Question Does it look like this mobod will let me use 6 sata ports along with some M.2 at the same time?

[ingeborgdot]

Are you a human?

www.newegg.com

I'm looking at building a Plex Media Server and using the actual machine as also the storage device using unRaid to host Plex. I am planning on adding a bunch of HDD for storage in an array using parity and also using some M.2 as the cache. I will probably have to add a Sata card later on but for now 6 sata and a couple of M.2 should suffice for now.

Why I'm asking on this mobod is that on my last board, when I put an M.2 card in it took up 2 of my Sata ports and kind of screwed me up a little bit.

Thanks for any info that will help me make a decision on a board.

 

[Tech Junky]

Look in the manual. Sometimes if you run more than a single M2 it disables one or more SATA ports. I use ASRock because most of the time they don't scavenge ports.

 

[In2Photos]

From the manual.

 

[ingeborgdot]

Yeah, someone on another forum mentioned about that specific thing. It looks like this board gives up 2 ports if I use a certain M.2 so I'll have to look carefully and find out what I need to do. Thanks.

 

[In2Photos]

Yeah, someone on another forum mentioned about that specific thing. It looks like this board gives up 2 ports if I use a certain M.2 so I'll have to look carefully and find out what I need to do. Thanks.

It looks like only if you use the bottom M.2 slot. If you use the other 3 you should be fine.

 

[ingeborgdot]

I'll look carefully now. I need to look at the board I have and see if that is the case also. Thanks.

 

[Tech Junky]

Simple and cheap solution is use a M2 HBA in a PCIE slot and then you don't lose SATA ports.

https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Controller-Expansion-Supports-Drives/dp/B07WQ447MN $8
https://www.amazon.com/AMPCOM-Adapter-40Gbps-Desktop-Speed/dp/B0876MLNY6/ $12

 

[alexruiz]

Are you set on intel?

If you are willing to go AMD, the AM4 boards based on the X470/X570 chipsets do not share pci-e lanes between the m.2 ports and the regular SATA ports
X570 boards will usually have 6 SATA ports and 2 m.2 slots
Going further back to the previous generation, some X470 boards have as many as 8 SATA ports and 1 m.2 slot without sharing pci-e lanes.

I think a X470 board with a Ryzen 7 5700G should be the ticket

 

[Tech Junky]

I suppose alternatively you could do the HBA for the SATA ports as well though they're hovering about $50 for a 6-8 ports card.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ST9CPND

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09C4G57PW

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B099ZJ8V7W