ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Hero motherboard with a SlimSAS

[Befuddled]

Hi,

I would like to make use of the slimSAS connection on my ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Hero motherboard.
I bought an SFF-8654 4i 38 Pin Host to 4 SATA cable: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B073F67WVN
But when I plug my HDDs in they are not recognised. Motherboard setting is set to default 'auto'.

The cable exists, so I assume this is possible?

I don't want to buy a different 'other' disk just to make use of the slimSAS.
It's my spare SATA HDDs that I want to add.
Can anyone advise please?

 

[mattventura]

Motherboard setting is set to default 'auto'.

What options other than "auto" does it give you?

 

[SlowmoDK]

It will not work as the Slim-SAS is just PCI-E x4, and not a sata controller

 

[Befuddled]

Ah, ok. Does that mean I would need to go the route of U.2 drives?

What's the point of the cable I've got, if it doesn't work with sata? Or is it just the motherboard that has this particular restriction then?

Options are: GEN 1, GEN 2, GEN 3, GEN 4 and AUTO btw. Cycled through them all. Nothing.

thanks

 

[SlowmoDK]

What's the point of the cable I've got, if it doesn't work with sata?

Your cable does work with sata it just need to be connect to a sata controller, and not directly to PCI_E

 

[mattventura]

The SlimSAS connector, as you could probably guess from the name, is mostly meant for SAS and SATA, but it's also used as PCIe. Some boards can do both PCIe or SATA over the port.

 

[Befuddled]

Right, makes sense. I'll give-up with it then.

It's a odd option to add to a 'home-user' motherboard though, isn't it? More of a server MB option I would have thought.

Thanks for the quick answers. Really appreciate it.

 

[mattventura]

Asus boards tend to be a bit more on the premium side. Likely that they didn't have room to add another M.2 slot and decided to not waste those PCIe lanes. Though I find it strange that they have 2 of the 3 M.2 slots taking lanes away from the main PCIe slots when populated, yet have an x4 SlimSAS port.

 

[SlowmoDK]

It's a odd option to add to a 'home-user' motherboard though, isn't it? More of a server MB option I would have thought.

Today any breakout of PCI-E is appreciated, as it can be adapted to almost anything.

those 4 pci-e lane could become 12 sata ports with some adapter magic