HP Omen Ram and M.2 SSD upgrade

[walryb]

I looking upgrade my Omen laptop.  Can I use any brand for memory ram as long is 8 GB DDR4-2666 SDRAM or has to be two memory stick from the same brand? Can I add 16 GB ram to 8 GB which is ready installed?

Also, I want to install a bigger M.2 SSD drive. How I can reinstall window 10 from old M.2 SSD drive to new drive?

[Photoray002 · Accepted solution]

Hello @walryb 

Adding memory doesn't have to be the same brand, but it must match the timings of the old memory (and sometimes, even that isn't enough. The controller on each stick might still not work with each other).

Its a debate on the web whether adding a different capacity will stick still run in dual channel though.  Some would say that 8 out of the 16 GB stick will be allocated to dual channel. I cannot guarantee that it will. It would still work, but not optimally.

I would recommend you either match timings of the 8GB with another 8GB. Or better yet, buy a matched pair of sticks in the higher capacity that are pre-matched at the factory.

If you are going to match the current stick with a new stick, use a tool like CPUz to read the current timings

Example...

You could clone the old drive to the new drive. But I don't recommend it as a first choice. You will have better results by clean installing Windows to the new drive. You can use the Microsoft Media Creation Tool to make an 8GB USB pen drive installer. Here is the link... Create media Windows 10 

You don't need the key, the installer can detect the key from the bios. If you do get asked for a key, you can simply skip that step and continue with the install. It will activate once you connect to the internet for updates.

Here is your manual... http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c06001792