Michael wrote: > On Thursday, 6 June 2024 04:54:41 BST Dale wrote: > >> I was digging around Ebay. Ran up on a used combo and then had a crazy >> idea. I found a ASUS B550-plus AC-HES mobo that is AM4. I took that >> idea and started building a combo with new parts. CPU, Ryzen 7 5800X >> and my little 4 port video card if CPU has no video support. AMD says >> it does. > The Ryzen 7 5800X has 8 CPU cores, but no graphics cores: > > https://www.amd.com/en/products/processors/desktops/ryzen/5000-series/amd-ryzen-7-5800x.html > > If you take a look at the manual for the MoBo you'll see the 5000/3000 series > CPUs will be able to support up to four PCIe Gen 4 SSDs on the top PCIe x16 > slot, if you install e.g. a Hyper M.2 x16 expansion card: > > https://www.asus.com/uk/motherboards-components/motherboards/accessories/ > hyper-m-2-x16-card-v2/ > > but the same PCIe x16 slot will only be able to support up to three PCIe Gen > 3 > SSDs with an expansion card, if you installed a Ryzen 5000/3000 G-Series > processor which has the integrated graphics cores. >
I'm planning to use the video card I already have with 4 ports anyway. That will allow me to have another monitor for when I'm processing files. It's not much of a card but I don't need much anyway. >> The mobo has three PCIe X1 slots and a X4 slot. > Actually it is more complicated, because bandwidth is shared across the PCIe > x16 slots: > > https://www.asus.com/motherboards-components/motherboards/prime/prime-b550-plus-ac-hes/ > > It has four PCIe x16 slots (the top being the PCIe Gen 4 and the rest PCIe > Gen > 3), but if any of the bottom 3 slots are occupied, the top slot will *only* > run in x1 instead of x4 mode. So you'll end up with four PCIe x16 slots, all > running in x1 mode. > > In addition, if you decide to plug in a NVMe card in the second M.2 port, > then > 2 out of the 6 SATA ports will be disabled - their bandwidth eaten up by the > second M.2 port. > This is still a improvement over the other mobo which didn't have the slots at all, shared or otherwise. That's the one thing that I did not like about the other mobo. The rest of it was fine. The lack of PCIe slots just become a deal breaker for me. I plan to use the M.2 thingy that is closest to the CPU for the OS. >From my reading it is not shared but even if it is, it will still be faster than my current SATA II drive, yes, SATA 2. I don't plan to use the one that is shared with the PCIe X1 slot. I may lose two SATA mobo ports but with a card but I can have either 10 or 12 ports on that card. Slower but still fast enough. >> A SAS card >> would work just slower than when in X8 slot but the little PCIe 10 or 12 >> port cards would work fine. Gives me 30 drives total at least on the >> cards plus the four on the mobo, two goes away with using one of the >> PCIe slots most likely. Bifurcation I think they call it when they >> share roadways. > I can't find a PCIe x8 slot on the above MoBo ... :-/ > When I was discussing SAS or HBA cards, they were all X8 cards but Rich reminded me that it would work in a X4 slot, just slower. So, I'll likely just use the X1 SATA cards I already have extras of and it is whatever speed it can manage. If I had a X8 slot and a HBA card that could handle say 20 drives, then I'd go that route. Since I really only have a X4 slot, well, why bother. >> My thinking. Build above now. In a year, or two, I can build either >> the rig I was working on a lot cheaper or a even newer rig that is even >> faster if say AM6 socket CPUs have arrived. Then the rig above with >> some hard drive options can become the new NAS box. I can then move >> some drives out of the main rig, newer one a year or so down the road, >> and not need so many PCIe slots in the main rig, hopefully anyway. I >> may even warm up to the idea of using USB for hard drives. I'm >> surprised hard drives don't come with USB connections instead of SATA >> already. >> >> The only downside, the NAS box will have to run 24/7 as well. Then I >> have two puters running all the time. To offset that, the combo above >> does pull a lot less power than my current rig. Not a huge difference >> but fair amount. Odds are the build a year or so down the road will >> also pull less power than current rig. I could end up with same amount >> of power usage or less, even with two running instead of one. >> >> I said it was a crazy idea. LOL This time tho, I'm sort of planning >> ahead instead of just coming up with a temporary fix all the time. This >> is also a little cheaper but still faster. Another big thing, newer as >> well. My current rig is about 10 or 11 years old. It may run another 5 >> or so years but could go out anytime. At least I'll have a newer rig >> not likely to let the smoke out. Plus have a path to a more sane >> setup. I just need to get one of those chia harvester cases that holds >> 40 or so hard drives. ROFLMBO >> >> Dale >> >> :-) :-) > I think it was mentioned, but for your assumed requirements I suggest you > take > a look at refurbished workstations, or tower servers. They are designed to > run 24-7, can host a huge number of drives, have obscenely large amounts of > quad/octa channel RAM (ECC too), come with the full variety of expansion > options, disk caddies and adapters, receive OEM BIOS updates for ever and a > day and seek to minimise power consumption. They won't scream their head off > in GHz, but more than compensate with multiple cores, dual CPUs, and more > than > enough PCIe lanes. > > I seems to me you are currently looking to buy the equivalent of a Ferrari in > terms of speed and technology, but intend to load it with rubble and use it > as > if it were a truck. I'm exaggerating here, only to make a point. It ought > to > be better overall if you buy a tool designed for the job you intend to use it. I've looked at some of those. They are very expensive. I might can run up on a good deal one day but given they are already used, who knows how much life is left in the thing. It is a good idea, just to large a bite money wise. I found a board once that I liked, just the mobo. I could build two, almost three, new rigs for what that thing costs used. I'd still have the CPU and memory to buy. It was a bare mobo. I get the analogy. I am getting better tho. At least with this mobo, I can re-purpose it later on. With the other mobo I was looking at, it would be good for a desktop where what comes on the mobo is all you need but that's about the end of it. I wish I had $2,000 or $3,000 to spend on a used rig that is built to do exactly what I'm doing but I just don't have it. The stuff is on the way. I'll post when I get it built, or start a thread if I get hung up with the install. I've never even seen a EFI system so that is all new to me. The m.2 thing is new too. Both have good wiki pages so hopefully following that will get me going. Now I get to wait. ;-) Dale :-) :-)
