Trying to get second m.2 ssd working

[sethbclark]

Hi. I hope this is ok here and not in the motherboard section.

I recently built a new gaming rig around an Asus Z370-E. I originally installed a 512gb crucial m.2 sata (not nvme) drive, but quickly filled it up with games. So I decided to get another identical crucial 1tb drive, intending to use the 2nd m.2 port. After some trial and error, I realized that the second m.2 port supports only nvme drives.

My solution was to buy an m.2 (both sata and pci) to pci adapter card

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B078PTFB5H/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519365992&sr=8-1-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=m.2+pcie+adapter&psc=1

I installed the drive onto the card, and have tried the card on both available pci slots, but I cannot get the bios or win 10 to recognize it.

What are my options? Return the adapter and buy an m.2 to sata adapter, return the drive and just get a regular sata drive (not preferable, trying to keep cabling to a minimum). Or are there bios settings I am not aware of?


Many thanks,

 

[BFG-9000]

That adapter card specifically says that SATA M.2 drives must be connected via SATA cable, did you do that? The only cabling you save with that adapter is the SATA power cable, and instead you lose a PCIe slot.

 

[popatim]

Send the drive and controller back and just get a regular sata drive. M2 sata drives are not any faster then their 2.5 inch counterparts. This way you can eventually upgrade to an nvme drive without having to upgrade yet again.

 

[USAFRet]

What are my options?

Send the drive and adapter back, and just get a regular 2.5" SATA drive.
Zero performance difference over a m.2 connected SATA drive, with zero hassle.