Question NVMe M.2 slow - would change to i7 help?

glnz

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I have a Dell Optiplex 7010 Mini-Tower with Win 10 Pro 64-bit, an i3 CPU, 16GB RAM and a Q77 chipset. I followed the instructions in the following excellent article to change my hard drive to a Samsung 970 EVO Plus NVMe M.2 and to boot from that M.2, which a 7010 normally cannot do:

https://www.tachytelic.net/2021/12/dell-optiplex-7010-pcie-nvme/

It is working, I am booting from the Samsung NVMe M.2, but I am getting only 1,750 MBps ± in CrystalDiskMark , NOT the 3,500 MBps that is shown in that article for a 7010.

Yes, the PCIe adapter card with Samsung 970 EVO Plus NVMe M.2 is already plugged into the PCI-E x16 slot (blue color), but I am still getting only 1,750 MBps ±. (If I plug it into the x4 slot, I get about 1,500 MBps.)

Question: if I replace my i3 CPU with an i5 or an i7 that is OK for my motherboard, do you think I will then get the 3,500 MBps throughput that the author of the article gets? Maybe because an i5 or an i7 will provide some PCI-E Gen 3 and not limit my machine to PCI-E Gen 2 only?

FYI - There is a different thread here on Tom's that has interesting technical info from others in a similar situation, at < THIS LINK >, but please come back here with any thoughts.

Thanks!
 

glnz

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SkyNetRising - What is the highest i5 or i7 CPU I should try to give me PCIe Gen 3? Compatible with my chipset, etc.

I have posted a complete CPUID scan at this link -- and you have to hit the "Download" button at upper left to see it as a web page -- https://1drv.ms/u/s!ArpWuno4XUAMkmNarGPkcEIShhqu

BUT Here is some selected info from that CPUID scan:

Chipset
NorthbridgeIntel Ivy Bridge rev. 09
SouthbridgeIntel Q77 rev. 04
Bus SpecificationPCI-Express 2.0 (5.0 GT/s)
Memory TypeDDR3
Memory Size16 GBytes
ChannelsDual
Memory Frequency798.7 MHz (1:6)
CAS# latency (CL)11.0
RAS# to CAS# delay (tRCD)11
RAS# Precharge (tRP)11
Cycle Time (tRAS)28
Row Refresh Cycle Time (tRFC)208
Command Rate (CR)2T
Host Bridge0x0150
 

glnz

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corwin65 and mdd1963 - I don't doubt your wisdom one bit ... but ... how did the author of the article (my first link at top) get 3,500 MBps from an Optiplex 7010?

Meantime - humor me - and I'm only a real estate lawyer not a tech - what would be good, high i5 and i7 model CPUs that are compatible with my motherboard and that I might try just to put this nagging question out of my mind? It's been itching me like a horrible pop tune for months.
 
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Intel's specs list this (Q77) as a PCI-e 2.0 mainboard?
If the mainboard is limited to PCI-e 2.0 specs, then you are getting all out of it you are going to, i.e., about half the speeds of a PCI-e 3.0-capable system.
Chipset connected PCIE lanes are PCIE 2.0.
But CPU connected PCIE lanes are limited by CPU itself.

Any Ivy bridge i5 or i7 will bring PCIE 3.0 connectivity.
https://ark.intel.com/content/www/u...02/products-formerly-ivy-bridge.html#@Desktop

what would be good, high i5 and i7 model CPUs that are compatible with my motherboard and that I might try just to put this nagging question out of my mind? It's been itching me like a horrible pop tune for months.
i5 3570
i7 3770
 

glnz

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SkyNetRising - You wrote above
Chipset connected PCIE lanes are PCIE 2.0.
But CPU connected PCIE lanes are limited by CPU itself.
Since this is what I WANT to hear, I love you. And I am going to buy a used i7-3770 on ebay for about $50.
But ... even though I love you ... how do you know?
Also - what are your favorite brands of heat sink gunk that will be just enough to do this maybe twice?
Finally - are my x16 and x4 slots both "CPU connected", or is any of them "Chipset connected"?
 

