Compatibility betweent SSD and motherboard

[ImHelix]

I have this motherboard

ASUS P6X58D-E X58 ATX LGA1366 3PCI-E16 PCI-E1 2PCI CrossFire SLI USB3.0 SATA 6GB/S Motherboard

I want this SSD

Intel 520 Series 120GB 2.5IN SSD MLC 25nm SATA3 Solid State Disk Flash Drive OEM

I would like to know if they are compatible with each others . The thing scaring me a little is that my motherboard show as SATA only does that mean I have like the first generation or something? Does anyone know if I have a sata 3 port or atleast sata 2 port that i can connect the sata 3 to. To they share the same kind of connector or each of them have their own kind? Would I need a special adapter if i do infact have a sata 2 to connect the sata 3 to it. WIll it work at it's full potentiel if i dont plug it into a sata 3? Im so lost when it come to this and a little help would be greatly appreciated.

THanks in advance.

 

[COLGeek]

That board has both 3Gb/s and 6Gb/s ports. Go here for more info:

http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_Socket_1366/P6X58DE/#specifications

Yes, the chosen SSD will work with this motherboard just fine with no special adapters or cables.

 

[clok555]

This motherboard will work with your ssd. any modern motherboard will.

 

[ImHelix]

will it run at maximum speed or half?
Max Sequential Read
Up to 550 MB/s (SATAIII)
Up to 280 MB/s (SATAII)
Max Sequential Write
Up to 500 MB/s (SATAIII)
Up to 260 MB/s (SATAII)
By this i understand that if i plug into a sata 2 i only get half of the speed? Or i mistaken when reading this.

Also are the 3gb sata 2 and 6gb the sata 3?

 

[COLGeek]

If you plug a SATA3 device into a SATA2 port, it will run at SATA2 speeds.

If you plug a SATA2 device into a SATA3 port, it will run at SATA2 speeds.

A SSD connected to either port will still be much faster than a HDD.

 

[ImHelix]

So if i plug it into the marvel 6gb i will have 550 and 500?

 

[COLGeek]

Do you intend to install Windows on the SSD? If so, and you connect to the Marvell ports, you'll need the drivers on a USB drive to load when you install Windows. You should also disconnect any HDDs you have until Windows is installed (you should do this for any SSD install BTW).

Yes, using those ports will allow you to run at SATA3 speeds.

 

[ImHelix]

Yes i intend to install windows on the ssd . Also for the hdd i only have the one i currently use so does that mean like i cut power to it once the other one is connected and then i start my computer and go into bios and pick the cd drive to boot for the windows to install and then select my ssd to install? Do i have to follow different step if i use the marvell ports? Also what happen if i was going to use my hdd as a second/backup driver for stuff i dont want to install on my ssd , is it still possible?

What happen if i decide not to install windows on it but instead i just install it then boot my computer on the ssd via the bios . My guess is that my computer will boot fast but still when i get on my desktop i will be running on the hdd? Do i have to migrate my hdd to my ssd to make everything i currently have work on the ssd?

 

[COLGeek]

Disconnecting the HDD (just unplugging it's power connector is all it takes) ensures that all Windows files (including the boot sector and system reserved files) are written to the SSD. If the HDD is also attached (and active), Windows will write some of those files to the HDD.

Installing Windows to a SSD is just like any other install to a regular HDD otherwise.

You can simply reconnect your HDD after Windows is set up.

 

[ImHelix]

Will installing windows on my ssd somehow reformat the hdd or ill keep my content on the hdd as it is?

 

[COLGeek]

It will do nothing to the HDD if it isn't connected. The content will remain unharmed.

 

[ImHelix]

Aight thank you guys for all the quick support, If i have any more questions ill come back here the service and help is great!

 

[COLGeek]

Good luck and have fun!

 

[ImHelix]

oh wait i have one more question, once my ssd is install and all that stuff but still have like games and stuff installed on my hdd. Whenever i boot my pc if it's setup to start from ssd it will boot fast etc but then what happen when i get onto my desktop and start one of my game , will it run from the hdd ? Should i reinstall w/e games i want to run/start faster to the ssd? So in other words only things installed on the ssd will run faster ?

 

[COLGeek]

You will need to reinstall all of your apps (some that you want to go very fast on the SSD and the others on the HDD) so that they work properly with the new Windows installation.

Having Windows installed on the SSD will improve performance for all apps (both those on the SSD and those on the HDD) as Windows itself will be faster.

Here is a useful guide for tweaking your configuration afterward:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/284934-32-tips-users#t1929070