Windows 10 install on new NVME storage for Old Motherboard

[bootit]

Can I boot to Windows 10 x64 on an m2 SSD 32GB SATA II or small HDD Sata 2, then have the boot loader redirect to the OS installed on another drive such as a PCIe 16 holding a PCIe x4 adapter with a nvme storage card?

In this way I have fast boot from a small drive, overcome the limitation booting to a PCIe on an old motherboard plus gain the operating system running at 2 way 8GB/sec.

Thanks

I have a P8Z77-V PREMIUM https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/P8Z77V_PREMIUM/
Intel X77 express

4 x PCIe 3.0 x16
2x PCIe 2.0 x1

2 x Sata 6
1 x mStat 3

4 x sata 6

2x esata 6

1 x Thunderbolt 2

 

[Darkbreeze]

No. If that were possible, everybody with an older board would be doing it. If you want to run an OS off a PCI or NVME drive, you will need a newer board that supports it.

 

[bootit]

No. If that were possible, everybody with an older board would be doing it. If you want to run an OS off a PCI or NVME drive, you will need a newer board that supports it.

I spoke to Microsoft support who were quite vague. They said if I say installed windows 7 in a minimalist way to the small drive then I could install the main windows 10 opsys on another drive ie nvme as a multi boot. Are they wrong?

 

[Darkbreeze]

I have no idea honestly. I've never had any reason to attempt to Frankenstein a system in this way and all I can foresee from doing it is a never ending source of problems and a likely source of hair loss. I will try to bring somebody in more likely to have a clue on this though.

 

[USAFRet]

While the System Reserved (boot) partition and the C partition can exist (even accidentally) on two different drives (and why we strongly recommend only one drive connected when you install the OS), I don't believe this will get you to where you want to be.

The "OS" is still trying to boot from that NVMe in that PCIe adapter.
Which won't work on that old Z77 motherboard.

About the only way I think you could force this (but it probably still won't work) is thusly:

1. Install the OS on a 3rd drive, with only that drive connected.
2. Clone the System Reserved partition to your little mSATA
3. Clone the C partition to the NVMe drive.
4. Remove that previous 3rd drive.
5. Adjust the boot order as required, and see if it boots up. I'll bet it fails.

And bottom line...you're not really gaining much, vs a regular install on a regular SATA III SSD. Especially for just the OS drive.
Yes, the NVMe is 'faster'. But at this level, we're chasing diminishing returns.
A SATA III SSD is near instant. An NVMe is twice as fast as "instant".

My recommendation:
OS and applications installed on a regular good quality SATA III SSD.
NVMe drive in that adapter as a secondary drive, for what you think needs to be really really fast.

That config WILL work, and I'd put up good money for the functionality to be unnoticeable vs the Frankenputer thing you're trying to make.

What do you use this system for? Remember...the rest of the system has an impact on the speed of what you're trying to do. Trying to force this functionality into a 6 year+ old system is like putting racing tires on a Ford Pinto.

I've read many, many reports in here where someone upgraded from a SATA III SSD to an NVMe, and were hugely underwhelmed with the perf difference. And that in a system that can take and use the NVMe drive natively.