Sabertooth X79 Motherboard - PCIe to M.2 Converter

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heroofspirits

heroofspirits

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Hi all, its been a long time since last posting.

As per the title, I have the following: https://www.asus.com/au/Motherboards/SABERTOOTH_X79/ Currently at home. Nice and old, straight from 2011. 3930k does its job, and it's still too powerful to deem a complete system upgrade.

I am aware that I am unable to natively install an M.2 SSD. Digging around, I have found the following converter: https://www.pccasegear.com/products/33235/silverstone-ecm20-expansion-card-m-2-to-pcie-sata-adapter

I will be getting a Samsung 960 PRO m.2 Drive

Long story short, has anyone here attempted to run a similar setup? I'd be curious about performance loss running through PCIe x4 and bootablility into WIN 10.

From what I can see from research, I might not be able to boot in to windows. No problem. I just really need someone to hold my hands and say it will work within windows as a storage location.
 
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atomicWAR

atomicWAR

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I have using an i7 3930K @4.2ghz on a a asus rampage IV and using the nvidia PCIe 3.0 patch. Essentially I get full PCIe 3.0 performance with my 512GB 960 evo using a PCIe addin card, in my case an angel bird wings adapter. So I would not worry about performance especially if you use the PCIe 3.0 patch. Also to be noted you will need to mod your bios to make the M.2 drive bootable.

 
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heroofspirits

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Thank you for the quick and easy answers. I will purchase tomorrow (payday woo) and should have everything installed on the weekend. Doing a water cooling upgrade, so ill let you know how it all goes!
 
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atomicWAR

atomicWAR

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The folks at win-raid are very helpful if you have any issues modding your bios. I got it working but had some troubles at the start. In my case I had to format a USB stick differently. While I had correct partition of ntfs when using Asus flashback the GPT and ntfs didn't play nice. Switching to MBR and NTFS worked fine and got everything running.
 
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heroofspirits

heroofspirits

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Considering I have only just managed to get a stable 4.6 OC going, I don't think I could risk loosing the settings, unless I am able to save the bios, modify it, then load it back in.
You know, that might just be possible. Ill give that a try. Wish me luck XD
 
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heroofspirits

heroofspirits

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Thank you for the help.

The adaptor worked a treat and I am able to use the drive for storage. I decided against using it as boot drive, but I feel that it would be easy to do. Did not loose much performance using PCI-e Adaptor.
 
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Sambuca86

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If you're a little afraid/unsure how to mod your bios and want an already modded sabertooth x79 bios that includes the nvme drivers and thus accepts nvme drives as boot, let me know!
I have the same board (using bios 4801 beta), with same cpu and running the Samsung 960 EVO 250GB with no issues whatsoever :)

Installation of windows 10 was a snitch!
Make sure you set your bios boot option for PCIE to UEFI driver first
Bios (advanced mode) > Boot > CSM Compatibility Support Module > Boot from PCIe Expansion Devices > UEFI driver first
Then just boot from windows 10 installation media, such as USB and proceed to install windows like you normally do. (The setup should format your drive and set it as UEFI) Thus giving you Windows Boot Manager as a boot option. Basically it . If you've installed windows in the past, it's fool proof TBH.


edit: regarding performance,
im getting 2.9-3.1GB/s Seq Read and 1.4-1.6GB/s Seq Write with my evo

im wondering if it's because the 3930k doesnt natively support Pcie3.0 and if going with the 4930k would make any difference in those numbers. (tempting to try) but for now, im super happy with the results :)
 
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atomicWAR

atomicWAR

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I am using the same CPU with zero handicap to performance. I run the PCIe 3.0 patch released by nvidia. Your numbers are good though for the record. You can check in bios to see if PCIe 3.0 is enabled on the slot running your 960 evo but my guess is it is. 2.9-3.1GB/s seq. reads your getting falls under PCIe 3.0 4.0GB/s ceiling. With the scores your getting you would have to be getting PCIe 3.0 signalling or you would be limited to 2.0GB/s sequential read/write access if it were running at PCIe 2.0. Granted running the 960 evo only running seq. reads are enough to show your using the PCIe 3.0 bandwidth as the writes for the 960 evo tend to peak around the 1.9-2GB/s mark as that is their spec. Be very happy with your numbers they are spot on.
 
