New build, several M.2 SSDs, OS setup, ASUS Maximus Z790 Dark Hero
New build, several M.2 SSDs, OS setup, ASUS Maximus Z790 Dark Hero
There is a discussion about installing multiple M.2 drives on the ASUS Maximus Z790 Dark Hero motherboard. The user wants to know if it's possible to initialize only one SSD in slot 2 while loading Windows 11, considering the heat-sink tape and cover. They also ask about the best approach for organizing the drives and whether they should remove the heat-sink cover before proceeding.
I'm not sure if my explanation matches your understanding, but...
Any second or third drive would likely come near the end of the list.
Graphics card probably isn't urgent unless you're using a dedicated one.
Hard drives won't start overheating just because they lack a heatsink.
At least I'm open to doing everything in order to install everything, focusing on the OS drive and Windows setup.
But I might be missing something—could it be a heat sink issue?
You referred to M.2 slots 2, 3, and 4; is slot 1 missing?
It is an assembly inquiry. I aimed to avoid installing multiple SSDs, the GPU, and then removing two more SSDs before re-installing the GPU. My CPU is an Intel Core i9-14900KF without a graphics card. There is a slot 1 that shares bandwidth with PCIEX16(G5)_1 and 2. All M.2 slots have covers. Slots 2, 3, and 4 each have heat sink pads beneath the SSD installation area and above where the pads are secured to the cover. Slot 5 has only a pad on the cover. The GPU will occupy the M.2 slots once installed.
It is generally advised to install only the necessary disks during setup, but if previous installations—whether successful or not—were interrupted, Windows 10 and Windows 11 can manage to install on just a single chosen drive. This can be confirmed once the system boots up.