Question 1

Can i use this card as more SATA 3 ports or is it specifically for RAID configurations?

Accepted Answer

You can use it as more SATA III ports.  I bought one and used it with a SSD because my on-board controllers were only SATA II

Question 2

Will this work in a PCI-e X8 slot?

Accepted Answer

Yes. If a device is made for PCI-E slots and the slot is the same size or bigger than the device's interface, then it will work. This is a universal standard. For example, if the card says it will fit in a PCI-E x2, then it will fit in x2, x4, x8, and x16. However, if it is x2 it can only fit in a x1 slot if the motherboard manufacturer put a modded slot that will allow larger cards. The problem with running anything in a small slot that designed for is that it will not run at the appropriate speeds. So, if you put this RAID card in a modded x1 slot, it wouldn't run properly. Again, anything the same size or larger is fine. Do not worry about the 1.0, 2.0, or 3.0. That is only the generation indicator and tells you at what speed the device will run at. By default, if a manufacturer has put PCI-E slots on a motherboard within the last 5 years it is a 3.0 slot. Speeds that the device will run at vary based on other components used in your build and there are too many variables to explain this thoroughly here. Hope this helps.

Question 3

Can I use this in a PCI-Express x1 slot?

Accepted Answer

I used this card in an older SuperMicro motherboard and that's all I had available was a PCI-Express x1 slot. I can say this card works like a champ in a x1 slot. It will only be able to achieve 2.5Gb/s (PCIe x1 limitation), but if you're OK with that...it works fine.

Question 4

Image shows a x4 card, Overview and title says it is a x2. That part# on the Syba website is a x4.. so which is it?

Accepted Answer

As I look at the card, it's using an x4 formfactor, but if you notice the pins do not go all the way back.  So... it's an x2 data device, in an x4 form factor.  I saw a comment / review somewhere on these, where someone didn't have an x4 slot, so they cut out the back of the x4 slot (after the actual pins) in order to use their x2 slot that they did have.  So, the image does not in fact show an x4 card, it shows an x2 card on a x4 pcb form factor.

Question 5

can I use two cards in one system?  If so, can I do a 6 drive RAID between two of the cards?  Or will the card limit to access of only devices plugged into each card only?

Accepted Answer

Can you have two cards in one system: Yes.
Can they work together: No.
Each would operate independently so each card could manage, at most, 4 drives in whatever raid configuration you choose.

Question 6

Recently purchased Samsung EVO850 SSD drive. My MOBO is an ASUS M4A79T Deluxe (2009 vintage). OS is windows 10. Cloned my 300 Gb spinning drive and the new SSD works fine with BIOS set to IDE. When I attempt AHCI mode, I get inaccessible_boot_device error. 
I could find no ASUS BIOS updates  or windows drivers to correct the AHCI issue with my MOBO. I'm wondering: is the SYBA SD-PEX40054 would be compatible with my MOBO, i.e., would it work as advertised? I understand the need to plug in the PCI and get drivers correct before attempting to plug in SATA drives. The SAMSUNG Magician Utility tells me not to expect optimum performance from the EVO 850without AHCI.

Accepted Answer

Hi Tony, you might try the drivers right from AMD, then try to switch AHCI again in the BIOS (hope it helps)

You can go to AMD . com and find the drivers section and select "Chipsets" in the "Step 1" dropdown menu, select "AMD 7-Series Chipsets" in the "Step 2" dropdown menu, select "All 7-Series Chipsets" in the "Step 3" dropdown menu, then select either "Windows 10 - 64 Bit/-32Bit" in the "Step 4" dropdown menu, and then click on "Display Results" and download

The only problem you might have with the Syba card is compatibility with windows 10. I don't know if the existing driver would work on Windows 10. I still have the card, but never used it after I bought it, because I built a new computer shortly after.

Question 7

Does this card support full Sata III (6Gb/s - 750MB/s) read/write? The reason I ask this is because my Asus P6X58D Premium motherboard also "supported" Sata III and yet was essentially false advertisement due to the Marvell controller embedded in the motherboard as well as the x1 PCI-e Lane controller limit and the overhead of PCI-e based Sata III storage controllers. I'm using a 256GB Samsung 850 Pro SSD so I'll be able to tell the difference.

Accepted Answer

Yes you will get nearly as good of performance as you would from a native Intel SATA III.  I used the same board when I had a X58 board.  The connectors on the end of the board can be loose, the ones on the side fit well.  Tape will address the loose connections if necessary.

Question 8

Has anyone had positive results with Windows 8.1 x64?

Accepted Answer

I am running Windows 8.1 x64 with this card inserted into an x16 slot. I have a 1TB 7200RPM 2.5 inch drive in it. 
After initializing and formatting the drive, it's been running smooth.

Question 9

Is there a size limit for the harddrives that are connected?

Accepted Answer

No practical limit. One other similar product from SYBA claims to support 144,000 TB (they said it, I didn't). I think anything practical, 4 TB to 20TB, will not be an issue.

Question 10

Does this work on Linux (CentOS 7)?

Accepted Answer

Hello, Thank you for contacting us in regards to your question. This particular product is being offered through a Newegg Marketplace Seller. For more information, please contact them directly through their Seller Profile page. https://www.newegg.com/Novatek/about Thank you, Newegg Support

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