HP Notebook 15-db0017ds will not recognize new, upgraded SSD

[Pruitt62]

I am trying to upgrade the M2 SSD in my 15-db0017ds HP Laptop from the 256gb SSD it came with, to a 1TB drive. Unfortunately no matter what I do, the drive is never seen by the laptop. I have tried this with a brand new Samsung SSD 980, and a brand new Crucial P3 SSD. Both are 1 tb drives. According to everything I can find the Crucial should definitely be compatible, I'm less certain about the Samsung. But the results are the same for both. The laptop simply never recognizes either. It always recognizes the original 256gb Samsung drive with no problem,

So far I  have done everything I can find on the net to get by this. I've updated the BIOS to latest version. I've removed the battery and discharged all power in the system by holding down the power button with the battery removed. I've reset the Bios. The BIOS is extremely limited in options, so there is no way to change any sata settings. I've tried Legacy mode (which as the drive has a gpt partition wasn't going to work, but I tried anyway). I am unable to run any of the UEFI diagnostics as the drive is never recognized. I've also tried installing a fresh copy of Windows to it, but obviously the Win 10 setup does not see the drive, so errors out with no drivers for it. I am running out of ideas.

I am somewhat experienced with doing this. I've built many computers, and repaired and upgraded many more, though never a HP laptop. But I've never run into a wall like this. I am at my wits end at this point. I really need to upgrade this ssd to a larger one, as the existing 256gb drive is almost full, and there is not anything left to delete. I always figured a drive upgrade would be simple for it, like all the others I've done in the past, but that is apparently not the case with HP laptops. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

The 15-db0xxx notebooks with the AMD 'A' series processors only support SATA M.2 SSD's not NVMe.

Only the 15-db0xxx notebooks with the AMD Ryzen processors support NVMe SSD's.

If you want to install a larger capacity drive, I recommend the Western Digital Blue SA510 1 TB model:

Amazon.com: Western Digital 1TB WD Blue SA510 SATA Internal Solid State Drive SSD - SATA III 6 Gb/s,...

Unfortunately, the service manual leaves out that vital piece of information.

Maintenance and Service Guide HP 15 Laptop PC

[Pruitt62]

Thank you for the reply. I guess that makes sense. Not easy to find those SA510's. Amazon has none, but I did find them at NewEgg and just ordered one. What kills me is I used Crucial's system to identify an ssd that works with this laptop, and it directed me to the M3, among other NVME's. I guess i can't trust that now either. But hopefully this WD Blue will work for me. I'll know in 10 days or so when it finally gets here. Haha...

Thanks again for your help!! Much appreciated!!

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

We find these things out from other forum members such as you that report things that should work according to the manual, don't.

I happen to have a 255 G7 AMD A4-9125, (the business class equivalent of the 15-db0xxx) and it came with a 256 GB M.2 SATA SSD as well, but I knew previously not to try installing a NVMe SSD in it because of other posts indicating they won't work.

The service manual for the 255 G7 goes in the opposite direction as the manual for the 15-db model series. 

This manual indicates that only SATA M.2 SSD's are supported, but if the notebook had an AMD Ryzen processor, a NVMe SSD would have worked just fine.

c06208876.pdf (hp.com)

[Pruitt62]

Thanks for the added info. Much appreciated!!

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Anytime.

Glad to have been of assistance.