- Oct 2, 2019
- 3
- 0
- 10
Hope this is the right sub-section to post this.
Building a new PC. Have built several over the years, but this will be my first with UEFI and a NVME SSD. I've done a lot of reading the last few days, and I just want to make sure I have everything lined up before I dismantle my currently working PC. (Reusing the case and power supply, etc). The 3 core items are: Gigabyte B450m, Rzyen 5 2600 (my first amd), and a 1TB intel 660p nvme ssd. To make matters trickier I plan on using my Windows 7 Pro Disc (turned into ISO), bc I dont like change
. Here's what I've done so far to prepare, and the steps I plan on taking.
1.) I've downloaded the Gigabyte USB Windows Installation tool and run it. Now I have Win7, with usb and nvme drivers on a USB stick.
a.)I assume they are the correct nvme drivers. Inside the folder for said tool, it shows nvme drivers for samsung pro, and intel. I tried downloading drivers from intel, but all you get is an .exe SetupNVME.exe to be exact.
b.)NVME aside, why all this talk about having to use a USB install anyway? Why can't a good old fashioned disc (which I have) work? Is it so I can also use my wireless mouse/keyboard during install? (Which I have before just fine on this current system during install from the disc.)
Now here is where I get a little unsure. Everything is hooked up correctly, and I power on for the first time.......
2.)Don't I go into UEFI (BIOS) right away and make some changes?
a.)Disable CSM?
b.)Is this where I set it so my NVME SSD boot is set to GPT and not MBR?
c.)Is there anything else I should check/change in bios?
3.)I'd like to update my UEFI at this stage, before installing an OS. I've read mixed opinions. I feel like it would be better to have all the low level software stuff taken care of first. Can I get all my update files at once, put them all on one USB, but only install them 1 at a time? Install 1-reboot, install 2-reboot, etc and so on.
4.)Installing an OS. At this stage, how will I know for certain my nvme is partitioned as a GPT and not a MBR. Will Win7 (when doing the initial format) set it to have a MBR partition during the installation process? I believe that even if it does, there is a work around for converting it to a GPT
a.)Can I use a Linux Live Boot CD (Ubuntu 18.04) and run GParted ahead of time to format my nvme with a GPT table? Will Ubuntu even recognize my nvme? Assuming it does, and I format my ssd with a GPT table, will Win7 just change it back to having a MBR during it's installation?
5.) Assuming all the above has worked out flawlessly, wouldn't my 2TB data backup HDD still be readable as it is only formatted as NTFS and should not have MBR? Maybe it does? Would I need to make a change in my UEFI to be able to access that drive?
And one last question about my NVME SSD. More specifically the mobo/ryzen 5 2600. I know as a regular m.2 ssd, it will disable 1 or 2? sata ports. I got that and understand why. But when used as a PCI express, does it share the same lanes as my 1 PCI 3.0x16 thus reducing it to a x8? I read through the whole online Gigabyte manual and it doesn't say. On newegg, and on AMD's website it says the Ryzen 5 has only 16 PCI Express lanes. Yet in reddit and other sites (maybe here) I have read that it has 24 lanes. Could I please get some general clarification?
Thank You So Very Much to any and all who read this and reply.
Building a new PC. Have built several over the years, but this will be my first with UEFI and a NVME SSD. I've done a lot of reading the last few days, and I just want to make sure I have everything lined up before I dismantle my currently working PC. (Reusing the case and power supply, etc). The 3 core items are: Gigabyte B450m, Rzyen 5 2600 (my first amd), and a 1TB intel 660p nvme ssd. To make matters trickier I plan on using my Windows 7 Pro Disc (turned into ISO), bc I dont like change
. Here's what I've done so far to prepare, and the steps I plan on taking.1.) I've downloaded the Gigabyte USB Windows Installation tool and run it. Now I have Win7, with usb and nvme drivers on a USB stick.
a.)I assume they are the correct nvme drivers. Inside the folder for said tool, it shows nvme drivers for samsung pro, and intel. I tried downloading drivers from intel, but all you get is an .exe SetupNVME.exe to be exact.
b.)NVME aside, why all this talk about having to use a USB install anyway? Why can't a good old fashioned disc (which I have) work? Is it so I can also use my wireless mouse/keyboard during install? (Which I have before just fine on this current system during install from the disc.)
Now here is where I get a little unsure. Everything is hooked up correctly, and I power on for the first time.......
2.)Don't I go into UEFI (BIOS) right away and make some changes?
a.)Disable CSM?
b.)Is this where I set it so my NVME SSD boot is set to GPT and not MBR?
c.)Is there anything else I should check/change in bios?
3.)I'd like to update my UEFI at this stage, before installing an OS. I've read mixed opinions. I feel like it would be better to have all the low level software stuff taken care of first. Can I get all my update files at once, put them all on one USB, but only install them 1 at a time? Install 1-reboot, install 2-reboot, etc and so on.
4.)Installing an OS. At this stage, how will I know for certain my nvme is partitioned as a GPT and not a MBR. Will Win7 (when doing the initial format) set it to have a MBR partition during the installation process? I believe that even if it does, there is a work around for converting it to a GPT
a.)Can I use a Linux Live Boot CD (Ubuntu 18.04) and run GParted ahead of time to format my nvme with a GPT table? Will Ubuntu even recognize my nvme? Assuming it does, and I format my ssd with a GPT table, will Win7 just change it back to having a MBR during it's installation?
5.) Assuming all the above has worked out flawlessly, wouldn't my 2TB data backup HDD still be readable as it is only formatted as NTFS and should not have MBR? Maybe it does? Would I need to make a change in my UEFI to be able to access that drive?
And one last question about my NVME SSD. More specifically the mobo/ryzen 5 2600. I know as a regular m.2 ssd, it will disable 1 or 2? sata ports. I got that and understand why. But when used as a PCI express, does it share the same lanes as my 1 PCI 3.0x16 thus reducing it to a x8? I read through the whole online Gigabyte manual and it doesn't say. On newegg, and on AMD's website it says the Ryzen 5 has only 16 PCI Express lanes. Yet in reddit and other sites (maybe here) I have read that it has 24 lanes. Could I please get some general clarification?
Thank You So Very Much to any and all who read this and reply.
Last edited by a moderator:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram