Help... How to add ssd to Pavillion 550-153na

[Vovski]

Hi Guys and Gals

I'm hoping someone on here can help me.

I have a HP Pavillion 550-153na ,Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6400 CPU @ 2.70GHz

I want to add an SSD to it, but being a complete newbie i want to ask for advice before i go and destroy it

Doing a quick read up on Google it says i need a spare SATA port, but looking at my motherboard i dont seem to have a spare one, as there is an Optical drive and HDD connected to the 2 available SATA ports. Do i need to buy a splitter or what is the workaround ?

The desktop specs are

Motherboard - 2B47 1.04

System BIOS - A0.10

If you require any further specs or details please let me know

Your help is greatly appreciated, thank you in advance

[Malygris1]

Hi there @Vovski,

May the Forums be with you!  It is a great place to find the help you need, from other users, HP experts, and other support personnel.  I understand that you are looking for options on adding an SSD to your system but all the SATA connections are used.  I am happy to help with this.

Looking at the HP and Compaq Desktop PCs - motherboard specifications, Odense, it shows that you also have the following expansion slots:

•One PCI Express x16 (Gen 3.0)

•One PCI Express x1 (Gen 2.0)

•One M.2 socket 1, key A
 

You could possibly look at getting an expansion card that provides additional SATA connections using one of those ports, assuming that they are not already all used. For an idea of what is available, try a Google search for "PCI Express x1 SATA card, as a place to start.

Please let me know whether that works for you, and if it does resolve your issue, please mark this post as a solution. Kudos would also be appreciated.  

[Vovski]

Hi
Thanks for your reply, but both PCI express slots are already being used. Any other suggestions ? 😞

[Jay_101]

Hi,

Purchase a USB 3.0 to SATA Adapter.

Cheers!

[Jay_101]

Hi,

If your objective is to use the SSD as a boot drive, the USB/SATA adapter will not work. There would no performance gain using a SSD drive as only a data backup drive.

You will have to clone the existing operating system install to the new SSD if you want a faster PC.

This creates some logistical issues for you:

1. The SSD has to be the same or greater size than your factory installed HDD. Your existing HDD is 2 TB per your PC's specifications. A 2 TB SSD is very expensive. This is only true if you want to be able to use HP recovery media on the SSD without jumping through the hoops described below.

2. Create HP Recovery media before doing the migration.  The HP recovery media will not work if the SSD is smaller than 2 TB.

If you wipe the factory OS from the HDD and use it as a data drive you will have to reinstall the HDD as the bootable drive if a catastrophic failure occurs. Then do the factory recovery, and then clone the operating system to the SSD again. Or you can store the HDD with the current operating system intact. This will negate having to reinstall the factory image on the HDD.

3. HP may not provide warranty service if you send it back to them with a smaller SSD installed. Or they may remove your property and install a 2 TB HDD. 

Cheers

[Vovski]

Hi
Sorry for the delay, been away.. just taken the side off the PC and found that the PCI Express x1 (Gen 2.0) is unused !!!
What SATA card would you recommend or what specs should I look for which would be compatible..

Thank you

[Jay_101]

Hi,

Check Amazon or Newegg for x1 to SATA3 adapters.

Here is an example of a two external port model. You can select how many ports you want and other manufacturers.

Can you add a second HDD or SSD in your HDD cage? I don't know what you have in the tower. Get an internal port product or a combo internal/external product if you can add a second drive in your chassis. You will probably also have to purchase a longer SATA3 cable.

You only have one optical drive cage because your DVD drive is mounted vertically. So you can't mount a drive in an open optical drive cage.

Jay