M.2 SSD compatibility with ASUS Rog Strix Z370-H

[doofoid]

Ok, I'm a little confused here so I hope someone can help!

My current PC config is as follows:

Asus ROG Strix Z370-H Gaming Motherboard.
Intel Core i-5 8600K @ 4.8ghz.
16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 3000mhz Corsair Vengeance.
GTX 1080ti.
Corsair RM750X PSU.
1x SSD 128GB (Windows), plugged into SATA1.
1x SSD 750GB (Steam), plugged into SATA2.
1x HDD 1TB (Other games, music and stuff), plugged into SATA3.
1x DVD RW drive, plugged into SATA4.

I think the HDD is on its way out, so what I want to do is get a 1TB M.2 SSD (the Mobo has 2x M.2 slots), install it, move / copy everything from the HDD over to it, then take out the HDD and bin it.

I'm confused because I keep reading on forums that putting in an M.2 drive will disable 1 or more of the SATA ports (the Mobo has 6 total).

I know there are 2 variants of M.2 drive (Sata, and PCIe / NVME), is it correct that only if I get a SATA variant it will disable SATA ports, whereas getting a NVME variant won't?

Also, does the M.2 port you use have an effect on SATA ports getting disabled or not?

Is there anything I need to do in the Bios?

I've read the Mobo manual a few times but all it does is confuse me more!

I just need someone to tell me “ok, get an M.2???? drive, plug it into M.2 slot???? and this ???? will happen!”

Any help much appreciated!

Dave.

[Ch3vr0n]

I know there are 2 variants of M.2 drive (Sata, and PCIe / NVME), is it correct that only if I get a SATA variant it will disable SATA ports, whereas getting a NVME variant won't?

Yes, usually specified in your manual

Also, does the M.2 port you use have an effect on SATA ports getting disabled or not?

Yes, specified in your manual

Under the specifications (page ix)

The M.2_1 socket shares bandwidth with SATA6G_1, SATA6G_2 ports when using M.2 SATA mode device. Adjust BIOS settings to use SATA device

What that tells you is:

1: M.2_1 (bottom slot) supports both SATA and NVME M.2 drives. However if you use a SATA based device you'll lose SATA ports SATA6G_1 and SATA6G_2 (the top 2 connectors, closes to the motherboards main power connector)

Meaning if you'd insert a SATA based M.2 your windows and steam SSD would "vanish" to the bios (nothing would happen to the actual drives or data itself) But to retain all drives working you'd need to move your windows and steam drive to the last 2 connectors

SATA 1 (windows) > 5, SATA 2 (STEAM) > SATA 6

Now if you insert an NVME drive, you don't need to do any of that. That's IF you u use the primairy slot (to the bottom edge of the board)
M.2_2 only supports NVME drives

Long story short:

M.2 Sata drive in bottom slot > move sata ports 1 & 2 to sata ports 5 & 6 or they'll no longer be accessible to the bios (and since sata 1 is your OS. The system wouldn't boot anymore)
M.2 NVME dirve in bottom slot > all connectors can stay as is > system should just boot up (note you'll likely still need to format the drive in "drive manager" before it'll become available to the OS
M.2 NVME drive in top slot > doesn't affect anything.