Intel Motherboards : How To Install Windows On A PCIe SSD

Author: MSuomi
Subject: How To Install Windows On A PCIe SSD
Posted: 20 Sep 2016 at 5:52am

parsec wrote: On your board, a 950 Pro or any PCIe M.2 SSD will operate at PCIe 2.0 x2. Your configuration/use of the SATA III ports is correct. If we check the specs of the Z97 Fatal1ty Pro, you'll find that the M.2 slot is rated like this: 1 x M.2_SSD (NGFF) Socket 3, supports M.2 SATA3 6.0 Gb/s module and M.2 PCI Express module up to Gen2 x2 (10 Gb/s) http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/Fatal1ty%20Z97%20Professional/?cat=Specifications You could run your 950 Pro on your board at PCIe 3.0 x4, if you get an M.2 to PCIe adapter card, and use one of the PCIe 3.0 x16 slots. In that case your video card would run at PCIe 3.0 x8, and you could not SLI two video cards, or do more than a two card Crossfire. Another example of the compromise of resource usage.

It seems I missed that part of the specification (even though I have looked at it). The thing, that made me think otherwise was that the Magician informed the max width was x4 ;)

Anyway, I knew when I was buying 950 Pro, that I would not get all speed out of it. But it's good to be sure, that I have installed and configured it properly.

As having those 290's on crossfire is difficult enough to keep them cool enough as is, I'm not going to temp the gods of computing, by throwing anything more there now :)

I might upgrade to Z170 one day... Or maybe to Zen, but deciding that is sometime next year.

Thank you, for the very clear answer. Good to know more about the underlying thingies!