I tried to install a Samsung 980 M.2 drive and store the BOINC data there because RAH Python tasks in multiples are eating up all the remaining space on my Samsung SSD 250GB C: drive.

The M.2 is seen by windows ok, partions ok, stores data ok.
But when I boot up BOINC then I get a series of errors.

It sees data directory D: (the m.2)
goes into running under account Greg
Then the error GPU detection failed, process exited with status 0x1: Incorrect function (0x 1)
No usable GPU's found
app version refers to missing GPU type NVIDIA
Application uses missing NVIDIA GPU

I tried both m.2 slots, always this error.
If I move the data to HDD or SSD, then it is happy.
But if the data is on the M.2 , forget it.

I've been through the idea of used up PCIe lanes. But that does not make sense. A Ryzen 7 3700x has 24 lanes. The GPU's (1080 and 1050) use 8 lanes each. The CPU uses 4. That's 20. There should be 4 left.

Now the wild thing is, the GPU's are ok as long as the data is on SSD or HDD. FAH being a windows program files project runs off the SSD so again no problem. This eliminates the full PCIe lanes theory.

So does BOINC have an issue with M.2 drives being used as data drives?
Nothing else seems to. Windows OS sees it. I can partion it, I can store data on it. Just BOINC does not like it. But why?

I swapped out my first M.2 for another M.2 and the same problem came up. Again HDD and SSD work fine for data.

I can not find anything that says BOINC hates M.2's but it appears to be that way. I would like to know what you all know. Can you help?

Configuration:

MSI X470 gaming plus
AMD Ryzen 7 3700x
GTX 1050 and GTX 1080
1x 250GB SATA SSD
1x 1TB HDD

Returned M.2 was a Samsung 980 500GB drive.
I don't have that anymore since my refund time runs out tomorrow.

I've been through the idea of used up PCIe lanes. But that does not make sense. A Ryzen 7 3700x has 24 lanes. The GPU's (1080 and 1050) use 8 lanes each. The CPU uses 4. That's 20. There should be 4 left.

SATA and USB (as well as Ethernet, Thunderbolt, U.2, ExpressCard and OcuLink) use PCIe lanes as well.

But, having said that, the GPU error you get may indicate you have a memory error on one of the GPUs or a problem with your video card driver.
I'd check the latter first, as that's easiest solved: just download the newest Nvidia driver and clean install it for both GPUs.

Else, check your GPU's memory: this site has 6 free programs to check your GPU memory (and it's written by HAL9000, I see).

Edit: after you moved your data directory to the M.2 SSD, did you tell BOINC (via the installer, or registry) that this is the new data directory?

Edit: after you moved your data directory to the M.2 SSD, did you tell BOINC (via the installer, or registry) that this is the new data directory?[/quote]

Clean install each time the drive was changed.
You would think there would be an error about the data if there was no more data to be seen on D:

You would think there would be an error about the data if there was no more data to be seen on D:

Well, there is, BOINC would prompt you that there are no projects added, and make a new data directory. But before it can get there it has to go through its startup routine, among which is the detection of the GPU(s). And if it fails there, it'll just exit.

I've been through the idea of used up PCIe lanes. But that does not make sense. A Ryzen 7 3700x has 24 lanes. The GPU's (1080 and 1050) use 8 lanes each. The CPU uses 4. That's 20. There should be 4 left.

SATA and USB (as well as Ethernet, Thunderbolt, U.2, ExpressCard and OcuLink) use PCIe lanes as well.

But, having said that, the GPU error you get may indicate you have a memory error on one of the GPUs or a problem with your video card driver.
I'd check the latter first, as that's easiest solved: just download the newest Nvidia driver and clean install it for both GPUs.

Else, check your GPU's memory: this site has 6 free programs to check your GPU memory (and it's written by HAL9000, I see).

Edit: after you moved your data directory to the M.2 SSD, did you tell BOINC (via the installer, or registry) that this is the new data directory?

1) GPU tests ok -that was never in doubt since FAH uses GPU's
2) Drivers are up to date
3) Question: If there are not enough PCI lanes left for the M.2 then why is it I can store and read/write data to it, but BOINC does not like it? And wouldn't there be some sort of windows error or other error by BOINC to indicate this?
4) Why does BOINC work fine on SSD (SATA) and HDD (SATA) but not on M.2?

GPU's according to the board mfg are 1 = 16 and 2 = 2 x 8, so again only 16.
SATA = 1 HDD 1SSD 1DVD ROM.
Ethernet is handled by onboard realtek PCIe ethernet controller.

Is there some program that can show how many PCIe lanes are in use to eliminate all this guess work about are they full or are there 4 free?

Download the HWiNFO64 installer, install and run it, on the first screen uncheck "Sensors only", then click Run.
Next check in the Bus section what's all using PCIe lanes and how many.

4) Why does BOINC work fine on SSD (SATA) and HDD (SATA) but not on M.2?

BOINC worked fine on both my Samsung SSDs, one NVMe M.2, one SATA.
How do you have everything connected? Your HDD and optical drive are connected to which SATA ports?

