On 4/17/2023 2:32 PM, Skybuck Flying wrote:
> I add the m2_slot 4 in this sneak peak, so all this time it had 3 strips... so I think I know what I was doing hehe... or maybe 4 m2 slots would get a bit toasty... hmmm...
>
> Bye,
> Skybuck.
>

For a boot drive, it does not need to be fancy for the first day.

The Samsung 980 and 990 NVMe, need a firmware flash before using them,
for at least the 2TB ones. Just about any brand which runs at the
speed of the slot you're using, is good enough for now. I have
lots of 256GB and 512GB boot drives here, so a drive to get the
build off the ground (do some testing), isn't going to be that
expensive. At the current time, there is a glut of NAND flash --
the price of the drives, don't let them make you pay too much
for them. Mine was under $100 CDN and it's probably less now.

https://i.postimg.cc/3JL3Bhnp/a-boot-drive.gif

Since it's a nuisance to install and take out, it mostly
stays out of the PC.

*******

On the chipsets, the expensive stuff (which may run hot),
can use one or two Southbridge chips. This is 670. I read
somewhere that Asmedia was making these things. By putting
PCI Express on both sides of the chip, it allows the chips
to be cascaded, and it also allowed the lanes on the right,
to be used for some other purpose.

https://www.digitalcitizen.life/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/amd_am5_chipsets-1-2.png

I don't know how the 650 works in this regard. I don't
think there is actual cascading going on, but the lanes
on the right of it may still be used. One benefit of the
cheaper chipsets (like on mine), is there's no fan cooler
mounted on top.

https://www.servethehome.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/AMD-B650E-and-B650-Chipsets.jpg

*******

Your Wifi is MediaTek, or at least, it could be. The module
is a bit weird in terms of mounting method. The only reason
for mentioning this, is it's not Realtek :-) (worries about drivers).
The RealTek Bluetooth driver isn't exactly special. The module
hides under the metalwork near the backplate.

https://www.techpowerup.com/review/asrock-b650e-steel-legend-wifi/images/wifi.jpg

