M.2 expansion slots: what is socket 1, Key A and how many slots are available of M.2 drives in total

[TerryLL]

This is for a friend, who bought a HP Pavilion i5-11400 (TPo1-200) Desktop on my recommendation. The specs are unclear in two respects. They describe the M.2 expansion slots as Öne M.2 socket 1, Key A (which I cannot find any information on) and One M.2 socket 3, Key M (2280/2242), which is the most common of all.  Is there a third slot, which is occupied by the original SSD?  We want to install an additional SSD as a data drive, rather than leave Microsoft to control data storage like scrambled eggs in libraries on the C: drive.  The existing drive is too small to partition off, but we will go that way, if necessary.  Disappointed with HP's lack of details and pictorial info on the internals of their desktops and ambiguities in specs.

[DGroves]

most of the low/midrange HP desktop consumer systems will have two M.2 sockets BUT THEY ARE WIRED DIFFERENTLY

the storage "NVME" or "SATA" M.2 will usually take a 2280/2262/2242  SSD

https://www.atpinc.com/blog/what-is-m.2-M-B-BM-key-socket-3

the WiFi/Bluetooth M.2 slot is wired for PCI  or USB  and  only takes a small 2242/2232 card

your system only Has ONE SSD M.2 slot, any other storage will have to be a 2.5 form factor SSD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ho6FCzyJPs

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c07606423

Motherboard:

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c07119829

• One PCI Express Gen 3 x16
• One PCI Express Gen 3 x1
• Two M.2 expansion slots
  • One M.2 socket 1, Key A
  • One M.2 socket 3, Key M, (2280/2242)

[banhien]

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@DGroves wrote:

.... 

• Two M.2 expansion slots
  • One M.2 socket 1, Key A
  • One M.2 socket 3, Key M, (2280/2242)

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• One M.2 socket 1, Key A is for wifi card on your machine
• One M.2 socket 3, Key M, (2280/2242) is for M.2 NVMe SSD, can be 2280 (standard) or 2242 (shorter) 22 is 22mm for width and 42mm or 80mm is for length

Regards.

[TerryLL]

Thanks for your help.  From a look at the video, it looks like too much effort to achieve so little. If there is only one m.2 socket on the motherboard, which is already in use by the original ssd, there is no point in even looking inside. If we don't partition that drive to separate data from os and programs, then we are probably better off getting a 512Gb micro ssd to plug into the external digital media card reader. I have all the data stored on my backup m.2 ssd in a usb 3.1 caddy (Volans external enclosure), ready to transfer onto whichever choice this lady wishes to make for storage of her personal data. I see no point in going backwards in technology terms, after the quantum leap she has now made from her old desktop. Thanks again.

[Prométhée]

Hi @TerryLL  @DGroves  @banhien 

@DGroves mention a model

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c07606423

HP Pavilion Desktop TP01-2000nf

Product Number

406S2EA

can you confirm if it is this one, or indicate the correct reference

You have several options, possible, if the computer is the one indicated, or similar, you may well have a small capacity SSD, and another larger HDD disk
You can move data here
My comrades may be able to explain to you