Upgrade or Buy New?

Tetras · 23 Apr 2025 at 15:52

Geordie1881 said:
can I use this cable with 2* 2x4 blocks or do I need to find a 2nd feed?

Edit: making a new post because I missed that and this is important: 2x 2x4 is the wrong cable. This is for EPS12v, not graphics cards. Graphics cables are 6+2 or just 8 and label PCI-E.

Gray2233 · 23 Apr 2025 at 16:04

The 9070 non XT is pretty light on power usage so I suspect you'll be fine daisy chaining if you can't find another cable, just ensure they're the PCI-E cables as mentioned by Tetras.

Geordie1881 · 23 Apr 2025 at 17:04

Tetras said:
Edit: making a new post because I missed that and this is important: 2x 2x4 is the wrong cable. This is for EPS12v, not graphics cards. Graphics cables are 6+2 or just 8 and label PCI-E.

yeah sorry that's me getting terminology wrong. They're 6+2 and labelled PCI-E

I honestly feel bad now with my constant idiotic questions and I really do appreciate the help. however, my GPU is connected to the monitor by DP and i can see my desktop. However, the GPU doesn't appear to be listed in device manager under performance etc. and when I look at "about" my PC, th Groahics Card says "no dedicated VRAM" I've even gone in to graphics settings for specific apps (to see if it's an option) and the only option i see is "GPU: Microsoft Basic Render Driver"

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I also can't see the new M.2 SSD via desktop not in BIOS. This should be supported and perhaps I need to enable something in BIOS? or could there be a conflict with a PCI-E connected drive which i need to remove first?

The good news is that those fans are working. it's now chilly haha

Tetras · 23 Apr 2025 at 17:06

Geordie1881 said:
I also can't see the new M.2 SSD via desktop not in BIOS. This should be supported and perhaps I need to enable something in BIOS? or could there be a conflict with a PCI-E connected drive which i need to remove first?

Is it present in disk management?

Geordie1881 said:
my GPU is connected to the monitor by DP and i can see my desktop. However, the GPU doesn't appear to be listed in device manager under performance etc. and when I look at "about" my PC, th Groahics Card says "no dedicated VRAM" I've even gone in to graphics settings for specific apps (to see if it's an option) and the only option i see is "GPU: Microsoft Basic Render Driver"

What graphics driver did you install for it? You deffo have it connected to the graphics card and not the motherboard?

Geordie1881 · 23 Apr 2025 at 17:30

I've disconnected the new GPU for now.

under disk drives, there a 3 listed...
my 500GB SSD running W10
a 1TB HDD
a 8TB HDD

the new 2TB M.2 SSD doesn't appear nor does it appear in BIOS.

I think I'm using M2_2 (furthest from CPU) as I couldn't get access to M2_1 (squeezed between CPU and GPU)

im also using
SATA3_1 (8TB HDD)
SATA3_A1 (500GB SSD running W10)
SATA3_A2 (1TB HDD)

not sure if any of that matters

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Geordie1881 · 23 Apr 2025 at 17:44

GPU is up and running now. was a driver issue (by which I mean a user error cos I didn't think to install a new driver for a new GPU... *hangs head in shame*)

Gray2233 · 23 Apr 2025 at 18:29

Geordie1881 said:
I've disconnected the new GPU for now.

under disk drives, there a 3 listed...
my 500GB SSD running W10
a 1TB HDD
a 8TB HDD

the new 2TB M.2 SSD doesn't appear nor does it appear in BIOS.

I think I'm using M2_2 (furthest from CPU) as I couldn't get access to M2_1 (squeezed between CPU and GPU)

im also using
SATA3_1 (8TB HDD)
SATA3_A1 (500GB SSD running W10)
SATA3_A2 (1TB HDD)

not sure if any of that matters

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Try temporarily disconnecting your SATA drives and leave the NvME in by itself, see if it shows up.

Make sure you're on the latest bios also if you aren't already.

Geordie1881 · 23 Apr 2025 at 18:51

I'll give that a whirl

could this be a Gen4 issue? I seem to recall earlier in the thread we discussed avoiding gen5 but that the motherboard supports gen3. not sure how I then landed on gen4 haha could it be the problem that I should have bought gen3?

Tetras · 23 Apr 2025 at 18:55

Geordie1881 said:
I'll give that a whirl

could this be a Gen4 issue? I seem to recall earlier in the thread we discussed avoiding gen5 but that the motherboard supports gen3. not sure how I then landed on gen4 haha could it be the problem that I should have bought gen3?

I doubt it. Could you list the specs please?

Geordie1881 · 23 Apr 2025 at 19:00

motherboard is ASRock Z370 Extreme4

is that what you need?

Tetras · 23 Apr 2025 at 19:02

Geordie1881 said:
motherboard is ASRock Z370 Extreme4

is that what you need?

and the drive?

