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This is a very simple questions because i saw a video where some guy uses this PE4L V2.1 adapter to connect his 16x PCIe GPU to a mPCIe slot, but the adapter only uses a 1x PCIe slot. i have a 16x PCIe 3.0 video card (GT640) and i want to connect it in a PCI 1x slot, specifically in this board startKIT, is this possible?.

I saw many times that people just connect the first pins and leave the rest alone. That really woks ?

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The simple answer is yes, it SHOULD work. There are many who have fit a PCIe x16 card of some sort, usually a video card, into a PCIe x1 slot through manual modification of either the slot or the card. That is, by either cutting the back off of the slot or cutting a notch into the card in the correct location. This is because the PCIe specification allows for PCIe cards to auto negotiate the lanes up or down.

But sometimes, a x16 card does not respond like it is suppose to when it is modified for the x1 slot, even though the PCIe spec says it should; and therein it doesn't work. But this is an atypical situation. There are x16 slots on boards that are only x4 or x8 electrically by design. But between cutting slots on boards or cutting circuit boards and slowing things down 16x, sometimes there are hiccups.

Again, it should work if you make your modifications correctly.

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  • What do you think about using this configuration? Raspberry Pi with a USB 2380 and a GT640 GPU ? is this configuration feasible? i maybe i have to modify the GT640 and add some extra power supply.
    – Arturo Veras
    Jan 21, 2014 at 18:32
  • I found this Hot! PCI-E 1X To 16X Powered Riser Cable Ribbon Extender Adapter Riser Card 24CM. This may help, is it ?
    – Arturo Veras
    Jan 23, 2014 at 18:27
  • The riser should work. Theoretically it just electrically connects pin for pin the first pins on the x16 slot to all the pins on your x1 slot, but mechanically allows for the full length card without modifications. I am assuming that particular connector requires the molex connector to ensure adequate power to the slot as the spec allows 75W to be powered through the slot itself and I bet the riser cable is not designed for that amount of power. I am unfamiliar with the Pi and connecting any peripherals to it. But I can speak in general about the PCI-E bus.
    – Damon
    Jan 30, 2014 at 7:08
  • In that case, if i connect just the first pins of the 16x into the 1x i would be the same?
    – Arturo Veras
    Jan 30, 2014 at 16:14
  • Should be, but you might have latency issues if the wire lengths and connections are not identical that might cause problems. Its worth a shot. It should work.
    – Damon
    Jan 30, 2014 at 17:24

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