So I'm working on my new UnRaid server, setting up the USB to boot from etc. Looking into purchasing a M.2 for a cache and then eventually using a cache pool. That said, as I initially had some issues, I had a tech working on it. Upon discussing with the tech and consulting the Asus website, my motherboard has 2 PCIE slots for M.2 drives on the motherboard. One for Gen 4 and one for a Gen 3 M.2 NVMe. That said, the tech mentioned that he and a colleague in other builds realized that if he connects a 2nd M.2 SSD that it would disconnect a SATA hard drive. It was either that or that even connecting one m.2 disconnects a SATA HD. Either way, I think I remembered it correctly. Is that avoidable in any way? I'd like to keep the motherboard and CPU I have for at least a few years. 

 

Motherboard is Asus Prime B560 Plus and CPU is Intel i5 10400. At the end of the year I plan to upgrade my case to a Fractal 7XL, but that's later on when I get to it. Hoping to get more into Plex, but for right now using it to back up my Mac, run Time Machine, and backup my other devices primarily. 

15 minutes ago, jrd680 said:

Asus Prime B560 Plus

It says this in the board specs:

 

- M.2_2 slot (Key M) type 2242/2260/2280/22110 (supports PCIE 3.0 x 4 & SATA mode mode)
- 6 x SATA 6Gb/s ports
When a device in SATA mode is installed on the M.2_2 socket, SATA6G_2 port cannot be used.

 

M.2 slots support PCIe or SATA NVMe SSDs.  If you connect a SATA NVMe, you lose a SATA port (this is very common on many motherboards).  If you connect a PCIe NVMe SSD it should not disable the SATA port.  Of course, the chipset/CPU only support so many PCIe lanes as well so you may lose a PCIe slot depending on how the board is engineered.

Edited January 11, 20224 yr by Hoopster

Got it, so it seems they either had the device in SATA mode or had a SATA NVME for whatever reason. Much appreciated now I'm more relieved. 

It says this in the board specs:
 

- M.2_2 slot (Key M) type 2242/2260/2280/22110 (supports PCIE 3.0 x 4 & SATA mode mode)- 6 x SATA 6Gb/s portsWhen a device in SATA mode is installed on the M.2_2 socket, SATA6G_2 port cannot be used.

 
M.2 slots support PCIe or SATA NVMe SSDs.  If you connect a SATA NVMe, you lose a SATA port (this is very common on many motherboards).  If you connect a PCIe NVMe SSD it should not disable the SATA port.  Of course, the chipset/CPU only support so many PCIe lanes as well so you may lose a PCIe slot depending on how the board is engineered.

So here’s why I asked also, on PC Partpicker it says “The motherboard M.2 slot #1 requires an Intel Rocket Lake-based CPU. When an Intel Rocket Lake-based CPU is not used, the M.2 slot is disabled.”.

Is that correct or wrong?


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1 hour ago, jrd680 said:

“The motherboard M.2 slot #1 requires an Intel Rocket Lake-based CPU. When an Intel Rocket Lake-based CPU is not used, the M.2 slot is disabled.”.

Correct according to board specs.

- M.2_1 slot (Key M) type 2242/2260/2280/22110 (supports PCIE 4.0 x 4 )
- Only Intel® 11th Core™ processors support PCIe 4.0 x4 mode, this slot will be disabled for other CPUs

It takes 11th gen. CPU to support PCIe 4.0.  This M.2 slot is PCIe 4.0 only.

 

When in doubt, refer to the Asus Tech Specs page for the Prime B560 Plus.

Edited January 12, 20224 yr by Hoopster