@rgator4 ,

In my Aurora-R6 (running Windows-11 Pro now-days), I did this a while back. It has always worked fine. I use this computer to run my 3-screen virtual pinball cabinet. 

It has also always had 8gb x2 = 16gb ram, Intel-i7 with LC, Nvidia GTX-1070, and a Samsung-OEM PM-961 512gb NVMe SSD in the provided M.2 on-motherboard-slot as C-Drive ... as it came shipped from Dell.

1. It did not for me, but I only ever tried it in the one slot. No "PCIe-Lane" problems here.
2. Sure. I used this one. It uses AHCI-Mode. StarTech PCIe-x4 NVMe Addin Card (PEX4M2E1) 
3. I installed a Samsung 2tb 970-EVO-Plus NVMe-SSD (M.2/PCIe-Gen3). Works fine and very fast as D-Drive. I guess install whatever size you need.
4. I installed my card above in the lower x16 slot to attempt best cooling for it and between video-card.

@Tesla1856​ 

Thank you for the reply. I appreciate it. I have read some much about this that I have forgot what I read in the beginning. LOL It is hard to find someone that has accomplished exactly what is being attempted. The closest other post was the person who installed 3- 1TB Samsung drives with 2 separate adapter cards that were installed in the x4 and x16 slots. They seemed to have success as well. You referenced this person in one of the other posts that I was reading. I was hoping that they would chime in with any other inputs.

I was considering this adapter:

https://www.amazon.com/SABRENT-NVMe-PCIe-Adapter-Heatsink/dp/B0CQZ6SYD1?

It would use my remaining x16 slot. I know it is a Gen 5.0 adapter that will only perform at the 3.0 level. It just seemed like an easier install and would not block off the air flow like the solid non-perforated mount. The ventilating issue was discussed in one of the numerous posts that I have read. I believe it was from the same 3 -1TB drive person. The use of this adapter was the source of my question in regards to affecting lanes from the GPU which is in the other x16 slot. Any thoughts?

Thanks Again for Your Time

according to leaked R7 motherboard schematic diagram

both x16 slot (1,4) are wired x8

​x4 slot 2 is wired x4

x4 slot 3 is wired x4 

edited

@redxps630​ 

Good Morning, thanks for the input. I looked at the schematic you provided. It is blurry but it appears to me that the #2 &  #3 slots are both x4. Please advise.

@user_e74316​ 

I am not planing on moving the GPU so I have the option of either the x4 or x16 slot (which is truly x8). It just gets down to the adapter card I use. Some of the cards are designed for the x4 slot and some are made for the x16 slot. Lane sharing and taking from the GPU was the main question. 

@user_e74316​ , @rgator4 ,

I’d use the x4 slot if it’s available for the SSD adapter and leave the GPU in x16. The main thing I’d verify first is the motherboard’s lane-sharing configuration, since that can affect GPU and M.2 performance.

Exactly. I would not want to risk "taking anything away from" my GPU, for just a D-Drive SSD. That is why I liked the idea of the x4-card. If it affected the GTX-1070 in lower/secondary x16-slot, I could always move it up to one of the x4-slots.

@rgator4​ ,

I was considering this adapter:

https://www.amazon.com/SABRENT-NVMe-PCIe-Adapter-Heatsink/dp/B0CQZ6SYD1?

 

It would use my remaining x16 slot. I know it is a Gen 5.0 adapter that will only perform at the 3.0 level. It just seemed like an easier install and would not block off the air flow like the solid non-perforated mount. The ventilating issue was discussed in one of the numerous posts that I have read. I believe it was from the same 3 -1TB drive person. The use of this adapter was the source of my question in regards to affecting lanes from the GPU which is in the other x16 slot. Any thoughts?

 

Your upgrade might work ... hard to say since it would be different computer, chipset, PCIe-card, and SSD. Good luck and let us know how it turned out.

When I went to upgrade mine, it was already 5-years old (so, pretty old ... not current Tech). Over the years, I've learned NOT to push the edge or try to make the old computer something it was never meant to be. You can Expand, but keep the Tech similar.

Since Gen3-NVMe was the target, the x4-PCIe card seemed best. New Drive-D being as fast as original Drive-C is fine with me (which is very fast, BTW). Plus, x16 GPU performance was priority (test games, OCCT, and GPUz analysis). None appeared, but if problems did ... I still had slot-choices.

@Tesla1856​ 

I was also looking at the bottom x16 for the same heating reasons. I just did not know if it would effect the GPU lanes.It is my understanding that the larger x16 Gen 5.0 add on card will only utilize up to the Gen 3.0 standard. I liked the Sabrent also for its encapsulated SSD heat sink.

 I noted that you are using AHCI. I thought that this was utilized for SATA drives. Are you using a SATA SSD?

op is correct the Dell screenshot is blurry when look at original source both x4 slot are wired x4. good pick up

@redxps630​ 

If I were to use the x16 slot, for the adapter and new SSD, will that take away from the other x16 slot, where my GPU resides, in regards to performance or lane sharing? I can not find any info on how the usage of different slots affect the other slots.