PCI-x 8x card in 4x slot, is it compatible?

jp7152 · 22 Oct 2011 at 17:21

I am asking as I have 4x ocz agility 60gb drives I would like to run together. I am looking at an 8x pci-x raid controller.

However I only have a 4x slot free on the motherboard. I will only need 4x lanes for all ssds to work at full speed (approx2GB/s) but will that be the case or will the card just not work?

Thanks in advance!

Jokester · 22 Oct 2011 at 17:25

PCI-x isn't compatible with PCI-E - are you sure it's PCI-X?

If it is actually PCI-E electrically it will work, but your issue will be that the x4 slot will have a closed end so you can't physically get a x8 card in it. It is possible to mod the socket if this is the case (effectively just cutting a gap in the end of the socket) but I'll leave it up to you if you think it's worth the bother.

jp7152 · 22 Oct 2011 at 17:31

Thanks for the reply. Sorry I don't think I explained clearly at all!

This is my motherboard

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4001#sp

Currently I have the 2x 16x slots with graphics cards.
The next available "2 x PCI Express x16 slots, running at x4 (PCIEX4_1, PCIEX4_2)"

So I presume being a 16x slot it means the 8x raid card will fit but will run at 4x?

Thanks again Jokester

Jokester · 22 Oct 2011 at 17:33

Yeah that'll work fine.

jp7152 · 22 Oct 2011 at 17:35

Great thanks