MP 1,1-5,1 NVMe drive for Win10 data storage only?

[eicca]

My Windows 10 install is on a SATA SSD. I’m toying with the idea of getting another drive for game storage. If I were to snag a 1TB NVMe drive, and all I wanted to do was load the games from it, is it a simple matter of install card, install drive, format and copy data?

I don’t care to move my OS install because it takes time and runs fine from the SATA drive. Plus I like using RefindPlus to boot it. So the NVMe drive would really only be for storing games.

Easy as it sounds?

 

[tsialex]

My Windows 10 install is on a SATA SSD. I’m toying with the idea of getting another drive for game storage. If I were to snag a 1TB NVMe drive, and all I wanted to do was load the games from it, is it a simple matter of install card, install drive, format and copy data?

I don’t care to move my OS install because it takes time and runs fine from the SATA drive. Plus I like using RefindPlus to boot it. So the NVMe drive would really only be for storing games.

Easy as it sounds?

If your Windows install is UEFI, it will work just fine - Windows only support NVMe, even for data only drives, with UEFI Windows installs. So, won't work if you have a BootCamp/CSM/BIOS install.

 

[eicca]

If your Windows install is UEFI, it will work just fine - Windows only support NVMe, even for data only drives, with UEFI Windows installs. So, won't work if you have a BootCamp/CSM/BIOS install.

Wait, so the install itself has to be UEFI to even read from an NVMe? I’m running a legacy install right now. I know it has to be UEFI to boot from NVMe, but reading data too??

 

[tsialex]

Wait, so the install itself has to be UEFI to even read from an NVMe?

Yes.

 

[spidertnt]

My Windows 10 install is on a SATA SSD. I’m toying with the idea of getting another drive for game storage. If I were to snag a 1TB NVMe drive, and all I wanted to do was load the games from it, is it a simple matter of install card, install drive, format and copy data?

I don’t care to move my OS install because it takes time and runs fine from the SATA drive. Plus I like using RefindPlus to boot it. So the NVMe drive would really only be for storing games.

Easy as it sounds?

Check and see if you are UEFI or legacy mode https://www.easyuefi.com/resource/check-windows-is-booted-in-uefi-mode.html
if you are using RefindPlus as boot manager ..does it support Legacy mode ?
You can convert from Legacy to UEFI vey easily https://www.windowscentral.com/how-convert-mbr-disk-gpt-move-bios-uefi-windows-10
I recommend cloning Windows drive using your Mac https://www.hamishmb.com/html/ddrescue-gui.php
I used these tools to move from 1TB 2.5 SATA Windows Legacy Bios to 2TB NVME UEFI boot using OC...now very fast and lots of room for my Windows games.

 

[eicca]

Check and see if you are UEFI or legacy mode https://www.easyuefi.com/resource/check-windows-is-booted-in-uefi-mode.html
if you are using RefindPlus as boot manager ..does it support Legacy mode ?
You can convert from Legacy to UEFI vey easily https://www.windowscentral.com/how-convert-mbr-disk-gpt-move-bios-uefi-windows-10
I recommend cloning Windows drive using your Mac https://www.hamishmb.com/html/ddrescue-gui.php
I used these tools to move from 1TB 2.5 SATA Windows Legacy Bios to 2TB NVME UEFI boot using OC...now very fast and lots of room for my Windows games.

That’s just it, I don’t want to move my OS to the NVMe, I just want to store games on it. I’m currently using legacy boot and don’t want to convert.

 

[saudor]

might be simpler to just use a SATA SSD. With most games, you arent going to notice much of a difference between NVME and a GOOD sata SSD. Your CPU and rx 580 will likely bottleneck first.

Also macOS is alot more picky about the type of nvme controller so even if you're not using it from macOS, things could potentially behave oddly.

 

[eicca]

might be simpler to just use a SATA SSD. With most games, you arent going to notice much of a difference between NVME and a GOOD sata SSD. Your CPU and rx 580 will likely bottleneck first.

Also macOS is alot more picky about the type of nvme controller so even if you're not using it from macOS, things could potentially behave oddly.

Well here’s what’s interesting. My favorite game (Star Wars Squadrons) has catastrophic lag when flying past a big ship for the first time in a game. I moved the install files to a platter drive and the lag is nearly gone. So something about reading those assets from a SATA SSD is really messed up. (No it’s not GPU/CPU related, I’ve been chasing this for a while.) If I can put the game on an NVMe it should eliminate that loading lag and allow me to play smoothly in VR.

