodates both types of drive for the most part

 

[blazenarrow]

That's why you're confused, that's a PCI based drive so doen't interfere with SATA lanes but will reduce available PCIe lanes. M.2 interface accomodates both types of drive for the most part

I don't quite understand what you are saying. This PCI based drive WILL interfere with SATA lanes, if it's installed in M2_1, or M2_2.

 

[trents]

Do you understand that the m.2 standard encompasses both SATA bus cards and PCIE bus cards? That's not the same thing as saying that all motherboard m.2 interfaces will accommodate both SATA and PCIE cards. A motherboard can have an m.2 socket that will only support SATA cards or that will only support PCIE cards. Or it may have multiple m.2 sockets, some using the SATA bus and some using the PCIE bus. But when you start to use multiple m.2 devices or combine m.2 devices with non m.2 SATA devices lane sharing and or disabling begins to happen.

Edit: And going back to the original question, if your new build included changing the motherboard the previous Windows activated status will be undone and you will need to get a new product key in order to activate it.