HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop Tower adding another harddrive

[rphman]

hello....

can we add another hard drive to this computer looking for a another m.2 drive ?

thanks

-wade

[Fanordi]

Hello, your motherboard's specifications are here: 

https://support.hp.com/us-en/product/hp-pavilion-gaming-690-0000-pc-series/19769765/model/29770881/d...

You have only one m.2 slot, same lot of motherboards, but you can add an other drive: an hard drive in 3.5 inch SATA or a solid state drive in 2.5 inch SATA with an adaptor for 3.5 inch. You can consult this document for more informations about this: 

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c05934592

[rphman]

Found this on HP website

.see below...so I thot could add another m.2 drive..but I couldn't see another spot..besides where the current drive is..just didn't know if another one could be added to motherboard..

EXPANSION SLOTS

1 PCIe x1; 1 PCIe x16; 2 M.2

[Fanordi]

I see this: 

• One M.2 socket 1, 2230 type for WLAN
• One M.2 socket 3, 2280 type for SSD

It is two different m.2 types, so you have only one slot for m.2 SSD. 

[randomname1]

If you want to add another M.2 drive your only option is to remove the stock M.2 ssd and replace it with a different one. The specs are not clear on the HP product page that of the (2) M.2 expansion slots it has one of them is a special type for the wifi/bluetooth.

See this thread for how someone purchased a second M.2 drive and was unable to use it: https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-Hardware-and-Upgrade-Questions/I-want-to-add-another-SSD-for-m... 

[rphman]

Ok...so lets say I remove stock m.2 ssd drive and replace with new larger one...how do i copy the old to new..so computer wil have wjndows in new larger m.2

Thanks

Wade

[Fanordi]

Hello, you have two possibilities. 

1) reinstall your system to factory default on the new SSD, with any data, using your Recovery Tool (you need to make this with HP Recovery Manager)

2) insert your new SSD in an USB adapter, and make a clone from your original SSD using a software same Acronis True Image. An exemple for adapter: https://www.amazon.com/SSK-Aluminum-Enclosure-Adapter-External/dp/B07MNFH1PX/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=pci...

[wb2001]

@Fanordi 

I like your clone strategy. Using a USB / M.2 SSD adapter would allow the OP to have a portable device for future use. Personally, I like the free Macrium Reflect 7.

[Alucard41]

I purchased the 690-0073W for my son.  One download of Modern Warfare is over 100 GB and after game loads, is taking over one half of his storage space. So, I would like to increase storage. I do not want to mess with the existing 250 GB SSD and would like to keep that dedicated for the OS and his other files.   I would like to add an SSD SATA as I read that this can be done with an adapter of some sort, a 2.5 to 3.5???  Anyway, I think 1 TB would be enough.  My question is, how do I do this?  Is it just a matter of taking the case off and plug and play?  Is there an empty 3.5 slot for this?

Instead of the above I was thinking of buying him an external SSD that he could just plug into the back of his computer via, what I assume would be the fastest, USB 3.1.   Is there any advantage pf disadvantage to this?  From everything I read, the internal SATA SSD would be only slightly faster than an external SSD USB 3.1.

Thanks in advance.

[randomname1]

There is no need for a 2.5 to 3.5 adapter. There are 2 spots inside the case where you can install either a 2.5 or 3.5 drive. I installed a Samsung 860 EVO 2.5 SATA and it bolted directly to one of those open spots. You will need to provide your own screws. There is an unused SATA and power cable inside as well. If you're unfamiliar working on computers you can watch a video on youtube by Fastidious Foo, titled Taking Apart HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop.

The SSD will require some setup. If I recall correctly you will need to initialize and quick format it. Good luck.