Any way to use an M.2 SSD in older Machine/ Server without M.2 port?

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crashnburn
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Any way to use an M.2 SSD in older Machine/ Server without M.2 port?

#1 Post by crashnburn » Tue Jun 28, 2016 5:35 am

Any way to use an M.2 SSD in older Machine/ Server without M.2 port?

Since the prices these days are similar to SATA SSDs and performances higher, and the intent for M.2 is so that I can pop it out and use it in a newer machine (laptop or desktop).

Is there some PCIe > M.2  daughter dongle/ card?

The server can boot disks of PCIe RAIDs so some kinda PCIe > M.2 - Daughter board/ RAID or similar emulator?

or SATA > M.2 - Will slow it down but allow future usage.
T61 8892-02U: 14.1"SXGA+/2.2C2D/4G/XP|Adv Mini Dock|30" Gateway XHD3000 WQXGA via Dual-link DVI
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axur-delmeria
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Re: Any way to use an M.2 SSD in older Machine/ Server without M.2 port?

#2 Post by axur-delmeria » Tue Jun 28, 2016 7:38 am

It really depends on the type of M.2 SSD you have.

M.2 SSDs can either have a SATA or PCIe x4 connection. If it's SATA, then it's likely that an adapter kit that turns it to a normal SATA drive already exists.

I believe some PCIe-based SSDs already come with adapters that allow them to be plugged into a normal PCIe slot.

Booting might be an issue--it mainly depends on the firmware of the SSD I guess: for example, Samsung statesd that its PCIe-based 950 Pro M.2 SSD can boot on PCs that support booting from IDE devices.
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Re: Any way to use an M.2 SSD in older Machine/ Server without M.2 port?

#3 Post by automobus » Tue Jun 28, 2016 11:29 am

crashnburn wrote:Is there some PCIe > M.2  daughter dongle/ card?

The server can boot disks of PCIe RAIDs so some kinda PCIe > M.2 - Daughter board/ RAID or similar emulator?
Yes, for example, LyCOM DT-120.

Question of bootability is same as for any other (system bus to storage expansion) card: ask vendor whether card has IBM PC BIOS-compatible Option ROM.

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Re: Any way to use an M.2 SSD in older Machine/ Server without M.2 port?

#4 Post by crashnburn » Wed Jun 29, 2016 8:44 am

automobus wrote:
crashnburn wrote:Is there some PCIe > M.2  daughter dongle/ card?

The server can boot disks of PCIe RAIDs so some kinda PCIe > M.2 - Daughter board/ RAID or similar emulator?
Yes, for example, LyCOM DT-120.

Question of bootability is same as for any other (system bus to storage expansion) card: ask vendor whether card has IBM PC BIOS-compatible Option ROM.
Interesting. The more I read about these SSDs the more I get confused /:)

So this is the most inexpensive M.2 512 G SSD I could find. It says its SATA - Can you point me to an adapter that will allow me to boot this?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... APK4BU3355

Based on your link it wont work with that card. Is there another that will work?

Also, since I plan to move this to a future machine in an year.. when it comes to Notebooks (& Mini ITX MoBos) and M.2 will this work? e.g. the dark Thinkpad Surface Pro Clone..?

PS: The next type of Non SATA M.2 NVMe that is cheapest is almost triple price.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 12K3GB5852

PPS: Would this work? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... -_-Product

Searched using: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLi ... ageSize=60
Last edited by crashnburn on Wed Jun 29, 2016 9:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
T61 8892-02U: 14.1"SXGA+/2.2C2D/4G/XP|Adv Mini Dock|30" Gateway XHD3000 WQXGA via Dual-link DVI
X61T 7767-96U: 12.1"SXGA+/1.6C2D/3G/Vista|Ultrabase
W510 4319-2PU: 15.6"FHD/i7-720QM/4G/Win7Pro64 (for dad)
T43 1875-DLU: 14.1"XGA/1.7PM-740/1G/XP (Old)

axur-delmeria
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Re: Any way to use an M.2 SSD in older Machine/ Server without M.2 port?

#5 Post by axur-delmeria » Wed Jun 29, 2016 9:43 am

crashnburn wrote:So this is the most inexpensive M.2 512 G SSD I could find. It says its SATA - Can you point me to an adapter that will allow me to boot this?
Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/DT-119B-M-2-NGFF ... B00FKCSMYY
Daily driver: X220 4291-P79 i5-2520M

In reserve: X61 T7500, X60 T2300
In pieces: X60s CS U1300 [board only], two retired but working X61Ts
RIP: 760XD 9546-U9E

crashnburn
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Re: Any way to use an M.2 SSD in older Machine/ Server without M.2 port?

#6 Post by crashnburn » Thu Jun 30, 2016 12:16 pm

axur-delmeria wrote:
crashnburn wrote:So this is the most inexpensive M.2 512 G SSD I could find. It says its SATA - Can you point me to an adapter that will allow me to boot this?
Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/DT-119B-M-2-NGFF ... B00FKCSMYY
Thanks for the response.

Thanks for the response.

Did some digging and found the most economical:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... APK4BU3355

Would the above SSD work with this adapter: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... -_-Product

And boot up? 

PS: Isn't there some adapter that supports PCIe to all 3 M.2 types: SATA, AHCI and NVMe SSDs? unlike this one:
http://www.lycom.com.tw/DT-120.htm
T61 8892-02U: 14.1"SXGA+/2.2C2D/4G/XP|Adv Mini Dock|30" Gateway XHD3000 WQXGA via Dual-link DVI
X61T 7767-96U: 12.1"SXGA+/1.6C2D/3G/Vista|Ultrabase
W510 4319-2PU: 15.6"FHD/i7-720QM/4G/Win7Pro64 (for dad)
T43 1875-DLU: 14.1"XGA/1.7PM-740/1G/XP (Old)

axur-delmeria
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Re: Any way to use an M.2 SSD in older Machine/ Server without M.2 port?

#7 Post by axur-delmeria » Thu Jun 30, 2016 10:25 pm

crashnburn wrote:Would the above SSD work with this adapter: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... -_-Product

And boot up?
Most likely yes. The Sandisk SSD you linked to states a SATA III interface, while the adapter card has a SATA connnector. Basically, you plug one end of a SATA cable to that, and the other end to a SATA port on your motherboard.
Daily driver: X220 4291-P79 i5-2520M

In reserve: X61 T7500, X60 T2300
In pieces: X60s CS U1300 [board only], two retired but working X61Ts
RIP: 760XD 9546-U9E

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