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SATA advice

Sveigdir
Level 7
Hello, question from a novice PC builder 😄

I have an ROG STRIX Z370-E GAMING mobo and want to add in 1x Intel Optane Memory 32GB M.2 SSD to one of the M.2 slots (not sure which one is best to use?) and then add an internal 3.5" 2TB WD Black Performance HDD along with a 2.5" 1TB Samsung SSD 860 EVO SSD. How should I set them up in SATA and anything I should configure in BIOS so I don't get any conflicts?
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xeromist
Moderator
Shouldn't matter which slot you use for the Optane module. Just consult the manual because M.2 slots typically share resources and you need to be aware of what you are disabling/trading off. For example, one slot will share with the normal SATA 1 port so you would just need to plug your other drives into other ports.

Optane will only accelerate one drive so I would have it accelerate the HDD. The SSD won't see the same benefit. You choose which drive to boost once you install the software in Windows 10.

Then you just choose whether to install Windows on the HDD or SSD. It depends on what you will do with the PC. The SSD will be fastest overall. The HDD will only be fast for the frequently used things that fit in the Optane cache. So if you install Windows on the HDD then Windows will boot fast but everything else on the drive will be slower. If you install it on the SSD, Windows and anything else on that drive will be fast.
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