switch optane ssd m.2 with 970 Evo Plus NVMe m.2 ssd m.2

[CFP8888]

Current specs: Motherboard: 84FD w/ i9-9900, memory: 32 GB ram, storage: intel optane+932GB HDD, gpu: geforce 2070 super

I am not impressed with the windows boot time and loading times for my apps. I recently purchased a 970 EVO Plus NVMe M.2 1TB SSD to replace the optane currently installed. I went ahead and replaced it. I then booted and proceeded to install windows on my ordered an HP recover media kit for 16GB OS 10 64 bit. However, the installation was not successful.

How should I go about installing the new ssd - what step am i missing or is there an alternate way to go about replacing the optane? I assume there is only one ssd m.2 socket in this motherboard, i do not see another.

Thanks!

[Grzwacz]

Hi,

I am not an Optane fan either.

The general procedure to replace Optane with a NVME M.2 drive is to open The IRST software in Control Panel before replacing the Optane drive. Disable Optane. 

IRST should also fix the BIOS setting back to AHCI. The operating system is on the platter HDD because Optane is a cache drive.

Windows should still load after disabling Optane but will run very slow because you are now only using the slow platter HDD.

Now either clone the HDD image to the new M.2 SSD or create an image of the HDD on external media. Then disconnect the platter HDD. Image the new M.2 using the image you created on external media. I generally use Macrium Reflect free (Link) to clone or image drives.

It sounds like you may in limbo if the HP Recovery operation failed (you can't run Windows now).

You could try a clean Windows installation with only the M.2 drive connected to the MB by creating W10 installation media (Link). Or try the HP Recovery media again. It (HP media) may work if you only connect the new M.2 drive.

Regards

[CFP8888]

Hi Grzwacz,

I put the optane back in so everything is working as it was now.

I bought a 64GB flash drive in order to get the W10 isntallation media. I will use this instead of the HP recovery media. I think I will first try to do this way instead of the cloning.

Steps I will take:

-Disable optane on IRST

-restart computer

-Shut down computer and disconnect all cables

-replace optane ssd with new ssd

-disconnect SATA HADD (can you provide some guidance on how to do this? exactly which connector should be removed?)

-insert usb flash drive with W10

-install W10 on new SDD

[Grzwacz]

Hi,

Check this site (Link) for instructions to disconnect HDD  power and data  cables.

Regards