Upgrading a system with HDD and Optane memory to an SSD or NVME drive

[HowardinBaltimo]

Can you please provide step by step directions to do this?

I've cloned conventional HDDs to SSDs before, but not to an NVME drive.

As I understand it, I need to disable the Optane module.

But then what? How do I actually clone the HDD to a new NVME drive?  Do I remove the Optane module from the PC and install the NVME drive in its place?

I assume I need to install the cloning software on the PC.  

Do I boot from the original PC, clone the HDD to the NVME and then remove the HDD?  Or can I keep the HDD as a second drive?  How to assure it boots from the new NVME drive?

A video would help!

Thanks,

Howard in Baltimore

[pbryman]

uncouple the optane drive first.

install Macrium free

open computer

this shows how to open the computer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxGyImgP4OI

remove the 5 screws from the shield covering the motherboard.

see here-https://support.hp.com/au-en/product/hp-pavilion-24-r000-all-in-one-desktop-pc-series/17210305/manua...

go to the upgrading and servicing guide and read page 13 and 14.

remove the optane from the M.2 slot

install the new M.2 drive

close back of computer and start it up.

open Macrium and clone the HDD onto the new drive

go to the bios through setting: advance startup options (I googled how to do this)

move the new ssd into the first boot drive position (It's pretty intuitive)

restart and you should be booting from the new drive

I repartitioned and reformatted tho old drive and use as storage.

[flyinmryan]

i would just like to say I upgraded my HP Envy 15m-bp111dx to a 256GB EVO 970 over a year ago, without even understanding what Optane is, and I haven't run into a single issue.  I used Samsung software to clone my HDD, opened the computer, popped the NVME2 SSD in the place it fit, screwed it in, closed it up, and booted off the SSD.  I did make it the primary boot drive thru BIOS, and I still use the HDD for storage of pictures, videos, movies, etc..  That's it.  Should I be experiencing problems?  Like I said, no idea what Optane was til this point.

[Huffer]

I am not sure that model even had an Optane module. Did you have to remove a preexisting M.2 SSD to install the 970 Evo? If not you did not have to deal with Optane. 

[flyinmryan]

Thanks.  I did not have to remove anything from the slot beforehand.  I guess I need to learn what it is that I have, because there's 12GB of Physical memory, but 23.2GB of "Virtual" memory.  My brain must have made a nonexistant connection to Optane memory.  I'm a software developer, but I can't keep up with the lingo...Max Turbo - Hyper Threading - Smart Cache - Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 - DDR3L SDRAM - SO-DIMM. 

I want to get a newer version, but you say "you did not have to deal with Optane" so I don't want to buy a burden.  I feel like this is all meant to trick people into thinking they're getting something bigger and better, when it may just be hyped up nonsense.  I regularly have 100+ tabs of chrome open at any given time and this computer never falters, so I'm impressed with this two year old technology whatever it is.

• CPU
  Intel Core i5 (8th Gen) 8250U / 1.6 GHz
• Max Turbo Speed
  3.4 GHz
• Number of Cores
  Quad-Core
• Cache
  6 MB
• 64-bit Computing
  Yes
• Features
  Hyper-Threading Technology, Intel Smart Cache, Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0

CACHE MEMORY

• Installed Size
  6 MB

RAM

• Configuration Features
  1 x 8 GB + 1 x 4 GB
• Technology
  DDR3L SDRAM
• Installed Size
  12 GB

STORAGE

• Interface
  Serial ATA

MEMORY

• Technology
  DDR3L SDRAM
• Form Factor
  SO-DIMM 204-pin
• Slots Qty
  2

[Huffer]

Optane is sometimes called "memory" but its storage technology. It allows a small capacity (16 or 32 gig usually) superfast SSD to make a RAID volume with a mechanical hard drive and speed it up. Software places commonly accessed files on the SSD and the effect is fairly good. It will speed up a mechanical hard drive quite a bit. However, it is nothing like the speed of a PCIe/NVME M.2 bootdisk, which is what you have. As the price of SSDs falls, Optane becomes less appealing and is getting less common I think. 

Its confusing because Optane and an NVME bootdisk use the same physical slot.

You want to buy a new laptop I am not sure what the concern is but happy to talk it out here. Good luck. 

[spazmac]

I just bought an i5 9300H pavilion gaming laptop for my son for Christmas.  It has a 512gb ssd with 32gb of optane.  I want to upgrade the ssd before I give it to him.  Since it is already an SSD can I just swap it out with a 2tb ssd without fussing with the optane? 

[flyinmryan]

My understanding of it now is that Optane is only for computers with a hard drive AND a low capacity SSD that would need to be taken out to upgrade with your own.  So you should be good to go

[spazmac]

no, it is ssd only (512gb) and 32gb of optane GTX1650, 8gb ram, i5 9300H sold at target right now. What is the point of 32gb of optane with the ssd?  Also, can I just swap out the existing SSD without fussing with the optane?

[flyinmryan]

I'll second that.  Let's see what the expert's say.  Found this:  https://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/brochures/mailing-to-channel-optane-7-g...