PCI-E... x4 x8 comaptibility

Check the motherboard's User Manual:
it should specify how many PCI-Express lanes
are assigned to each slot (logically speaking),
under a variety of hardware permutations.

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/m [...] 58-t3eh8/1

BTW: you have three x16 mechanical slots (NOT x8)
and one x4 mechanical slot (see photos above).

Always remember to distinguish the mechanical size
of a PCI-E slot, from the number of logical PCI-E lanes
that are assigned to each slot by the BIOS and chipset.


Now, the Revo Drive uses an x4 edge connector,
so it should install OK into your third x16 slot:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820227597

But, again, check your User Manual to confirm
whether or not your BIOS will assign a full x4 PCI-E lanes
(logically speaking), or something less because the other
two x16 slots are already populated.

Alternatively, for your Revo Drive to operate at x4 (full speed),
the BIOS may borrow lanes from one or both video cards.


And, another permutation to try is to move the uppermost
video card to the yellow x16 slot, which will make room
for the Revo Drive to install in your one x4 mechanical slot
(also yellow).

Along those same lines, you could also move the lower video
card to the yellow x16 slot, and try the Revo Drive in the
lowest / green x16 slot.


But, a trip to your User Manual should help you decide
the best configuration, without needing to use trial-and-error
or process of elimination


MRFS

p.s. found a manual here:

http://img.lanparty.tw/Upload/Manu [...] 3eH8e1.pdf

• 3 PCI Express (Gen 2) x16 slots
a. 2-way CrossFire at x16/x16 transfer rate lanes; or
b. 3-way SLI at x16/x8/x8 transfer rate lanes
• 1 PCI Express x4 slot
• 2 PCI slots

NOTE WELL: on page 58 in the Manual above,
it says PCI-E 3 = "N.C." in 2-way Crossfire mode,
which sounds a lot like "NO OP" (no operation).

See also page 73: PCI-E Compliancy Mode,
which could be a problem if the Revo Drive
is not compatible with PCI-E Gen2.


GOOD LUCK!!


MRFS

hey, this is 1117248's slightly more computer literate friend typing.

first up, thanks for the help with this problem.

The manual you found was for the DFI UT-x58 - this is the big brother of the board we're using, the DK-x58. The manual it came with is no where near as indepth as the one you linked, and a thorough scouring of it revealed little. From your reading, you suggested that, infact, 2-way xfire wouldnt work in x16 slots 1&3. All ati drivers indicate and acknowledge the existence of crossfire - i assume that if it wouldnt work in this channel, it wouldnt say 'yes, crossfire is enabled'.

the reason i put them in 1 and 3, as opposed to 1 and 2, is a logistical reason, regarding the front audio jacks. the connector for these is right underneath the heatsink of card one, so tightly wedged in, i had to put the cable in, then the gfx card (no damage to components, as far as i can see). The cable then runs out, between the 2 cards, but wont allow the side by side placement. there is also the added benefit of cooling.

what im wondering is, if we put a x4 physical connector into a x16 slot, will it cause the mobo to run in 3-way CrossFire (x16,x8,x8)? Thus, by installing the SSD, slowing graphics performance but a quarter.

my opinion is to simply use a SATAII SSD, as the PCI-E SSD technology really isnt mature. booting from pcie might be an issue too. so two questions basically. will the x4 connector slow gfx, and would you recommend the safer and cheaper option of using a SATAII SSD, despite the disparity in read/write times