2 16x slots - does order matter?

[tiwing]

Hi, sort of an unraid question in that I'm using unraid. more of a general computer question. My mobo has 2 16x slots. One is currently for graphics, the other will be for the new LSI 9207-8i card that's coming. While I'm preparing for it, I want to move graphics to the lower 16x slot so it's not blowing hot air straight on the LSI card. Question is does it matter which 16x slot is used for which purpose? Graphics was installed in the top 16x slot and I've always just left it there.

 

Lenovo Thinkstation S20 now in a different case. 

 

specs https://support.lenovo.com/ca/en/solutions/pd005642

not my site but some good pics of the internals https://thinkorama.wordpress.com/thinkstation/thinkstation-s20/thinkstation-s20-part-4/

 

Thanks.

[Zonediver]

32 minutes ago, tiwing said:

Hi, sort of an unraid question in that I'm using unraid. more of a general computer question. My mobo has 2 16x slots. One is currently for graphics, the other will be for the new LSI 9207-8i card that's coming. While I'm preparing for it, I want to move graphics to the lower 16x slot so it's not blowing hot air straight on the LSI card. Question is does it matter which 16x slot is used for which purpose? Graphics was installed in the top 16x slot and I've always just left it there.

 

Lenovo Thinkstation S20 now in a different case. 

 

specs https://support.lenovo.com/ca/en/solutions/pd005642

not my site but some good pics of the internals https://thinkorama.wordpress.com/thinkstation/thinkstation-s20/thinkstation-s20-part-4/

 

Thanks.

Normaly not, but some MB-manuals tell you, you should use slot 1 for the primary graphiccard - if in doubt, just try it.

On my both ASRock-boards the graphiccard is also working at slot 2 - but slower because they are only PCIe 2.0 x4

And by the way: The fan of the graca is not blowing, it is sucking in, so it will not blow hot air to the LSI-controller 😉

FYI: PCIe slot 1 is connected to the CPU, slot 2 is (sometimes) connected to the chipset. On mainboards which can handle two gracas (with 3 PCIe-slots), slot 1 and 2 are connected to the CPU and provide 2x PCIe x8 (electrical x16/x8). Read your manual for further infos.

Edited October 28, 2019 by Zonediver

[tiwing]

That's frigging awesome info, thank you! I didn't realize fan was pushing into the card. Makes sense. 

 

Actually having the graphics above the controller might help a little to draw hot air away at least to circulate it. Maybe I'll just put it back. 

 

Cheers

Edited October 29, 2019 by tiwing

[Zonediver]

20 minutes ago, tiwing said:

That's frigging awesome info, thank you! I didn't realize fan was pushing into the card. Makes sense. 

 

Actually having the graphics above the controller might help a little to draw hot air away at least to circulate it. Maybe I'll just put it back. 

 

Cheers

Beware that the LSI-controller needs active cooling - 200lfm - thats why i puted a Noctua-fan on my 9207-8i.

[tiwing]

I was planing to get one of those fans that goes in a pci slot and exhausts out the back to go in the slot right below the controller, I heard the cards run hot. Appreciate the info. 

Like this bit not this. Need different power. 

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0000510SS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?slotNum=7&ie=UTF8&linkCode=g12&linkId=a9e6b57b44fb0be28f2049cf4005d38e&imprToken=6-8g74E5x8UusuJUkoEMQQ&tag=healprodrevca-20