PCI-E X4 to M.2/NGFF NVMe SSD - support?

[dukla2000]

I have the PCI-E X4 to M.2/NGFF NVMe SSD card and wondered what type of M.2 drives people may be using?  Also wondering if this card and M.2 drives (like the Samsung 970 PRO 512GB - NVMe PCIe M.2 2280 SSD) are supported under (ayufan) Ubuntu Bionic?

I have got a (secondhand) 128GB SM961 working fine on 4.4.132-1075 with Ayufan bionic minimal.

I did notice the Polaris/controller chip was cooking so have put a heatsink on it.

[AndyOfLinux]

Are you using mainline kernel? Atm, mainline kernel is faster.

Guess I'm still a NOOB here -- which/what is the "mainline kernel?" I see this file on GitHub:  linux-image-4.18.0-rc8-1056-ayufan-gad339353011e_4.18.0-rc8-1056-ayufan_arm64.deb -- BUT, not sure what to do with it.  How do I install or create an image for my eMMC card?  Thanks for any help!

[dukla2000]

Are you using mainline kernel? Atm, mainline kernel is faster.

Guess I'm still a NOOB here -- which/what is the "mainline kernel?" I see this file on GitHub:  linux-image-4.18.0-rc8-1056-ayufan-gad339353011e_4.18.0-rc8-1056-ayufan_arm64.deb -- BUT, not sure what to do with it.  How do I install or create an image for my eMMC card?  Thanks for any help!

With LXDE you have some package manager, probably Synaptic? If you fire Synaptic, search for 4.18.0-rc8 you should see 3 packages - headers, image and debug image. Install the image and reboot.

BUT BEWARE - I DID THIS WITH rc5-1052 AND BROKE MY INSTALL (possibly because I am thick or did it wrong!) But be prepared to rebuild your linux from scratch.

[AndyOfLinux]

dukla2000

Are you using mainline kernel? Atm, mainline kernel is faster.With LXDE you have some package manager, probably Synaptic? If you fire Synaptic, search for 4.18.0-rc8 you should see 3 packages - headers, image and debug image. Install the image and reboot.

OK - Thanks again 

I changed from kernel:
 Linux rockpro64 4.4.132-1075-rockchip-ayufan-ga83beded8524
to:
 Linux rockpro64 4.18.0-rc8-1056-ayufan-gad339353011e

and see WAY faster NVMe disk performance:

Code:

sudo hdparm -tT --direct /dev/nvme0n1

/dev/nvme0n1:
 Timing O_DIRECT cached reads:   1788 MB in  2.00 seconds = 894.06 MB/sec
 Timing O_DIRECT disk reads: 2688 MB in  3.00 seconds = 895.90 MB/sec

and "everything else" still seems to work OK.  I am currently using/testing MongoDB 4.0 on the ROCKPro64 with even better performance, now.

[Bullet64]

[quote pid='39681' dateline='1533596940']

With my Intel i5 NUC  and Samsung 950 PRO:

Code:

sudo hdparm -tT --direct /dev/nvme0n1 

/dev/nvme0n1:
 Timing O_DIRECT cached reads:   1978 MB in  2.00 seconds = 989.90 MB/sec
 Timing O_DIRECT disk reads: 3210 MB in  3.00 seconds = 1069.41 MB/sec

[/quote]

And now with mainline

Code:

/dev/nvme0n1:
 Timing O_DIRECT cached reads:   1788 MB in  2.00 seconds = 894.06 MB/sec
 Timing O_DIRECT disk reads: 2688 MB in  3.00 seconds = 895.90 MB/sec

I think that looks very nice. Have fun with your ROCKPro64!

[CrimsonKnight13]

PM961 128GB with 4.4.138-1094

Code:

/dev/nvme0n1:
Timing O_DIRECT cached reads:   1644 MB in  2.00 seconds = 821.57 MB/sec
Timing O_DIRECT disk reads: 2486 MB in  3.00 seconds = 828.39 MB/sec

[Firesped]

where did people get the screw to mount the m.2 cards?

[AndyOfLinux]

where did people get the screw to mount the m.2 cards?

My PCI card came with the screw in the M.2 2280 position (i.e. end of card furthest away from socket).  I bought from ameridroid - $US-5.99 - ROCKPro64 PCI-E X4 To M.2/NGFF NVMe SSD Interface Card

[Firesped]

where did people get the screw to mount the m.2 cards?

My PCI card came with the screw in the M.2 2280 position (i.e. end of card furthest away from socket).  I bought from ameridroid - $US-5.99 - ROCKPro64 PCI-E X4 To M.2/NGFF NVMe SSD Interface Card

I bought it straight from PINE64 and it did not come with the screw. when I sent in a support ticket, they reported back it does not come with the screw. I asked what size the screw that fits in it and have not heard back yet on that. that parts I have from my dead gigabyte motherboard and my RPi USB to M.2 do not fit with this though. I had purchased a RPI USB to M.2 adapter to use the NVMe SSD drive on my RPi for a project I was working on in the past.

[dukla2000]

I bought it straight from PINE64 and it did not come with the screw. when I sent in a support ticket, they reported back it does not come with the screw.

That sounds wrong to me: I have 2 cards, 1 second hand, 1 off fleabay/Hong Kong. Both came with screws.

Whereabouts are you - anywhere close to Reading/UK I have spares.