Quick Question about mSATA ports?!

[jamesisninja]

So my friend is upgrading his prebuilt Dell (which isn't an awful dell actually) and we are trying to reuse anything we can (We are reusing the CPU, RAM, HDD for sure, he's really just getting a new Case, GPU, PSU, and Mobo), His Dell (XPS 8700 Special Edition [with an i7 4770, and 660Ti, and 16GB of RAM]) has a mSATA (I think, I'm new to mSATA) wifi adapter, and I was wondering if we can use it with his new Mobo the MSI Z97-G45 Gaming ATX LGA1150 (http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130771&cm_re=z97-a_msi-_-13-130-771-_-Product) I know it has an mSATA slot, but idk if the wifi card in the dell is mSATA or what.

 

As far as I can tell the little card circled in red there is mSATA yes? So it will work in the MSI's mSATA port? I'm a wired man myself, so I've never had to deal much in WiFi and when I have it's been PCI cards.

 

 

Thanks LTT! I'm a confident builder, just new to the mSATA noise going on here. *old man grumbles*

[Volbet]

It looks like miniPCI, not an mSATA or mini PCIe port.

Though it is a bit hard to see from the picture.

You should also keep in mind that a mini PCIe slot and a mSATA port aren't the same, eventhough they look alike.

[TheRunningOtaku]

It looks like miniPCI, not an mSATA or mini PCIe port.

Though it is a bit hard to see from the picture.

You should also keep in mind that a mini PCIe slot and a mSATA port aren't the same, eventhough they look alike.

Dang Isn't mSATA based on PCIe though?

It would be interesting to be able to put an mSATA drive in that machine

[The_Strict_Nein]

Dang Isn't mSATA based on PCIe though?

It would be interesting to be able to put an mSATA drive in that machine

mSATA is based on SATA. M.2 is based on PCIe

[Volbet]

Dang Isn't mSATA based on PCIe though?

It would be interesting to be able to put an mSATA drive in that machine

mSATA and mini PCIe is two very different electric protocols. One will not work with the other. 

It makes sense, since and mSATA port needs connection to the SATA controller, and  mini PCIe needs connection to the PCie controller.

 

And if the slot on the PC pictured in the OP is a mini PCI connector, there really is nothing to do. 

[TheRunningOtaku]

mSATA is based on SATA. M.2 is based on PCIe

ohhhh so if I have an M.2 slot on the Motherboard I can use a mini-PCIe card?

[The_Strict_Nein]

ohhhh so if I have an M.2 slot on the Motherboard I can use a mini-PCIe card?

 

No, becuase they also use different form factors.

 

mPCIe, mSATA, and M.2 are all different slots

[runit3]

So my friend is upgrading his prebuilt Dell (which isn't an awful dell actually) and we are trying to reuse anything we can (We are reusing the CPU, RAM, HDD for sure, he's really just getting a new Case, GPU, PSU, and Mobo), His Dell (XPS 8700 Special Edition [with an i7 4770, and 660Ti, and 16GB of RAM]) has a mSATA (I think, I'm new to mSATA) wifi adapter, and I was wondering if we can use it with his new Mobo the MSI Z97-G45 Gaming ATX LGA1150 (http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130771&cm_re=z97-a_msi-_-13-130-771-_-Product) I know it has an mSATA slot, but idk if the wifi card in the dell is mSATA or what.

 

As far as I can tell the little card circled in red there is mSATA yes? So it will work in the MSI's mSATA port? I'm a wired man myself, so I've never had to deal much in WiFi and when I have it's been PCI cards.

 

Thanks LTT! I'm a confident builder, just new to the mSATA noise going on here. *old man grumbles*

The wifi card is a Dell Wireless-N 1704 (on spec sheet of http://www.dell.com/us/p/xps-8700/pd?&ST=xps%208700&dgc=ST&cid=264677&lid=4804679&acd=123098073120560 )

It's PCIe Half height. Should just plug right in to any PCIe port (looks like x4?)

 

Just make sure you can find the drivers for it prior to install or you're going to have a bad time getting it to work. Should have come on the Dell CD (If Dell includes driver CD's?), might be able to find it online as well...I would hope.