Geordie1881 · 24 Apr 2025 at 00:59

sorry, the drive is

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/crucial-t500-2tb-nvme-pcie-4.0-m.2-solid-state-drive-sto-cru-01090.html

tamzzy · 24 Apr 2025 at 06:20

@Geordie1881 you need to plug in your sata drives accordingly:

freddie64 · 24 Apr 2025 at 09:22

Can you move the M.2 drive to the slot above the GPU? (remove the GPU if you have to)

Geordie1881 · 24 Apr 2025 at 17:47

tamzzy said:
@Geordie1881 you need to plug in your sata drives accordingly:

@tamzzy thanks. id read this and it was the paragraph above the embedded circle that concerned me a little. It seems to suggest that the Z370 is compatible with Gen3 only although, according to our friend Google, it should still run Gen4 albeit at Gen3 speeds.

In order to rule out the lane shares being an issue, I moved the new SSD from M2_2 to M2_1, rebooted, and the new drive didn't appear.

I then removed the 2 HDD and the SSD running W10 and booted again. Still no luck, it now shows that all slots are empty.

I'm at a loss

Tetras · 24 Apr 2025 at 18:32

Geordie1881 said:
sorry, the drive is

I can't see any obvious problems, but if you go to the storage QVL on your motherboard's page, there's a note: "Storage Device Compatibility" which leads to:

Due to a mismatch in pin definitions, some M.2 SSDs are incompatible. The table below shows which M.2 SSDs are known to be incompatible. Unfortunately, most recent PCIe M.2 SSD will also be incompatible, but have not been tested to verify this. Please refer to the Storage QVL for a list of SSDs that have been tested as compatible. If you would like to use a newer PCIe M.2 SSD which is not in the Storage QVL, we recommend using a PCIe to M.2 adapter card. Please check the motherboard specifications and your system to determine which slot might be free to use.

I also wouldn't rule out that the drive you got is a lemon, it happens.

Gray2233 · 24 Apr 2025 at 18:49

Worse comes to worst you should be able to use a PCI-E adapter if it's a pin problem, shouldn't set you back more than a tenner.

Geordie1881 · 24 Apr 2025 at 18:58

The good news though is that the RAM went it without issue, that's what I thought was going to be the biggest challenge for me. But up and running on 4 slots at 48GB @ 3200

Tetras said:
I can't see any obvious problems, but if you go to the storage QVL on your motherboard's page, there's a note: "Storage Device Compatibility" which leads to:

I also wouldn't rule out that the drive you got is a lemon, it happens.

Thanks again for this. So I think there's 2 "options" so to speak...
1. try a PCIe to M.2 adapter
2. buy a compatible SSD on the Storage QVL

If the drive is a lemon then I guess I just got unlucky, but I reckon compatibility is more likely the reason.

I'm leaning towards trying to RMA the M.2 and buying a 'known' compatible SSD. Does that sound the simplest way to get this sorted?

Tetras · 24 Apr 2025 at 19:01

Gray2233 said:
Worse comes to worst you should be able to use a PCI-E adapter if it's a pin problem, shouldn't set you back more than a tenner.

From what I can see in the manual, they seem to suggest using the bottom full length slot for this (4 lane). It has a note that says * supports NVME boot disk, though it also only states what these run at when operating in Crossfire mode, so I'm just assuming you can use this slot freely alongside the primary PCI-E.

Geordie1881 said:
Thanks again for this. So I think there's 2 "options" so to speak...
1. try a PCIe to M.2 adapter
2. buy a compatible SSD on the Storage QVL

If the drive is a lemon then I guess I just got unlucky, but I reckon compatibility is more likely the reason.

I'm leaning towards trying to RMA the M.2 and buying a 'known' compatible SSD. Does that sound the simplest way to get this sorted?

Since compatibility is not covered by RMA, you may have to return it under the standard regs.

If it was me, I'd go for the adapter, because:
1. If it works, you're good.
2. If it doesn't work, you can now have 2x M.2 drives in this PC and can re-use it in a future build.
3. If it doesn't work, you may have also confirmed the drive is dead, so can return it no problem.
4. The storage QVL is olddddd and I don't know how many of these drives are still available to buy.

Geordie1881 · 24 Apr 2025 at 19:17

Ok, so let's go with an adapter then. This looks to be the guy...

IcyBox PCIe Expansion Card for 1x M.2 PCIe (NVMe) SSD to PCIe 3.0 x4

Order IcyBox PCIe Expansion Card for 1x M.2 PCIe (NVMe) SSD to PCIe 3.0 x4 now online and benefit from fast delivery.

www.overclockers.co.uk

In terms of installing this, does this just go onto the motherboard into the slot above where it says "AMD Crossfire" ?

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I guess this will need a PCIe power connection too... now that could be an issue as I don't think I have one available