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41 minutes ago, Matthew S. said:

AFAIK no SATA controller supports multiple drives per controller...

There are ways you can connect multiple SATA ports to USB2/3, but you need a controller board for that.

 

Some controller cards can do that, but that's a different thing entirely.

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21 minutes ago, Mindovermaster said:

There are ways you can connect multiple SATA ports to USB2/3, but you need a controller board for that.

 

Some controller cards can do that, but that's a different thing entirely.

I meant same port/channel 😛 didn't have my coffee when I typed that, @DevTechknew what I meant.

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21 minutes ago, Matthew S. said:

I meant same port/channel 😛 didn't have my coffee when I typed that, @DevTechknew what I meant.

Yeah.

 

I think early controller implementations copied some aspects of Master/Slave so that there was a small advantage to using every 2nd SATA port but no aspect of that was ever exposed to the user - always 1 port, 1 drive.

 

To the OP, if you somehow have more drives than ports then you can get SATA controller cards both PCI and PCIe bus to add SATA ports.

 

Alternatively, you can also buy PCIe cards to add M.2  NVMe drives, which come in 1 drive and 4 drive models. (But keep that one between us so we don't upset the Teddy Bear Police)

 

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15 minutes ago, DevTech said:

Alternatively, you can also buy PCIe cards to add M.2  NVMe drives, which come in 1 drive and 4 drive models. (But keep that one between us so we don't upset the Teddy Bear Police)

I've seen models with 2... But yeah...

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4 hours ago, Mindovermaster said:

I've seen models with 2... But yeah...

Actually responding to the other question jogged my memory a bit

 

The DUAL option is FAR more useful in retrofit of older mobos since their is usually a second PCIe x 16 slot but using the slot EITHER for GPU or NVMe makes both GPU slots switch to x8 due to shortage of PCIe lanes.

 

Running a PCIe 3.0 at x8 will NOT be a perf hit for GPU, so DUAL NVMe is a nice upgrade.

 

A more modern motherboard with a real x16 expansion slot would be needed for the 4 unit NVMe but of course a more modern mobo has 2 M.2 on the mobo already...

 

Some older server mobos have enough PCIe lanes but plugging a 4 unit NVMe into that would cause deep psychological scars for some people so we should keep that a secret just between us folks...

 

So in the end your suggestion of a DUAL NVMe is far more useful in a practical manner.

 

 

 

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Last few comments removed as this was going off topic.

 

With respect to the topic ... I'm not surely how adding a PCIe NMVe card would give the OP three additional SATA ports so he can "connect at least 3 drives." 

 

In my opinion this could have been answered easily.  One, it is one drive per SATA port.  Two, grab an internal 4x SATA PCIe card (which can be had for cheap).  Optionally the OP could get an external 4 bay drive and run it via USB (though this route would be more expensive).

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3 hours ago, Jim K said:

Last few comments removed as this was going off topic.

 

With respect to the topic ... I'm not surely how adding a PCIe NMVe card would give the OP three additional SATA ports so he can "connect at least 3 drives." 

 

In my opinion this could have been answered easily.  One, it is one drive per SATA port.  Two, grab an internal 4x SATA PCIe card (which can be had for cheap).  Optionally the OP could get an external 4 bay drive and run it via USB (though this route would be more expensive).

What on earth is confusing about a NVMe expansion card?

 

No different from plugging in a SATA controller card except a need to pay attention to PCIe lane counts.

 

A HUGE number of people in the hardware forums are having trouble understanding that in 2019, you can add a SATA SSD or a NVMe SSD and the costs are in the same ballpark, yet I repeatedly over and over and over in this forum get this negative attitude that somehow a NVMe drive is a complex solution that I should NOT be suggesting to anyone since SSD is "Good enough"

 

That is plain old Luddite ridiculous!