Paul

On 4/17/2023 6:52 PM, Skybuck Flying wrote:
> On Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at 12:07:35 AM UTC+2, Paul wrote:
>> On 4/17/2023 2:32 PM, Skybuck Flying wrote:
>>> I add the m2_slot 4 in this sneak peak, so all this time it had 3 strips... so I think I know what I was doing hehe... or maybe 4 m2 slots would get a bit toasty... hmmm...
>>>
>>> Bye,
>>> Skybuck.
>>>
>> For a boot drive, it does not need to be fancy for the first day.
>
> Huh ? Euhm this is a new PC, so the "normal" procedure would be to use an USB stick with some kind of windows 11 iso/boot on it or something.
>
> I still have to make that. Alternatively I could try and transfer an existing virtual disk image but then the PC would be confronted with strange VMware drivers and that can't be good ;) it would safe some time, but for this new PC probably better to re-install Windows 11 ;) not sure if I am going to get it "validated" though ;)
>
>> The Samsung 980 and 990 NVMe, need a firmware flash before using them,
>
> That's one reason why I am not going to by time, to much of a hassle and risk with the firmware and I am getting old and tired, running short on time.
>
> I can feel I am getting older, time flies, or it's just the world/tech world accelerating.
>
> Then I thought about it some more.
>
> I might as well go with a 4096 GB SSD drive for system and perhaps applications and games.
>
> Then another 4096 GB SSD drive for bitcoin and other blockchains... though nowadays not necessary to download them but it is saver and I might want to support the network from time to time or so or just make sure I have this stuff/blockchain and maybe running full nodes to get some coins for some projects, could be interesting.
>
> It's a bit crazy to risk a new system like this for something as heavy and possibly hot as bitcoin... but then I should play close attention to what it is doing and the heat level.
>
> It's kinda crazy to go with SSD which can run hot up till 80 degree celcius, but I am hoping A. the cooling solution from motherboard helps and cools it down. B. the transfer times will be short and heat will go down, but with bitcoin it will last quite some time to "update the blockchain". It's a nice test for this system though to see if all this new hardware actually helps at doing things faster.
>
> If I really don't like the heat then I can either:
> 1. Let the motherboard die and buy a new one LOL. On one hand I regret this wifi board a little bit and on the other hand I don't, I think it is the better choice the wifi version, the heatsinks near graphics card smaller and won't get in the way... besides the sata3 SSD are much slower and more expensive then these stick like SSDs... that is kinda weird and their capacity of SATA3 is very limited too, kinda surprising. But maybe in the future there might be some sata3 drives, maybe big ones then I am kinda screwed or replace harddisk with one of those... but for now I have plenty of capacity I think to last a while... though be it slower with the harddisks... but also 8 TB of SSD not to bad, there is still one slow available so I could get a better/bigger SSD in the future... I do worry that the bottom slot for SSD cools a little bit less well, that will be the slot where I will place the bitcoin SSD.
> 2. Or remove the hot components wasting some money though.
>
> I also hope the graphics cards of the future will be a bit thiner, then I might be able to use the pci express secondary slot maybe for some special new device ! ;)
>
>> for at least the 2TB ones. Just about any brand which runs at the
>> speed of the slot you're using, is good enough for now. I have
>> lots of 256GB and 512GB boot drives here, so a drive to get the
>> build off the ground (do some testing), isn't going to be that
>> expensive. At the current time, there is a glut of NAND flash --
>> the price of the drives, don't let them make you pay too much
>> for them. Mine was under $100 CDN and it's probably less now.
>
> I don't like small drives, not since my 80486 128 MB harddisk, that was annoying and frustating constantly finding things to delete and make space, same with the Pentium 166 I think it may have been, I learned long ago, when it comes to drives go for biggest capacity that will make you much more happy ! ;)
>
>> https://i.postimg.cc/3JL3Bhnp/a-boot-drive.gif
>
> Yes I have seen this stick... I considered purchasing it, but the firmware issue + "low capacity" killed it for me ! ;)
>
> It's nice and cheap though, could be interesting for an experimental drive...
>
>> Since it's a nuisance to install and take out, it mostly
>> stays out of the PC.
>
> I see, you have a valid point there, better stay out of the PC completely.
>
> There are external SSD drives those could be interesting.
>
> Any idea if those external SSD drives come with a USB 3.1 Gen 2x2 cable ?! Guess if not I may have to order one, well my budget is blown/maxed out so for now I won't purchase anything extra unless absolutely needed ! ;) =D
>
> So this will be a thing for the future, I am not even sure if I will buy an external SSD for quite some time, this toshiba laptop would be way too slow to benefit from it, well if I do have to transfer something then at least my new PC can load/read it faster... hmmm
>
> Maybe by the time I want an external drive again, there might be something completely new, maybe USB 4 or USB 5 requiring a special pci express card ! ;)
>
>> On the chipsets, the expensive stuff (which may run hot),
>> can use one or two Southbridge chips. This is 670. I read
>> somewhere that Asmedia was making these things. By putting
>> PCI Express on both sides of the chip, it allows the chips
>> to be cascaded, and it also allowed the lanes on the right,
>> to be used for some other purpose.
>>
>> https://www.digitalcitizen.life/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/amd_am5_chipsets-1-2.png
>>
>> I don't know how the 650 works in this regard. I don't
>> think there is actual cascading going on, but the lanes
>> on the right of it may still be used. One benefit of the
>> cheaper chipsets (like on mine), is there's no fan cooler
>> mounted on top.
>>
>> https://www.servethehome.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/AMD-B650E-and-B650-Chipsets.jpg
>
> Hmm so you have an AM5 B board too ?
>
>> Your Wifi is MediaTek, or at least, it could be. The module
>> is a bit weird in terms of mounting method. The only reason
>> for mentioning this, is it's not Realtek :-) (worries about drivers).
>> The RealTek Bluetooth driver isn't exactly special. The module
>> hides under the metalwork near the backplate.
>>
>> https://www.techpowerup.com/review/asrock-b650e-steel-legend-wifi/images/wifi.jpg
>
> I don't intend to use it, it just came with the board ! ;)
>
> But it's a nice feature if my internet provider goes down, has troubles or bans me lol, or I need to move the computer because of war or there is a cyberwar and ISP goes down, maybe my PC can then pick up a "wifi signal" as a last resort ! LOL and then me be back online communicating ! LOL.
>
> But I will try and disable this chip, I do not want to be radiated ! ;)
>
> Bye for now,
> Skybuck.
>

The USB stick is "install media".

The boot drive is a C: which is big enough for an OS (35GB will do if
you turn off hibernation capability - you can set your pagefile.sys to
1GB as well since your RAM is so generous).

Media for storing your application data, would be the D: DATA drive.
It could be a partition next to C: and share the boot drive.

Or, it could be on a separate drive or NVMe, so it can be moved
to another machine.

You don't have to buy a honking big DATA drive today. You can
think about it a bit, after the rest of your build is finished.

Do not think about it too long, as the price dip in NAND
will not last more than about three months or so. As we approach
the school year, the prices by then will be back to normal.
Samsung for example, seeks to reduce NAND production, and since
wafer production takes 12 weeks, it takes 12 weeks for the
quantity coming out of the pipe, to be adjusted. As the inventory
dries up, on NAND chips, the price will climb a little bit.

8TB drives are currently all QLC, and I would not buy one.
4TB drives might be safe, or at least as safe as TLC is safe.
TLC drives use a pseudo-SLC cache, and when the cache is
filled on writes, the drive slows down for additional write
operations.

In this diagram, a high speed external drive, slows down after
the pseudo-SLC cache is full, completely spoiling the experience
(purple colored trace).

https://images.anandtech.com/reviews/das/2021-/pssd/Kingston-XS2000-1TB/PCON.png

( https://www.anandtech.com/show/17052/kingston-xs2000-portable-ssds-review-usb-32-gen-2x2-goes-mainstream/3 )