MSI PRO-Z690-A-WIFI -> Samsung 990PRO 2TB

M

Maxit

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Aug 30, 2023
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Okay for the first time i installed a computer part. For most of you is adding a SSD easy but for me its pure stress :/ Obviously the install is easy enough, but i am always more scared of software related stuff. But after a quick install, and selected disk management it worked, so it seems.

Anyhow, I saw some random internet video were people claim there is a potentional flaw In Samsungs 890 & 990 SSD's were it degrades within months. And even can brick the PC. This if you are not on firmware 3B2QGXA7. After i did a update to the latest version with Samsung Magician. I did a diagnostic scan. All good. Then i did a Benchmark. The card only have a sequential read of 3570mb/s. I expected dubble. In the software there is some message unlock PCI Gen 4.0 for optimal speed. Not sure what it means, but how do i unlock this on my motherboard?
 
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Okay beginner error, I think i have to use another slot on the board. I think i used slot 3. Obviously out of 3 choices i took the worst possible choice...

specs
4x M.2 slots (Key M)
M2_1 slot (from CPU)
Supports PCIe 4.0 x4
Supports 2242/ 2260/ 2280/ 22110 storage devices
  • M2_2 slot (from Z690 chipset)
    • Supports PCIe 4.0 x4
    • Supports 2242/ 2260/ 2280 storage devices
  • M2_3 slot (from Z690 chipset)
    • Supports PCIe 3.0 x4
    • Supports SATA 6Gb/s
    • Supports 2242/ 2260/ 2280 storage devices
  • M2_4 slot (from Z690 chipset)
    • Supports PCIe 4.0 x4
    • Supports SATA 6Gb/s
    • Supports 2242/ 2260/ 2280 storage devices
 
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I would always put the primary drive (meaning, the boot drive, or the first M.2 drive if you still boot from a SATA SSD) into M2_1. For example, if you want to make the 990 PRO your new boot drive with a fresh Windows install, put it into M2_1 now. If you want to use it just as a secondary drive, put it into M2_2 or M2_4. Because as you found out, M2_3 can "only" do PCIe 3.0 x4, so i would use it last. And M2_2 usually gets hot air from the GPU, i would use it second last.

So the priority of the slots would be: M2_1 > M2_4 > M2_2 > M2_3. Unless you add a PCIe 3.0 x4 SSD, then the order of last two is reversed (M2_3 > M2_2).

It shouldn't be that stressful to add an M.2 SSD, you can't do that much wrong. Watch the video i link here, at 45:46 mins they show M.2 installation and so on.
 
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M2_1 was already by a Samsung SSD. It seems some "Generic number Samsung SSD". But it seems to be fast. But i wanted a extra drive.
So one of these days i will move it from to M2_4. I hope the extra speeds don't heat the SSD to much. Becaus the SSD and the board does not have a heatsink.
 
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