USAFRet

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And I question the viability/economy of putting money into this ancient system.

Moving up to the i7-3770 just to get full capability on the NVMe drive...
Yeah, its only $50. But you're just putting a bandaid on a sucking chest wound.

A new base model 11th/12th gen i3 thing or equivalent Ryzen would crush this decade old system.

Or the other way around...in this old system, no matter which CPU...the diff between a SATA III SSD and any NVMe is minimal at best.
 

glnz

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USAFRet - You are undoubtedly correct, but I have been keeping old piece of junk PCs going for years. It's my thing.
But - my wife shares your philosophy (and hates my junkie old dinosaur PCs) and we are buying new PCs for her mini-office.
 

USAFRet

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USAFRet - You are undoubtedly correct, but I have been keeping old piece of junk PCs going for years. It's my thing.
But - my wife shares your philosophy (and hates my junkie old dinosaur PCs) and we are buying new PCs for her mini-office.
Oh, trust me....I have my stack of old systems.
But at some point, they do become too old/slow to do the new things I need them to do.

And I gave up trying to forcefit an NVMe drive such as the 970 into a Z77 era system long ago.

And in my testing of various levels of solid state drives...the actual user facing difference is far less than the benchmark numbers would suggest.

Especially in an older system like this.
It simply is not worth the hassle.
 

glnz

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USAFRet - again, you show wisdom.
FWIW, one of the most recent commentators in that article about modding the 7010's BIOS to boot from a M.2 used the technique in that article to upgrade HUNDREDS of 7010-era PCs.
 

USAFRet

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USAFRet - again, you show wisdom.
FWIW, one of the most recent commentators in that article about modding the 7010's BIOS to boot from a M.2 used the technique in that article to upgrade HUNDREDS of 7010-era PCs.
And given typical users of such systems, I'd like to see a blind test between a 970 EVO, and an 860 EVO.
(the 860 being a drop in replacement, no config needed)

Like this: (ignore the 'gamer' aspect)

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DKLA7w9eeA
 

glnz

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USAFRet - what configuration is needed for the 970? I don't think I did anything. FYI - I used Macrium Reflect to clone the existing Win 10 OS into the 970.
 

USAFRet

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USAFRet - what configuration is needed for the 970? I don't think I did anything. FYI - I used Macrium Reflect to clone the existing Win 10 OS into the 970.
Cloning has nothing to do with this.

A motherboard and CPU that is actually, natively, compatible with a NVMe 970 EVO is what i needed
Basically, a couple of generations newer than what you have.
 

Karadjgne

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3rd gen Intel can support NVMe using raid drivers, just takes a bios mod to load those drivers during boot for non-raid applications.

The largest supported (by Dell!) cpu that can be used on the Optiplex 7010 Mini Tower is the i7-3770 or i7-3770S. (according to Dell Tech sheets.)
 
Finally - are my x16 and x4 slots both "CPU connected", or is any of them "Chipset connected"?
Only blue PCIE x16 slot is cpu connected.
Black PCIE slots - chipset connected.

91mwrQoF3bL._AC_SL1500_.jpg
 

glnz

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3rd gen Intel can support NVMe using raid drivers, just takes a bios mod to load those drivers during boot for non-raid applications.

Karadigne - thanks. Would be very interested for you to read the article whose link I posted above - is the author using those raid drivers? Over at Dell support forums, that maniac (but knowledgeable) Speedstep was ranting that the Raid0 drivers are somehow dangerous or unstable (but then look who's talking). See his post at < THIS LINK > (And I have only one M.2, not dual.)

And I just bought a used i7-3770 on eBay, which I hope to install next weekend. Stay tuned. (On the other hand, if you see smoke rising over NYC, you will know it didn't work out so well.)

Only blue PCIE x16 slot is cpu connected.
Black PCIE slots - chipset connected.

SjyNetRising - Thanks for that info! Might explain why I'm getting 1,700 MBps ± now (still with the i3) with my M.2 in the x16 slot but only 1,500 MBps ± when the M.2 is in the x4 slot.
I suppose your info is the same whether my new used CPU is i7 or i5?

Happy weekend all!!!
 
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