24 hours old NOVA laptop: 2nd M.2 Drive is not showing/working anymore.

FerrariVie

Super Star
I'm thinking there may be some misunderstanding with the compatibility of the drives and a limitation with the BIOS itself also.

There is a limitation of the chipset that's listed, PCIe 2.0x4 would be the slower M2 NVMe drives, with PCIe 3.0x4 being the faster lane option.

My guess here is that plugging in a PCIe 3.0 device into the 2.0 lane is causing the problem as the system is inadvertently trying to operate at full speed. This may be happening once the full throughput of the primary drive is realised via driver updates (hence why sometimes it is seen working). No matter what you do you aren't going to get full speed out of the M2 drive in the 2nd slot so it's probably a wasted purchase to go for anything particularly high end.

The BIOS/Chipset should be configured to handle this though as it's like putting in DDR4000 RAM into a 3200Mhz system, it'll still operate... just at a lower frequency.

With the findings though, the obvious immediate fix is to limit the M2 selection of this particular chassis to the lower spec M2 drives for the secondary drop down. That should at least put a band aid over the problem for future customers while Clevo come up with a BIOS fix to allow for the drive to be used at lowered speeds.
As I've posted previously, these are the specs for storage that you can find on the manual:

1600093256354.png


So Clevo already says that one slot is PCIe Gen3 and the other is Gen2, however if you have a Gen3 and a Gen2 at the same time, it is not working. I agree with you that the issue might be the throughput, but apparently it might not be enough even for that Gen3 + Gen2 config.

What we're getting to work at the moment is SATA + Gen2, Gen3 alone or apparently Gen2 + Gen2. The 2.5" SATA doesn't seem to have any effect on those (the lanes on the mobo might be different), so can always be used.

I could be totally wrong with all my guesses on throuput and it could be an incompatibility only with Samsung Gen3 drives (as everyone with issues have those), but it's weird that those do work when being the single M.2 storage device.
 
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Scott

Behold The Ford Mondeo
Moderator
As I've posted previously, these are the specs for storage that you can find on the manual:

View attachment 18426

So Clevo already says that one slot is PCIe Gen3 and the other is Gen2, however if you have a Gen3 and a Gen2 at the same time, it is not working. I agree with you that the issue might be the throughput, but apparently it might not be enough even for that Gen3 + Gen2 config.

What we're getting to work at the moment is SATA + Gen2, Gen3 alone or apparently Gen2 + Gen2. The 2.5" SATA doesn't seem to have any effect on those (the lanes on the mobo might be different), so can always be used.

I wasn't refuting what you wrote. What I was suggesting was that people may be plugging in Gen3 drives to the Gen2 port by mistake :)

I admit that I only scanned through the 3 pages briefly but I didn't see the model references to what was being attempted.

I added that this shouldn't add up to a non-working drive, merely a slightly slower than advertised drive.
 

lauwai

Bronze Level Poster
Yeah, as I imagined. I'm guessing again, but it looks to me that the mobo is not able to handle another nvme if you have one gen3 drive. So my theory is:
- 2 nvmes: slot 1 with gen3 and slot 2 with gen2 = doesn't work (even though the manual states that it does)
- 2 nvmes: slot 1 with gen1/gen2 and slot 2 with gen1/gen2 = might work (as confirmed by @lauwai on his post, intel on the 1st slot and PCS on the second)
- 1 nvme gen3 and 1 sata (either m.2 or 2.5") = definitely works, but if using an m.2 sata, the nvme will run with gen2 speeds

There is still something yet to be tested: a gen3 drive not from Samsung, as everyone seems to be selecting samsung for their fast drives at the moment.

The quick solution for your problem will be either replacing one nvme by a Sata drive (suggestion: 2.5"), or replacing your fast samsung drive (likely gen3) by a slower gen2 drive and hope that it will work.

Just to confirm this is what I ordered with my machine.

1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB INTEL® 660p M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 1800MB/sR | 1800MB/sW)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB PCS PCIe M.2 SSD (2000 MB/R, 1100 MB/W)

I ordered this config purely as a cost decision as I didn't think the Samsungs were worth it speed wise balanced against cost as I'm not needing the machine for anything speed critical. Also, I had read there was a couple of issues on here with people running 2 M.2 drives so figured having PCS fit them both will be less hassle from a warranty perspective but as it is I've had no issues so far.

I'll be adding a 2.5" SSD as well at a later date. Hopefully I won't run into any issues there.
 

FerrariVie

Super Star
Just to confirm this is what I ordered with my machine.

1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB INTEL® 660p M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD (up to 1800MB/sR | 1800MB/sW)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB PCS PCIe M.2 SSD (2000 MB/R, 1100 MB/W)

I ordered this config purely as a cost decision as I didn't think the Samsungs were worth it speed wise balanced against cost as I'm not needing the machine for anything speed critical. Also, I had read there was a couple of issues on here with people running 2 M.2 drives so figured having PCS fit them both will be less hassle from a warranty perspective but as it is I've had no issues so far.

I'll be adding a 2.5" SSD as well at a later date. Hopefully I won't run into any issues there.
You definitely won't have issues with the 2.5". I have a 200Gb Samsung 840 EVO from my old laptop, it works with no issues and I've never seen people report issues with that slot on this chassis.
 

Scott

Behold The Ford Mondeo
Moderator
The 660p is definitely rated as PCIe3.0 but it's not using the 3.0 speed. I'm not sure on the PCS drive. The cap for PCIe2.0 at 4x will be 2000MB/s so it is possible that the drive is only PCIe2.0.