All my other games play totally fine from the SATA SSD.

 

[saudor]

Well here’s what’s interesting. My favorite game (Star Wars Squadrons) has catastrophic lag when flying past a big ship for the first time in a game. I moved the install files to a platter drive and the lag is nearly gone. So something about reading those assets from a SATA SSD is really messed up. (No it’s not GPU/CPU related, I’ve been chasing this for a while.) If I can put the game on an NVMe it should eliminate that loading lag and allow me to play smoothly in VR.

All my other games play totally fine from the SATA SSD.

That sounds like an issue with the SSD itself. Which brand/model is it? With the earlier machines, there were some issues between the SATA controller in the macs and SATA3/6.0 gbps drives. I cant remember the full details as it's been a long time but using a SATA2 3.0gbps SSD fixes it or a SATA3 SSD with SATA2 mode

The Samsung 870 EVO is one that comes to mind. Do you have any other SATA SSDs you could try and test?

If a platter drive can handle your game, a proper SATA SSD most definitely will. (I run all my games from a 1 TB 860 EVO and it's fine. Tried dumping the game on NVME for lolz and couldnt tell any difference)

 

[tsialex]

That’s just it, I don’t want to move my OS to the NVMe, I just want to store games on it. I’m currently using legacy boot and don’t want to convert.

So, no NVMe for you. No UEFI Windows install, no NVMe support in any way and blades are not even listed.

 

[eicca]

That sounds like an issue with the SSD itself. Which brand/model is it? With the earlier machines, there were some issues between the SATA controller in the macs and SATA3/6.0 gbps drives. I cant remember the full details as it's been a long time but using a SATA2 3.0gbps SSD fixes it or a SATA3 SSD with SATA2 mode

The Samsung 870 EVO is one that comes to mind. Do you have any other SATA SSDs you could try and test?

If a platter drive can handle your game, a proper SATA SSD most definitely will. (I run all my games from a 1 TB 860 EVO and it's fine. Tried dumping the game on NVME for lolz and couldnt tell any difference)

It’s a WD Blue, but the issue is definitely with the game itself. It started happening after one of the first few updates and there’s a bunch of people experiencing the same thing. Something in the code must not play well with a particular setup of SATA SSD.

I do want to try and find another drive to try.

 

[KrilanKZN]

I have installed two systems on a Sata SSD - Windows 10 and Windows 11 using legacy boot on my MacPro 3.1
Both operating systems see the nvme drive in the Pcie slot.

I couldn't install Windows 10 on Nvme without Clover.

Only Sierra and higher was able to install on Nvme without clover.

 

[eicca]

I have installed two systems on a Sata SSD - Windows 10 and Windows 11 using legacy boot on my MacPro 3.1
Both operating systems see the nvme drive in the Pcie slot

Well well well, that’s very useful thank you. What are your read/write speeds?

 

[KrilanKZN]

Well well well, that’s very useful thank you. What are your read/write speeds?

I haven't enabled Pcie 2.0 support yet
manual

 

[spidertnt]

Curiously ...i have been having some stuttering with games usually when video scenes change pretty bad with my 5.1 . My drive is NVME...should be very fast .
It was very inconsistent...sometimes with very high fans.
I removed my CPU heatsinks cleaned off thermal past and reapplied. Huge improvement to stuttering and fans.

 

[eicca]

Curiously ...i have been having some stuttering with games usually when video scenes change pretty bad with my 5.1 . My drive is NVME...should be very fast .
It was very inconsistent...sometimes with very high fans.
I removed my CPU heatsinks cleaned off thermal past and reapplied. Huge improvement to stuttering and fans.

Man, I wish that were my problem… I just upgraded my CPUs and did new thermal paste and everything runs cool and quiet.

 

[spidertnt]

I am playing shadow of the Tomb Raider .....lots of transition scenes . I/O must be very high at those points.
The difference for me before to after is night and day. I only tried it because of this thread.
I play my games with everything set at Max settings / 34" ultra wide 3440 x 1440. thought that was my problem...nope. Some games Doom ...no issues. EA games stutter and almost stop causing sound issues.
Now they are fine.