OMEN HP Desktop PC - 870-131 - Upgrade - (M.2 socket) - SSD NVMe Gen3/4

[VinnyVix]

Here is my desktop: OMEN by HP Desktop PC - 870-131.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/product/omen-by-hp-870-100-desktop-pc-series/12079703/model/14433303/pr...

The motherboard is 

• Manufacturer: Pegatron
• HP/Compaq name: Thimphu
• SSID: 2B4B
• Expansion Slots:
  • 1 PCI Express x16 (Gen3.0)
  • 1 PCI Express x1 (Gen3.0)
  • One M.2 socket 1, key A
  • One M.2 socket 3, key M

https://support.hp.com/us-en/product/omen-by-hp-870-100-desktop-pc-series/12079703/model/14433303/do...

Thimphu motherboardThimphu motherboard

Issue: There is no additional information about the M.2 socket, such as the generation it supports or if it has NVMe technology to add a internal SSD PCis M.2.

I would like to know if

• it should works a PCIe NVMe Gen4 M.2 2280 Internal SSD or a PCIe NVMe Gen3 M.2 2280 Internal SSD ?

I would like to upgrade and add Internal SSD PCIe NVMe  in this motherboard of this Desktop.

In case of both, it will get the full speed out of it?

Thanks for helping! 🙃

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi:

Your PC's Thimphu motherboard supports PCIe Gen 3.0 NVMe SSD's.

See this discussion...

Solved: SSD drive failing. Need to replace, would Like to enlarge - HP Support Community - 8479168

A PCie Gen 4 NVMe SSD would work but only at the Gen 3 speed.

[VinnyVix]

You suggested updating the BIOS in one of these posts.

1) Should I also do this on my Desktop for this device to work?

When accessing the "HP Support Assitant" application and searching for "updates" there is nothing found, leading me to believe that there are currently no relevant driver updates available (this is the information: no updates available). As should be noted, the warranty period of my PC has already expired - I don't know if this influences the above diagnosis.

2) Anyway, I just need to install the device on the motherboard and it should start working normally?

3) Do you recommend I migrate the entire operating system to this drive even though it is working normally on my SATA SSD?

4) Do you recommend any brands? SK hynix Gold P31, Sabrent, Samsung, WD, Venon?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

If your PC has BIOS version A.014 or newer the faster NVMe-type M.2 SSD should work without having to update the BIOS.

If you are at A.014, yes, connect the NVMe SSD, install Windows and you should be up and running.

I do not believe you will be able to boot from either OS independently but normally if you have a NVMe SSD installed Windows will always want to boot from the SATA drive and not the SSD.

Best to clone the OS over to the SSD, temporarily disconnect the SATA drive, run the PC off the SSD, hook the SATA drive back up again and see what happens.

You may have to format the hard drive and use it for storage only if you run into booting issues.

Recommendations:

Samsung 980 (not the 980 Pro Gen 4), Western Digital Blue SN570, SK Hynix Gold P31

[VinnyVix]

My BIOS version after check it at the Prompt as the command following:

wmic bios get smbiosbiosversion

is A0.36 (BIOS Version).

It seems to be newer than A.014 by the number.

So I imgine it will works perfectly.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You should be fine.

While I don't see either F.036 or F.014 for either BIOS family, F.036 is newer than many of the previous versions listed.

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