A simple question regarding PCI-E

[Parn]

Is it possible to put an x1 or x4 card in an x16 slot and make it work?

[madhatter256]

I would think so since it can be done on server motherboards with multiple x16 PCI-e slots. However, i also believe it depends on the motherboard you want to try this on.

[Parn]

A friend of mine just did a full system upgrade to C2D and the motherboard he's bought is Asus Commando(P965) which has 2 x16 slots. He plans to order a 3ware raid card which I believe is in x1 format and doesn't know whether that will work in the second x16 slot. What do you think?

[madhatter256]

Maybe. Give it a shot. YOu won't short the card out or anything like that.

I've fitted some x4 PCIe network cards (enterprise level, for a custom server) into PCIe x16 slots. But that is the only experience I've had in regards to that, so I'm not 100% sure if it will work on every other motherboard, if Windows will detect the hardware.

[highoctane]

From what I understand pci-e is pretty much downward speed compatible with the difference being the number of pins needed/used for full 16x vs say 1x or 4x.

Even though the commando has 2 16x pci-e slots one is limited to 4x speed but by using a 16x slot allows you to plug in a 16x video card if you like for crossfire.

[Parn]

From what I understand pci-e is pretty much downward speed compatible with the difference being the number of pins needed/used for full 16x vs say 1x or 4x.

Even though the commando has 2 16x pci-e slots one is limited to 4x speed but by using a 16x slot allows you to plug in a 16x video card if you like for crossfire.

That's good to know and I'll pass the information to my friend.

I thought only 975X supported enough pci-e lanes for two graphic cards. It seems that I was wrong and a graphic card is able to run in x4 mode after all.

[highoctane]

That's good to know and I'll pass the information to my friend.

I thought only 975X supported enough pci-e lanes for two graphic cards. It seems that I was wrong and a graphic card is able to run in x4 mode after all.

975 would be 2 x8 with two video cards and 16x 4x I believe with one video card.

I thought you where refering to a commando board which is based on the 965 chipset which is definitely a 16x 4x config even though you have to 16x slots.

Today I just installed a Highpoint 2320 4x pci-e raid controller on my Asus P5B Deluxe running in the 2nd 16x slot, works like a champ. Got my raid5 setup without a hitch so I would imagine your buddy shouldn't have any problems.

[Parn]

975 would be 2 x8 with two video cards and 16x 4x I believe with one video card.

I thought you where refering to a commando board which is based on the 965 chipset which is definitely a 16x 4x config even though you have to 16x slots.

Today I just installed a Highpoint 2320 4x pci-e raid controller on my Asus P5B Deluxe running in the 2nd 16x slot, works like a champ. Got my raid5 setup without a hitch so I would imagine your buddy shouldn't have any problems.

Awesome. I will forward this information to my friend. In the future I might get an AMCC/3ware 9650-4PL raid card(x4 pci-e) for myself also as long as my motherboard has an empty pci-e slot that supports 4 pci-e lanes.