Hello. I'm new here. Need your help guys. Here's what are bugging me: How can you tell which slot to use for each cards? Are there any criteria? What are these 5v and 3.3v for PCIe? And why is it important? Also there are these 33bit and 66bit? What are these and their importance? And these x1, x4, x8, x16 PCIe, I already know that simply speaking, those numbers represent the numbers of data lane connection of the slot, but I don't really know what are their specific differences.
You are messing Pci with Pci express. Pci had 3,3V and 5V slots. Pci also had 32 and 64 bit slots. Common Pci cards are 3,3V and 32 bit, other versions have very little to care about. Pci express slots go like that http://blog.duropc.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/PCIe-slots.gif Data lanes transfer data (250/500/1000 MB/s, 1st/2nd/3rd Pci express generation) per lane. Adding more lanes, add more data transfer. So x16 slot transfers 4000/8000/16000 MB/s ( 1st/2nd/3rd Pci express generation). More lanes, bigger connector.
Not much anymore. Years ago, it did, but if you see a PCI slot on a board, it's a 32-bit one. PCI Express replaces PCI and unless you're tinkering with pre-Core processor motherboards (especially server and workstation motherboards), the information isn't really needed since any new PCI cards you do find will work with current tech. I believe the cards were keyed as well when it came to voltages.
Exactly. 32 bit 66 MHz, 64-bit 33 MHz and 64-bit 66 MHz Pci cards are usually server hardware and almost never seen on home computers.
I forgot about the 66 MHz ones and I think their might've been PCI-X (eXtended, not Express) at a 133MHz bus. That's old school stuff.