 

I was recently in a similar position to the OP where I had only a single M.2 slot on the mobo and I wanted to expand my SSD storage. So I ordered a NVMe card from Newegg for $8 and and a 512 gig NVMe drive, plugged the drive into the card and then the card into my unoccupied 2nd GPU slot and DONE!

 

Actually less work than internally mounting a SSD drive!

 

Super fast storage, about 5 TIMES FASTER, faster to get up and running and only $30 more expensive so why oh why do people have a mental block about this????

 

The OP was investigating complicated schemes of somehow multiplying SATA ports, and everyone doesn't blink an eyelash and his primary purpose is to upgrade to SSD so well in that case plugging int a SATA controller card is OK, but then when the logical next thing is up to be considered, it is portrayed as "complex", "not needed" etc etc.

 

Luddites, please go practice you horse and buggy skills and stop giving people crazy advice. It is 2019. Spend money on a SSD drive or spend money on a NVMe drive. Which one is going to do you better over the next few years? Unless you flat-out don't have PCIe lanes available, your money will get the best possible value by buying a NVMe drive.

 

And that is plain and simple just one easy answer. People in this forum can label it "complex" as many times as they want, but it is what it is and it's going to smell like a Rose no matter what you label it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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52 minutes ago, DevTech said:

What on earth is confusing about a NVMe expansion card?

 

No different from plugging in a SATA controller card except a need to pay attention to PCIe lane counts.

 

A HUGE number of people in the hardware forums are having trouble understanding that in 2019, you can add a SATA SSD or a NVMe SSD and the costs are in the same ballpark, yet I repeatedly over and over and over in this forum get this negative attitude that somehow a NVMe drive is a complex solution that I should NOT be suggesting to anyone since SSD is "Good enough"

 

That is plain old Luddite ridiculous!

 

I was recently in a similar position to the OP where I had only a single M.2 slot on the mobo and I wanted to expand my SSD storage. So I ordered a NVMe card from Newegg for $8 and and a 512 gig NVMe drive, plugged the drive into the card and then the card into my unoccupied 2nd GPU slot and DONE!

 

Actually less work than internally mounting a SSD drive!

 

Super fast storage, about 5 TIMES FASTER, faster to get up and running and only $30 more expensive so why oh why do people have a mental block about this????

 

The OP was investigating complicated schemes of somehow multiplying SATA ports, and everyone doesn't blink an eyelash and his primary purpose is to upgrade to SSD so well in that case plugging int a SATA controller card is OK, but then when the logical next thing is up to be considered, it is portrayed as "complex", "not needed" etc etc.

 

Luddites, please go practice you horse and buggy skills and stop giving people crazy advice. It is 2019. Spend money on a SSD drive or spend money on a NVMe drive. Which one is going to do you better over the next few years? Unless you flat-out don't have PCIe lanes available, your money will get the best possible value by buying a NVMe drive.

 

And that is plain and simple just one easy answer. People in this forum can label it "complex" as many times as they want, but it is what it is and it's going to smell like a Rose no matter what you label it!

Nothing is confusing.  He asked about adding three drives to one SATA port.  You've convoluted the original question by interjecting nVME drives.

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3 hours ago, Jim K said:

Nothing is confusing.  He asked about adding three drives to one SATA port.  You've convoluted the original question by interjecting nVME drives.

That is strange reasoning indeed.

 

What he wants to do is add FAST FLASH based storage to his PC for GAMING. He simply did not know how to go about doing that.

 

There are TWO ways to accomplish that.

 

1. Add SATA Flash (SSD)

 

2. Add NVMe Flash (M.2)

 

I have pointed out literally the OBVIOUS 50% of the possible solution space.

 

To not do so,  is an abdication of any mandate to help people.

 

Three drives on a SATA port is complicated byzantine thinking and is convoluted. The opposite of convoluted is plugging in a NVMe drive that is FAST, MODERN, SIMPLE, CHEAP, FUTURE-PROOF and the most PRACTICAL solution that does NOT need any SATA ports.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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@DevTechYour assuming he's adding NEW drives and not wanting to add EXISTING drives already in OP's possession, no where in the OP did he mention he's adding NEW drives.

