Question Running two M.2 NVMe SSDs on a Gigabyte Z490 AORUS PRO AX ?

[Darkladylexy]

hey, guys, I need some help. If a New M.2 SSD running PCIe Gen 4 is installed into the M2A_SB socket, should I have access to the whole SATA bus? I know if I have an M.2 SSD in Socket M2M_SB I lose access to ports 4 and 5.

I just installed a 2nd M.2 SSD now, and it appears they are sharing bandwidth with SATA ports 2, 3 and 5. This means the new PCIE M2 is running SATA, not PCIE. I was under the impression if the M.2 was PCIE it would use the PCIE Bus, not the SATA Bus or an I wrong in my understanding?

 

[Math Geek]

combining multiple sata connections makes the bandwidth of the pcie lanes. perfectly normal. the second slot is only x2 if i recall right.

looking at the manual, you shold not lose any sata ports with the first m.2 slot, but lose 4 and 5 with the second.

so if others ports are disabled, you need to look into why.

 

[rgd1101]

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/Z490-AORUS-PRO-AX-rev-1x/support#support-manual
page 19

is not bus. pcie lane. they are shared

 

[Darkladylexy]

Guess I misunderstood. I was under the impression if the M.2 itself was PCIE it would use the PCIE and I would have access to Port 1, but I guess not. Unless there is a setting in the BIOS, I missed

 

[Math Geek]

what are the drives you have installed?

as i said above, with 2 pcie drives you should only lose ports 4 and 5. a sata m.2 will lose port1 in the first slot.

so again, what are the models of the drives you have installed?

 

[Darkladylexy]

I have 6 drives in total:
I have 2x M.2
1 is PCIE the other is SATA
2 x 2.5" SSD running SATA
2 x Mech drive again running on SATA.

I have used Port 0, 2,3 I was under the impress Port 1 would still work but I have lost access to ports 1, 4,5

If it helps I am running a 10600K

 

[rgd1101]

did you read the manual page 19?

if you have 1 pcie and 1 sata
use the pcie m.2 on the M2A_SB

 

[Darkladylexy]

yes I did Guess I just misunderstood what it was tell me

 

[Darkladylexy]

My pcie m.2 is on the M2A_SB

 

[rgd1101]

exact model of these two m.2 ?

 

[Darkladylexy]

PCIe M.2 - WD SN770 (on Socket M2A_SB)
SATA M.2 - WD 100T2B0B-00YS70 (On Socket M2M_SB)

 

[Darkladylexy]

Are there drivers for the WD SN770 that I need to install?

 

[rgd1101]

not a driver issue. bios up to date?
recheck the 2.5" sata both power and data cable?

 

[Darkladylexy]

I have not updated the BIOS since I brought the motherboard back in 2020.

 

[Darkladylexy]

Update - - - I have updated the BIOS to the latest version, and SATA Port 1 is still disabled so I guess I was wrong in my understanding of how the two M.2 sockets functioned alongside the SATA Ports.

 

[rgd1101]

did you test all the sata port on the motherboard? could be using the wrong one?

 

[Darkladylexy]

I did. I did some testing If I disable port 1 in BIOS the NVME shows up, but the mech drive doesn't. If I re-enable Port 1, NVME is Disabled and Mech drive shows up

So It is obvious the M2A_SB is sharing bandwidth with the SATA even though the NVME is PCIe.

The only thing I think is happening my system still thinks my new drive is SATA M.2 even though it is NVME M.2

 

[SkyNetRising]

PCIe M.2 - WD SN770 (on Socket M2A_SB)
SATA M.2 - WD 100T2B0B-00YS70 (On Socket M2M_SB)

Why are you not using M2B_CPU for NVME drive?

Install nvme drive in M2B_CPU.
Install sata M.2 drive in M2A_SB. This disables sata port SATA3_1.
Keep M2M_SB empty.

And you get 5 sata ports available for your remaining sata drives.

 

[Darkladylexy]

my CPU is 10600k so as far as I am aware the M2B_CPU is only usable with an 11th gen CPU

 

[SkyNetRising]

my CPU is 10600k so as far as I am aware the M2B_CPU is only usable with an 11th gen CPU

Where did you read that?
This may apply to 500 series boards only. Not to Z490.

 

[Darkladylexy]

The manual seems to indicate, "(Note) The M.2 connector is reserved only. No functionalities." but a bios update added functionality with 11th Gen CPU.

I could be totally wrong in my understanding thou

 

[Darkladylexy]

Where did you read that?
This may apply to 500 series boards only. Not to Z490.

I think that applies to 500 Series, not the 400 Series

 

[Darkladylexy]

I could get something like this Sabrent NVMe M.2 SSD to PCIe X16/X8/X4 Card with aluminium heat sink (EC-PCIE) and run it off a PCIe slot but it was such a faff to get the M.2 Socket in I ain't going to pull it out now.

 

[SkyNetRising]

You could use M.2 sata drive via M.2 sata adapter.
That way it would take only a single sata port (not two).

 

[SkyNetRising]

PCIE M.2 adapter is good too. It would be compatible with NVME drive only.
You could install it into third PCIE x16 slot (x4 mode).