Determining version of PCI-E 1.0 / 1.1 / 2.0 / 2.1 / 3.0

D

davemc

Executive Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2009
Messages
6,518
Reaction score
2
Location
Tiny cold island soon
Is there a fool proof way of determining the version number of the PCI Express standard that a motherboard supports?

For example, this motherboard FOXCONN G31MXP, comes in 2 varieties:
G31MXP-K ( http://www.foxconnchannel.com/Product/Motherboards/detail_spec.aspx?ID=en-us0000417 )
G31MXP-K 2.0 ( http://www.foxconnchannel.com/Product/Motherboards/detail_spec.aspx?ID=en-us0000419 )

Looking through the specification sheets, it would seem that the only difference between the boards is:
- the K version can drop to 533 MHz, the K 2.0 version cannot
- the K 2.0 version supports 1GB/s networking, the K version does not

But ... nothing at all about the version of PCI Express supported is included.

Every gamer is asking me whether the 2.0 version of this motherboard supports PCIe 2.0, and I can honestly say that I have no way of telling for sure.

(PCIe 2.0 would allow 5GB/s throughput one-way on the 16x slot, which would improve the performance of the lower end video cards like the NVIDEA 9600 1GB)

PC Wizard

The only windows software tool that seems to show the PCIe version number is PC Wizard.
Mainboard -> Bus PCI-Express -> Version (for each slot)

But, this shows version 1.0, no matter which board I run it on, which does not make sense as the version should be at least 1.1.

Or ... could somebody who has a motherboard that definitely supports PCIe 2.0 run PC Wizard and tell me what is says?

PC Wizard is available for free at: http://www.cpuid.com/pcwizard.php
(Just get the ZIP version and extract it and run it - no need to install it)

lspci

On ubuntu, the lspci -v command shows up a lot of detail regarding the PCI devices on the motherboard, but, once again, I cannot actually work out from the information retrieved the version of PCIe that the motherboard supports on each PCIe bus.

If somebody who is running ubuntu on a motherboard that does in fact support PCIe 2.0 would be willing to send me the output of lspci -v, I would be really greatful.

*sigh* - life in the technology lane is tricky
 
Last edited:
I have been chasing this problem on and off the entire long weekend, and all I can really say is that there are 2 solutions:
- Get an official email response from the motherboard manufacturer.
or
- Load up an operating system on the machine, and run a graphics program that tests the transfer speed to the graphics card, if it's 5GT's or more then PCI-E 2.0 is installed.

Any other ideas?
 
Last edited:
I wouldn't worry about it. Every motherboard WILL have at least one PCIe 2.0 slot. Cant think of any other ways to check though. Strange that foxconn doesnt state it in the specs like everybody else does though... But again, I wouldnt be worried about it.
 
Saying that I should not worry about it does extremely little to make my clients feel better.

The 2.0 specification was released in 2005, giving the manufacturers 3 years to catch up should mean that any board manufactured in 2009 and onwards would be using PCI-E controllers that implement the 2.0 standard.

HOWEVER, South Africa is one of the dumping grounds for unsold hardware from all-over the place, so I want a fool proof method to know the difference, something that does not seem to exist.
 
Which chipset? :p

We're talking about the bus controller chips.

I suppose you mean that I must get the vendor and version numbers of the bus controllers and then match them up to their supplier names and then send an email off to the manufacturer querying whether that specific version of their bus controller supports PCIe 2.0.

I recon that could work as well. Let me give it a shot.
 
Last edited:
entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem

If it does not say PCIe2.0 x16 then it's obviously not v2.0

G31 chipset does not support PCIe v2.0

You need to look at the higher end boards for v2.0 PCIe support.

This is not cast in stone but will point you in the right direction http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_chipsets#Core_2_Chipsets
From the above link you can now go searching for boards as the board model usually relates to chipset model. Once you have found the motherboards look at their specification because even though PCIe v2.0 might be supported in the chipset it is not always implemented by the mb manufacturer. If it does not say PCIe v2.0 in the specs then it's v1.0. You will at times find two boards from the same model family using the same chipset but with different pcie v support.
 
Last edited:
This is what I love, according to the website, the G31 chipset does not support the PCIe v2.0 standard.
However, written in plain black and white on the motherboard box (NOT IN THE MANUAL) is the line PCIe2.0x16.
Which is one of the aspects that started all the arguments in the first place.

What's on the box does not necessarily indicate what is in the box.

Photo of the side of the box (Close Up): http://mybroadband.co.za/photos/sho...tle/foxconn-g31mxp-pcie2-0x16close-up/cat/500
Photo of the side of the box: http://mybroadband.co.za/photos/showphoto.php/photo/15511/title/foxconn-g31mxp-pcie2-0/cat/all

I hope these links work.
 
unfortunate name for a manufacturer foxconn

Their website specifically omits any mention of PCI-E 2.0, assume the box is incorrect.




Looking at this, ICH 7 it doesn't mention PCI-E. I would have to assume that PCI-E technology is placed on the northbridge? Interesting.
 
Last edited:
Drake2007 said:
unfortunate name for a manufacturer foxconn

Their website specifically omits any mention of PCI-E 2.0, assume the box is incorrect.

Looking at this, ICH 7 it doesn't mention PCI-E. I would have to assume that PCI-E technology is placed on the northbridge? Interesting.
Click to expand...

Why is that interesting? Most (if not all) motherboards have the PCIe lanes fed to the northbridge. :confused:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X