2nd hand U.2 SSD usage problem

[randomname]

If you do not have bifurcation enabled for that slot, it would explain a lot. Even the janky manufacturer says this card needs bifurcation.

Hello, no this is not related to bifurication. Bifurication works. The SSD is recognised via both U.2 connectors on the card in the Bios, in Windows, and in a LiveCD Linux.

 

[jei]

I would not recommend these for any serious use but $15 cards without any buffering worked fine for PCIe4.

 

[randomname]

I would not recommend these for any serious use but $15 cards without any buffering worked fine for PCIe4.

Thanks, but I need two U.2 due to PCIe slot limitations...If I use something like this I'd lose 4 lanes.

Looking at something like this

PCIe x8 Gen 4 for Bifurcated U.2 NVME Dual Port AIC

Unlock exceptional performance with our PCIe x8 Gen 4 Bifurcated U.2 NVMe Dual Port AIC. This advanced adapter features dual ports for U.2 NVMe drives, delivering high-speed data transfer rates of up to 16 GT/s.

www.microsatacables.com

 

[jei]

Thanks, but I need two U.2 due to PCIe slot limitations...If I use something like this I'd lose 4 lanes.

There are 2 slot models if your MB supports bifurcation. Not personally tried those.

edit: But basically most cards should work, just avoid obvious janky ones.

 

[randomname]

There are 2 slots models if your MB supports bifurcation. Not personally tried those.

Yeah, I mean what I currently have is sort of those

 

[jei]

Yeah, I mean what I currently have is sort of those

You currently have buffered card that seems to not work with your hardware. So no.

 

[nexox]

I wonder if the buffer, with its 4 outputs, is required for multiple devices in a bifurcated slot - the cards I have seem to include a similar size chip, but that means not great things for mixing 3.0 and 4.0 devices in one slot.

 

[randomname]

You currently have buffered card that seems to not work with your hardware. So no.

Oh you mean your card is even more "dumb" as in there's zero chips. OK I see.

 

[randomname]

I wonder if the buffer, with its 4 outputs, is required for multiple devices in a bifurcated slot - the cards I have seem to include a similar size chip, but that means not great things for mixing 3.0 and 4.0 devices in one slot.

That would suck, because I am indeed going to plug in a 3.0 and a 4.0 SSD

 

[jei]

Maybe get the 1-slot "dumb" card just for debugging purposes, it doesn't cost much. Like @Tech Junky said there are more options for Gen4 with Oculink/MCIO riser cards if you have physical space to mount the drives someplace else than PCIe slot.

 

[nexox]

Yeah looking at the pinouts of x8 and x16 slots there's just one REFCLK pair, so any bifurcation adapter (including those with OCuLink or MCIO ports) would need to buffer and split that, what I don't know is whether the clock speed is actually different between 3.0 and 4.0 or whether 4.0 just sends more bits per clock.

 

[nexox]

In any case, that board from Micro SATA Cables looks significantly more legit, I imagine it would run 4.0 fine.

 

[randomname]

For these dumb adapters, does U.2/U.3 matter?

 

[Tech Junky]

For these dumb adapters, does U.2/U.3 matter?

U2 only work with U2 but U3 will work with both.

 

[jei]

U2 only work with U2 but U3 will work with both.

To clarify, this is drive side. U.2 adapter card will work with U.3 drive.

 

[Tech Junky]

To clarify, this is drive side. U.2 adapter card will work with U.3 drive.

Yes.

 

[randomname]

To clarify, this is drive side. U.2 adapter card will work with U.3 drive.

How about U.3 adapter with a U.2 drive? e.g. this U.3 to PCIe Adapter Card For U.3 SSDs - Drive Adapters and Drive Converters | Hard Drive Accessories | StarTech.com Japan vs startech.com/en-jp/hdd/pex4sff8639

 

[Tech Junky]

How about U.3 adapter with a U.2 drive? e.g. this U.3 to PCIe Adapter Card For U.3 SSDs - Drive Adapters and Drive Converters | Hard Drive Accessories | StarTech.com Japan vs startech.com/en-jp/hdd/pex4sff8639

This product is compatible with U.3 drives only. U.2, SAS, and SATA drives are incompatible

 

[CyklonDX]

After reading this, i would lean that one of the parts on the adapter or disk itself (controller) heats up and gets thermally killed. *i would recommend removing the disk plastic shroud and look at it with thermal camera or temp laser.

The pcie signaling compatibility is 100% not the issue. If it was issue the system would keep screaming about it ~ about wrong messages, and stuff.

 

[Chriggel]

StarTech is usually very professional about this, so I expected that there's a note in the product description about U.2 incompatibility, and there is:

Install an SFF-TA-1001 SSD into a desktop or server using an available PCI Express 4.0 slot. The pre-installed full-profile bracket and included drive mounting screws enable the connection of a U.3 NVMe drive to a PCIe slot, avoiding the need for a drive backplane or additional cables. This adapter is not compatible with U.2 drives.

In general, U.2 hosts are compatible with U.2 and U.3 drives. U.3 hosts are only compatible with U.3 drives. Depending on the implementation, U.3 hosts could actually be trimode with SATA/SAS/NVMe, but with these adapters it's always NVMe only, obviously.