Help setting up nvme raid. Confused about shared Sata/u.2 ports..

[davidm71]

Hi,

I have a Z170-WS motherboard and want to raid the M.2 slots with two SM961 m.2 nvme drives but confused if that means I will lose which Sata ports and if I lose my Intel 750 on my only U.2 connection. The manual states that the m.2_2 port shares bandwidth with the u.2 so does that mean its one or the other? I ordered a pci-e u.2 x4 adapter to relocated the U.2 drive right off one of the pci-e slots but the x4 slot is pcie 2.0 and not 3.0 so I would lose bandwidth never the less? Also got two Sata drives in raid 0 off of sata_3 and sata_4 ports. Dont want to lose those ports either. Is this doable??

Thanks

From the manual:

*The M.2_1 socket shares SATA ports with SATA6G_56; the M.2_2 socket shares bandwidth with U.2 connector, and shares SATA ports with SATA6G_12 when using SATA mode. When you use both connectors, the system automatically detects the devices connected to these connectors and set a higher priority to M.2 Socket 3 than SATA interface. You can adjust the BIOS settings to set the priority.

 

[TheLostSwede]

So according to the manual, you'll lose SATA port 1, 2, 5 and 6, as well as the U.2 port if you use both M.2 slots.

 

[davidm71]

I lose all of the SATA ports?!

Whats confusing is that it says you lose SATA6G_12 when using SATA mode. That SATA mode refers to the operation of the M.2 so if the M.2 operates at PCI-E mode do I still get my SATA 1+2 Ports?

Also says M2.2 shares bandwidth with the U.2 so does that mean you can use both but each be slower??

Thanks

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

Also says M2.2 shares bandwidth with the U.2 so does that mean you can use both but each be slower??

Thanks

yes, port sharing means high priority devices are allowed to complete a task first.

 

[davidm71]

Ok. I bought a Pci-e U.2 x4 adapter card and in that case maybe I should port over my U.2 card to the PCIe 2.0 x4 slot instead? The Intel 750 U.2 drive probably be slower in either case.


Thanks

Just wanted to report I got my two M.2 ports populated and lost the U.2 port as we all thought would happen.. Was a real pain in the u no what to get going.
Used a Pci-e U.2 adapter to connect the other drive which now is like 25 percent slower but not bad considering..