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Sambuca86

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Yup i am happy with the performance no doubt! it does pretty much match whats specified on Samsung's 960 evo specs page :)

However, i was thinking that it might be either the CPU not utilizing the full potential of PCIe 3.0 properly or maybe it could even be my pcie to m.2 riser card.

Regardless, of that, it was a nice step up from my OCZ RevoDrive 240GB (FIRST GEN) i've been using since 2009 LOL
 
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cropsey

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Sambuca86,

Is there any chance I can get a copy of your modded (4801 beta) bios? I have the exact same system config. I've tried several times to mod the Sabertooth's bios and sadly failed each time. I have no desire to use my 960 as just a storage drive. I don't think words can express how much it would help me out.

I eagerly await your response!

Thanks!
 
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atomicWAR

atomicWAR

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The only difference I see in your numbers compared to mine are in the writes. Mine peaks, depending on the day I run the test, 1.9-2.0GB/s and frequenlty lands in the 1.4-1.7GB/s mark. When it was brand new and empty (ie no OS, for testing) I consistantly hit the 1.9-2.0GB/s mark. I honestly think your speeds are expected and in the range intended. I don't believe your CPU is holding you back at all. From what I have read in other forums, install walk-throughs, reviews etc we are getting expected numbers, within the realm statistical hardware variance at least.

To the OP I had trouble flashing a modded BIOs myself. Make sure your USB stick is fat32 or ntfs but not GPT partitioning, MBR only...very important or will fail without it, if the USB drive has ever had NTFS with GPT even if you switch to fat32 on the same USB drive it fails. You must revert to NTFS with MBR to get it to work. I learned that the hard way. Using your asus flashback function as it automates the install process helping skip some of the safeties some bioses have against modding the bios (lol) which is usually to prevent malware from installing itself there automatically. Point being the flash back function and proper USB formatting should get you past your issues assuming your using the NVME insertion tool for hacking your bios from winraid.
 
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cropsey

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Thanks for your help atomicWAR!

I went at it again, failed once more. Went back to Asus' support site to read the manual and saw the Bios Utility section has a tool in it called BRenamerl to correctly rename the file to work with the usb flashback port. Originally I was using the default name that Asus named it, which amazingly enough won't work with the flashback port.

Lesson being, I should have paid better attention to Asus' requirements for using usb flashback and not assumed the bios I downloaded from their site would work with the usb flashback port without using the BRenamerl utility to correctly rename it.

Thanks again!!!
 
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neoo.tioo

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[/quotemsg] If you're a little afraid/unsure how to mod your bios and want an already modded sabertooth x79 bios that includes the nvme drivers and thus accepts nvme drives as boot, let me know!
I have the same board (using bios 4801 beta), with same cpu and running the Samsung 960 EVO 250GB with no issues whatsoever :)

Installation of windows 10 was a snitch!
Make sure you set your bios boot option for PCIE to UEFI driver first
Bios (advanced mode) > Boot > CSM Compatibility Support Module > Boot from PCIe Expansion Devices > UEFI driver first
Then just boot from windows 10 installation media, such as USB and proceed to install windows like you normally do. (The setup should format your drive and set it as UEFI) Thus giving you Windows Boot Manager as a boot option. Basically it . If you've installed windows in the past, it's fool proof TBH.


edit: regarding performance,
im getting 2.9-3.1GB/s Seq Read and 1.4-1.6GB/s Seq Write with my evo

im wondering if it's because the 3930k doesnt natively support Pcie3.0 and if going with the 4930k would make any difference in those numbers. (tempting to try) but for now, im super happy with the results :)
[/quotemsg]



Hi man :)
I do have sabertooth x79 and 3939k cpu and would love to upgrade to M.2 :D So im planing to buy Samsung 960 PRO m.2 very soon but first i would love to try you moded bios if you could uploade it here or send it to me ?