 

ASSUMING he's adding new drives, yes, your solution would work with the NVMe add in card, ASSUMING it's existing drives in his/her possession a SATA III PCI/PCIe card would work best.

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4 minutes ago, Matthew S. said:

@DevTechYour assuming he's adding NEW drives and not wanting to add EXISTING drives already in OP's possession, no where in the OP did he mention he's adding NEW drives.

 

ASSUMING he's adding new drives, yes, your solution would work with the NVMe add in card, ASSUMING it's existing drives in his/her possession a SATA III PCI/PCIe card would work best.

I agree completely with that with one tiny exception.

 

If I had a computer where I needed a performance boost and somebody pointed out a really nice tweak, I would certainly give it very strong consideration and if I liked it, I would re-purpose some of the existing equipment for other computers.

 

Many tech fans have multiple computers at home permitting a more flexible type of thinking. Many don't.

 

Making a suggestion that is logical and sensible is DUE DILIGENCE. If it is not used, the words are sitting there for somebody to GOOGLE and there has been ample evidence that this has happened and people have joined Neowin because they found useful stuff they didn't find ANYWHERE ELSE.

 

So this idea that YOUR preference for a solution (I don't mean you, specifically) is somehow insulted by alternate ideas seems both nuts and counter-productive to Neowin and the purpose of the forums in the long run.

 

And the "slapping yourself in the face thing" - really? It doesn't fit your otherwise excellent work here.

 

A wealth of ideas and concepts and suggestions can only benefit the entire community. Otherwise, any group always risks the trap of a Monoculture. And we all know even a bad idea sometimes sparks a good idea! Gosh, if you don't like an idea, just ignore the text and leave it for some future googler...

 

 

 

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19 minutes ago, Matthew S. said:

he mention he's adding NEW drives.

WHAT HE HAS SAID:

 

" I plan to convert to all SSD's"

 

"One will be for games so I will need the best speed out of it"

 

" I am adding 2 more for additional gaming as it's cheaper in the short run than upgrading my current ones"

 

It is my honest belief that my suggestion fits the needs of the OP PERFECTLY!

 

"I will need the best speed out of it" in my mind means NVMe. For other people it might mean other technologies, but my response is completely justified and the ANTI-NVMe crowd is weirdly well, just weird...

 

You might optimize on other criteria and that would also be a good suggestion, coming from you.

 

 

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12 hours ago, Matthew S. said:

Dev read the thread again.

Enough dude. You are just playing with words instead of helping anyone.

 

You are well aware that the OP has several threads going on at the same time and I quoted the pertinent info from the other thread as any responsible person would investigate.

 

As you know, he is now sensibly investigating adding a NVMe drive to his system which is EXACTLY what I would do and what I have actually DONE.

 

If you need help, I am always available. I don't take any of this personally. But I'm not going to respond to the silly posts being generated for whatever reason. What is needed and the steps to do it have been well documented.

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, DevTech said:

Enough dude. You are just playing with words instead of helping anyone.

 

You are well aware that the OP has several threads going on at the same time and I quoted the pertinent info from the other thread as any responsible person would investigate.

 

As you know, he is now sensibly investigating adding a NVMe drive to his system which is EXACTLY what I would do and what I have actually DONE.

 

If you need help, I am always available. I don't take any of this personally. But I'm not going to respond to the silly posts being generated for whatever reason. What is needed and the steps to do it have been well documented.

 

 

 

There you go ASSUMING again, I in-fact DID NOT KNOW he had several threads regarding this very topic, it would be helpful information if your going to reference another thread to actually LINK IT.

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23 minutes ago, devnulllore said:

Sorry if they seemed to be multiple threads about the same thing but they were actually two different topics they just ended up being on the same topic. No matter close them both at this point.

Yeah, they were similar, but not the same... They were on two different subjects.

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