Furthermore, your motherboard details warn:
SATA1 port will be unavailable when installing SATA M.2 SSD in M2_2 slot.
PCI_E6 slot will be unavailable when installing PCIe M.2 SSD in M2_2 slot.

Did you install Samsung Magician and check if the drive needs a firmware update? Also check the drives for errors.

You would think there would be an error about the data if there was no more data to be seen on D:

Well, there is, BOINC would prompt you that there are no projects added, and make a new data directory. But before it can get there it has to go through its startup routine, among which is the detection of the GPU(s). And if it fails there, it'll just exit.

What I didn't tell you is that all my CPU projects ran just fine while this GPU problem was going on.
So BOINC had no issue with data. Just data for GPU's from a M.2

4) Why does BOINC work fine on SSD (SATA) and HDD (SATA) but not on M.2?

BOINC worked fine on both my Samsung SSDs, one NVMe M.2, one SATA.
How do you have everything connected? Your HDD and optical drive are connected to which SATA ports?

Furthermore, your motherboard details warn:
SATA1 port will be unavailable when installing SATA M.2 SSD in M2_2 slot.
PCI_E6 slot will be unavailable when installing PCIe M.2 SSD in M2_2 slot.

Did you install Samsung Magician and check if the drive needs a firmware update? Also check the drives for errors.

Not using SATA1 already been through that
Not using PCI 6 either. That's the last slot and its x4
I am using 1 and 3 which are x8 slots.

If memory serves correctly SATA 2,4,6 are in use (top row)

Unable to flash firmware. Samsung magician just stops the process.
The store was able to flash the first returned drive in their setup.
So not sure why they can and I can't.
Magician is the latest version.

Download the HWiNFO64 installer, install and run it, on the first screen uncheck "Sensors only", then click Run.
Next check in the Bus section what's all using PCIe lanes and how many.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1G-8dVAMW-jPLmGqU66O_yX3W1RjBltkn/view?usp=sharing

This folder contains the log in HTML of all the HWINFO64 items.
Have a look and see if you can find what I am asking or anything else of interest.
It is midnight in Europe, so I have to get to bed.

Any other ideas?
So far you have suggested everything I have already tried for trouble shooting and investigating.
Only the HWINFO stuff I had not looked at, but unfortunately I don't have time now to look deeply at it as it is midnight and I am up in 7.5 hours.
There is a link in one of the messages to a HTML output of what HWINFO found.

Magician not being able to flash the drive seems quite a big clue. But you're not the only one...

I'll check your log tomorrow as it's midnight for me as well, Nederland weet je?

Magician not being able to flash the drive seems quite a big clue. But you're not the only one...

I'll check your log tomorrow as it's midnight for me as well, Nederland weet je?

Hi neighbor! I'm in Beveren.

As far as flashing goes, the store was able to flash on their setup.
I can't get it to do that on mine.

See your comments tonight after work.

Sorry for the delay, and it's going to take me a little longer. Something came up in real life that takes precedent over anything I do the next days, so I hope someone else looks in, else the nearest I am available again is Monday.

I'm still wondering if we're not making it more difficult than it is by checking the PCIe protocol for issues.

For the SSD: as I said, plenty more people have the problem with not being able to flash the new firmware on that SSD. I haven't read the thread I linked to to the end (no time, really), so I don't know if it's been solved now for everyone. Then again, it can be a problem with your motherboard/BIOS (*).

For the GPU detection problem and BOINC, I think it's a coincidence that it does this from the NVMe SSD and not the SATA SSD or the HDD.

(*)That said, I checked your BIOS and find there's a new update for your BIOS, which does: Fix that M2_1 NVMe SSD only works as PCIe 3.0 x2 when using some AMD CPUs.
Which could be exactly your problem. https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/X470-GAMING-PLUS-MAX/support#down-bios (it helped that I look at the correct motherboard. I was checking the X470 Gaming Plus, but it's an X470 Gaming Plus Max)

Try the Beta BIOS first and see if that fixes things for you.

Well I gave up on the M.2 and sent it back.
So this is a dead thread now for me.

Someone else over in RAH was considering a M.2 and he has the same board.
So after my issues, he's not to keen on getting a M.2

I have been in contact with Samsung EU in Paris via whatsapp and they would pass this problem and all the information I gave them to their back office testers.

It's strange how a single board could cause a specific brand of M.2 to not work.
But that being said.....it does work with Windows. That is not the problem.
The problem is that it does not work with BOINC at least not where the GPU's usage is concerned.
CPU is no problem.
So this is a very very specific problem.

But that is for someone else to complain and try to fix.
I'm done with it.

So don't worry about this anymore. It's finished and I'm outta here on this issue.
Thanks anyway neighbor.

Enjoy the sunny weekend.

ok...so...after going to SATA...I found the same problem when trying to store data out in the open.
So after deleting everything and starting over, I created a folder on the SATA drive and put the data in that and everything works.

That could have been the issue on the M.2 as well. But being I returned it already, hard to know. But if it works on SATA that way it must work on the M.2 that way.

As for the other thing about firmware..well no idea.