Pls get back to me as soon you read this. Thanks :)
 
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andrew.casey

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I would LOVE a copy of that BIOS too please! Can you upload it to dropbox/google drive/ even oneDrive
 
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manos_k

manos_k

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Hi,

Is it possible please to get the patched bios file for ASUS Sabertooth X79 with NVME bootable support?

I am currently having the original ASUS 4801 bios (latest official) and very interesting to add an Samsung 960 Evo 500 GB M.2 drive but with option to boot from there.

Thanks in advance.

UPDATE: Since I got no reply on this, I have made the BIOS modification and already applied to my Asus Sabertooth X79. For anyone interested can download it: - Download Modified Bios 4801 -
[Modified Bios version from Asus original Bios 4801]
Click to expand...
 
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topcat6868

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Hi Dude

Please can you let me know how I can get a copy of your boot M.2 bios for Sabertooth x79?

Regards
Freeman

 
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topcat6868

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Hi Manos_k

Did you manage to boot from Sabertooth X79 Motherboard - PCIe to M.2 Samsung drive using this Bios?

If so can you tell me the Bios settings you used?

Regards Freeman
 
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topcat6868

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Hi Manos_k

Did you manage to boot from Sabertooth X79 Motherboard - PCIe to M.2 Samsung drive using this Bios?

If so can you tell me the Bios settings you used?

Regards Freeman
 
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gilberto.galdamez070

Mar 26, 2018
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Greetings Manos_k,

Thank you for the modded BIOS. I'm highly interested in implementing an M.2 2280 PCIe NVMe SSD (WD Black 512GB SSD PCIe NVMe WDS512G1X0C) as my primary boot drive on my SABERTOOTH X79 motherbaoard. This is to request your valuable help please provide the BIOS settings / steps you used to successfully install and boot your PCIe NVMe SSD.
I have the following configuration:
Motherboard ASUS SABERTOOTH X79, with BIOS 2104 (2012/08/14),
CPU Intel (R) Core (TM) i7-3930K CPU @ 3.20GHz,
RAM G Skill RipjawsZ F3-17000CL9-4GBZH 16GB (4x4GB).

Anyone with experience on this matter is very much welcome to contibute with the BIOS settings / steps.

Regards,
Beto_Galdamez.
 
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topcat6868

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topcat6868

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Sabertooth x79 settings for M.2 Bios

1. First you must install the M.2 updated 4801 Bios to the sabertoothx79 using the usb and update button on the back of mobo.(only way it work)

Bios selection setting under Boot option: Boot CSM disabled
OS Type Windows UEFI

I found that overclocking XMP option can cause OS to crash if you have this problem just turn it off.

2. Once you have done this the mobo will see your m.2 Drive as a boot drive option and you can use Win 10 usb to install OS.
3. This 100% work on Sabertooth x79 and I have been running my OS for months now with a Boot M.2 SSD Samsung Evo installed with Pcie card.
Samsung Evo M.2 ssd has a Samsung Data Migartion clone tool I used to copy my OS old SSD Sata 6 drive + I used MAGICAIN to speed up drives.
4. I have a second m.2 evo ssd drive installed with another asus adapter card "ASUS Hyper m.2x4 Mini card and you need a heat sink for better cooling.
Good option if I was buying again would be a kryoM.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 adapter with passive heat sink

I will say this again you must update the bios with the use option and white button at back of mobo otherwise bios flash doesn't see the M,2 drives.

Enjoy as free upgarde with out buy new ram cpu & mobo..!
 
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