Great to have a known good pairing but still need to know the drive models of the failing systems.
 

FerrariVie

Super Star
The 660p is definitely rated as PCIe3.0 but it's not using the 3.0 speed. I'm not sure on the PCS drive. The cap for PCIe2.0 at 4x will be 2000MB/s so it is possible that the drive is only PCIe2.0.

Great to have a known good pairing but still need to know the drive models of the failing systems.
@LauBus
500GB SAMSUNG 970 EVO PLUS M.2
1TB SAMSUNG 970 EVO PLUS M.2

@mrlip
1TB PCS PCIe M.2 SSD
1TB Samsung 970 EVO

@dylgri
1TB PCS PCIe M.2 SSD
500GB SAMSUNG 970 EVO PLUS

User from other forum with same chassis:
500gb samsung 970 evo
1TB samsung 970 evo plus

User from other forum with same chassis:
500gb samsung 970 evo
500 GB M.2 Kingston A2000
 
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mrlip

Gold Level Poster
@LauBus
500GB SAMSUNG 970 EVO PLUS M.2
1TB SAMSUNG 970 EVO PLUS M.2

@mrlip
1TB PCS PCIe M.2 SSD (2000 MB/R, 1100 MB/W)
??? Samsung 970 EVO

@dylgri
1TB PCS PCIe M.2 SSD
500GB SAMSUNG 970 EVO PLUS

User from other forum:
500gb samsung 970 evo
1TB samsung 970 evo plus

User from other forum:
500gb samsung 970 evo
500 GB M.2 Kingston A2000

Yep Correct for me, 1TB Samsung 970 Evo
 

Scott

Behold The Ford Mondeo
Moderator
With all those failing the obvious similarity is the Samsung 970 🤔
 

Scott

Behold The Ford Mondeo
Moderator
No it should have worked, it backwards compatible from gen3 to gen2.

I don't think you're following what I'm saying to be honest. I know that it will be backwards compatible, my point is that there may be a miss with the BIOS software when 2 PCIe3.0+ devices are plugged in. One of the 2 drives should revert to PCIe2.0 limitations, but my guess is this isn't happening and is what is causing the compatibility issues.
 

Jazzmess

Member
I don't think you're following what I'm saying to be honest. I know that it will be backwards compatible, my point is that there may be a miss with the BIOS software when 2 PCIe3.0+ devices are plugged in. One of the 2 drives should revert to PCIe2.0 limitations, but my guess is this isn't happening and is what is causing the compatibility issues.
No no I am following !
What I wanted to point out is that is not "users mistake" to put it in the wrong slot but clevo's fault. And I am really dissatisfied having to part with the computer (not pcspecialist, I wanted to buy from a local shop !) for at least 2 months to get it fixed without being sure things will be alright when I get my pc back. My nh55 wasnt even able to manage a gen3 SSD on the gen3 slot ! Heck I hope that was bad luck 😂
However I really hope like you this can be fixed with a bios shortly.
 

Scott

Behold The Ford Mondeo
Moderator
No no I am following !
What I wanted to point out is that is not "users mistake" to put it in the wrong slot but clevo's fault. And I am really dissatisfied having to part with the computer (not pcspecialist, I wanted to buy from a local shop !) for at least 2 months to get it fixed without being sure things will be alright when I get my pc back. My nh55 wasnt even able to manage a gen3 SSD on the gen3 slot ! Heck I hope that was bad luck 😂
However I really hope like you this can be fixed with a bios shortly.

Absolutely no doubt. It should work just fine no matter what drives you put in, regardless of the limitations put upon it.

My point regarding the drive wasn't to put onus upon the users but to suggest an avenue of investigation to see if that is the issue. If it is, it should be fairly easy to fix if highlighted to the powers that be. In almost every instance, manufacturers are loathe to investigate rather than to fix. If you present a problem and potential solution, the solution can take next to no time to implement. Normally it's the investigation to the route cause that takes all the time.

I wanted people to be more specific about which configurations aren't working so that we can adopt occam's razor :)
 

dylgri

Active member
I have been told by pc specialist that they have replaced the motherboard in my nova and have stressed tested it by downloading 2 games and they said it is fixed hopefully when I get it back it should be all good
 

Jazzmess

Member
So my laptop returned from RMA, and the techs didn't find anything. My vendor said The sx8200 and the 970evo, and the 3200 ram are incompatible (what a joke) withthe laptop...
Right now it s running kingspec ram at 2666 and a kingdian sata SSD. Will try to add a crucial p2 on the slower slot and see how it fares.
Could someone link the best Gen2 ssd here ?
Many thanks
 

SpyderTracks

We love you Ukraine
So my laptop returned from RMA, and the techs didn't find anything. My vendor said The sx8200 and the 970evo, and the 3200 ram are incompatible (what a joke) withthe laptop...
Right now it s running kingspec ram at 2666 and a kingdian sata SSD. Will try to add a crucial p2 on the slower slot and see how it fares.
Could someone link the best Gen2 ssd here ?
Many thanks
As PCS sell custom PC's and laptops and you didn't buy from PCS, we can't help with regard to your hardware, you'd need to contact the place you bought it from.
 

Jazzmess

Member
Yes I know, I wasn't seeking for support from pcs, was just trying to add my feedback as all those laptop share the same base :)
 

lauwai

Bronze Level Poster
I enquired regarding ram prior to ordering, was told by PCS, that the max speed the mobo in the Nova can take is 2666mhz
 
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