Adding new and use HDD to Omen 30L

[dandy5]

I am wanting to move a 4 TB Sata drive from my old computer (Win10) to the Omen 30L and install a new 14TB Sata drive. The Omen has no HDD drive installed, only the SSD. What is involved in moving an existing drive to this computer. And is there any problem with iinstalling the 14TB Western Digital drive. I have watched a couple videos about installing HDD but was wondering if there was anything special needed in moving an existing drive and that 14TB will work in this computer. I am a novice at this sort of thing so bare with me.

[dandy5]

To clarify, the 4TB in the old computer is the 😧 Drive so not operating system on it. But can I move it to the new computer with files intact or should I transfer them and format the drive before moving to new computer.

I am supposing there are no issues with installing the new 14 TB drive. Just plug it in and go. Want to be sure before I purchase it.

[Bill_To · Accepted solution]

Hi @dandy5 

The 4 TB disk should work fine.

The new 14 TB disk will need to be brought on line after installed in the PC.

Use Disk Management to do this. Use "GPT" partitioning.

[dandy5]

Have powered up OMEN 30L with only the SSD and went through all the setups. When I power down and plug in the 14 TB drive, power up and enter PIN I get a black screen with only the mouse pointer on the screen. I don't get an option of going to DISK MANAGEMENT and bringing the 14 TB drive online.

[Bill_To]

Hi @dandy5 

You can undo the solution since you are having a problem.

I am going to try to describe what I thought you were doing.

You have an Omen 30L running Windows 11. This PC works okay using the factory setup.

You have a 4 TB SATA data drive from an old W10 PC which does not contain an operating system. You also have a brand new 14 TB HDD that you want to use with the 30L W11 PC.

I stated you can connect the W10 4TB data drive. W11 should see this drive as a data drive. You will have a problem if the 4 TB drive has a W10 operating system. The 30L will probably load the W10 drive instead of loading W11 from the factory drive.

I also stated the brand new 14 TB HDD would need to be configured in Disk Management as a GPT drive.

You have connected the 14 TB drive to the 30L . Windows starts and gives you a login screen. You login to a black screen with only a mouse pointer.

I don't know what to tell you. There should be nothing on the 14 TB HDD if it is brand new. File Explorer should not see the 14 TB disk until you use Disk Management. Disk capacity using GPT is astronomical (A GPT drive may have up to 128 partitions. Each partition can have a maximum of 18 exabytes).

Can you run W11 on the 30L after connecting only the 4 TB data drive? You will have to back up data and clear the 4 TB disk if it is a W10 system drive.

Do one drive at a time to reduce complexity.

[dandy5]

Your description is correct. 

The 4TB drive is the 😧 drive from old computer so no op system on it. I installed it in the OMEN and got same result on power up after logging in. Black screen with mouse pointer. Got same result with just the 4TB plugged in and with both HD's plugged in.

[Bill_To]

Hi @dandy5 

I'm stumped.

To clarify. Is this happening when you connect either drive (the 4 TB or the 14 TB), one at a time to the 30L?

It is as if the operating system is corrupted or you have bad hardware only when you connect either drive to the Omen. 

Maybe one of the SATA cables is faulty or the MB SATA port is bad?

Connect one drive to the 30 L again (try the 4 TB drive first). Check the BIOS to verify this drive is detected.

Start the PC. Tap "ESC".

Select "F10".

Look in the BIOS Storage Menu for drive information.

Do you have access to a second PC? Try each drive, one at a time, in this PC to see how it goes.

[dandy5]

Thanks Bill_To for hanging with me.

Yes either drive connected one at time causes same problem. I have the 4TB back in my old computer now and it is still working. Will try your other suggestions but it may be a few days before I get back to it.

One thing I didn't mention to keep the original story short was the first thing I did was install the 14TB and the C drive (with Win 10)  in the OMEN and power up. My thought was to copy files from the C drive to the 14TB  then swap out the C drive with the old D drive. On power up the first screen popped up saying

                                          Hard Disk Error

               Please run the Hard Disk Test in System Diagnostics

                                          Hard Disk 3 (3F3)

                                    System Diagnostics (F2)

I pressed F2 to run the System Diagnostics and it would shortly come up with a screen saying the Diagnostics needed to be updated. But I couldn't get past that screen to do an update. So then I took both drives out and booted up OK with with only the SSD that came in the OMEN. 

I hope that didn't corrupt something. Seems not, since it works ok with neither HD installed.

Thanks again for the suggestions.

[Bill_To]

Hi @dandy5 

My pleasure.

May be a different forum member can assist.

I am very confused. Your PC has W11 on the factory system drive per your original post.

Where is the W 10 "C" drive coming from?

Very sorry, I can't help in this situation. Too many variables, can't get a handle on what is happening.

You can undo the solution since I have not solved the problem.

[dandy5]

I can't figure out how to undo the solution to this mystery.

Sorry I thru you curve in there with the C drive. It's out off my old computer (Dell XPS). Wanted to transfer files off it to the new drive in the OMEN. Figure the OMEN would boot up on its Win 11 on the SSD and ignore the Win 10 on the HD, yes/no?

Anyway, thanks again for your attempts at helping. Will still go thru your suggested steps in previous post and post results here. Probably next week.