[SOLVED] Lost in pcie hell - trying to bring an 4x nvme pcie adapter card to work while maintaining other pcie devices

[Herr B]

Well, this might be a really odd one. I am trying to figure out how to run this nvme carrier: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001351255142.html (when I bought it, it was still 25 bucks LOL)

So apparently, how I understand it, this is merely a lane splitter, splitting the 16x lanes on to 4 nvmes with 4 lanes each. The Motherboard must support bifurcation.

My relevant components:
Motherboard: Asus strix B450F Gaming
CPU: Ryzen 3600

Within the Motherboard bios menu, I find the two following relevant switches in the Bios Setting:
PCIEX_16_3_Control
[Auto] If PCIEX16_3 is detected, run x4 mode and disable PCIEX1_2 + PCIEX1_3, otherwise enable PCIEX1_2 + PCIEX1_3
[X2 mode] PCIEX16_3 run 2x mode & enable PCIEX1_2 + PCIE1_3
[X4 mode] PCIEX_3 run mode & disable PCIEX1_2 + PCIEX1_3

PCIEX_16_1_Mode
[Auto] run PCIE riser in automatic speed mode
[PCIE RAID] Use this mode when using an Asus Hyper 4x NVME Card or other brand PCIE 16 to 4x4 card

I tried at first having the GPU in slot 1 and the nvme splitter in slot 3 but quickly realized, I do not have enough lanes to satisfy with my ryzen 3600... The card worked partially though and one harddrive showd up. With PCIEX_16_3 Control in [X4 mode]

Now, I have the nvme splitter in pcie slot 1 ([PCIE RAID]) and 2 of the 4 drives show up in windows. The GPU is currently configured to use 4 lanes on slot 2.

I don't fully get the descriptions with the disable part in the third x16 Slot control.
The mainboard manual unfortunately just lists the Bios options with the same short descriptions.

How would I Configure the System to utilize the 4 nvme drives? (keeping the gpu aside for now)
I would next try to run the 4x nvme splitter on PCIE x16 slot 3 (the lowest), slot configured to X4 mode and trying to run the GPU on 4 Lanes only.

 

[popatim]

That's very different then what your manual states but they must not have updated their online manual since it makes not mention of ryzen 3000 support either.
https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/...ING/E14401_ROG_STRIX_B450-F_GAMING_UM_WEB.pdf

 

[SkyNetRising]

How would I Configure the System to utilize the 4 nvme drives? (keeping the gpu aside for now)
I would next try to run the 4x nvme splitter on PCIE x16 slot 3 (the lowest), slot configured to X4 mode and trying to run the GPU on 4 Lanes only.

Have M.2 PCIE adapter card in PCIE_x16_1. That is the only slot supporting x16 operating mode.
Have graphics card in PCIE_x16_3 (x4 mode).
Do not use PCIE x16_2. Using this slot switches PCIE_x16_1 into x8 operating mode.

Experiment with PCIEX_16_1_Mode settings in BIOS.

 

[Herr B]

That's very different then what your manual states but they must not have updated their online manual since it makes not mention of ryzen 3000 support either.
https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/...ING/E14401_ROG_STRIX_B450-F_GAMING_UM_WEB.pdf

This is the Manual I was referring to. Aparently, It has not been updated (eg PCIEX_16_1 Mode is missing)

Have M.2 PCIE adapter card in PCIE_x16_1. That is the only slot supporting x16 operating mode.
Have graphics card in PCIE_x16_3 (x4 mode).
Do not use PCIE x16_2. Using this slot switches PCIE_x16_1 into x8 operating mode.

Experiment with PCIEX_16_1_Mode settings in BIOS.

Yuck! This is getting quite ugly But Ill try it this way.

 

[CountMike]

PCIe lines are divided between CPU and chipset. PCIe x16 is first top one , PCIe lanes are supplied by CPU and depend on number supplied by CPU. It also shares lines with first M.2.
Other PCIe lines are supplied by chipset and are shared by other PCIe slots as well as second M.2 slot if it exists.