Hard Drive replacement/upgrade on my 15-ay 105 nf

[Seyf]

Hello,

First of all I wanted to say that I am very satisfied by this notebook.

I would like to know if I can upgrade the storage as it's getting slow these days.

1. Can I Replace it with an SSD?
2. What kind of SSD or HDD can I buy for replacement, is there specification requirements? (size, capacity, etc.)
3. If I replace it by an HDD/SSD, how could I get all HP software back on it and install windows. Also, I would like to have the same partition, one main for the system and the other would be recovery.

Thank you for your help.

[iomare · Accepted solution]

Hi,

You can replace the 2.5" SATA3 HDD with a 2.5" SATA3 SSD such as the Samsung 860 Evo which is considered the best. There is no limit to capacity,

Example:

https://www.amazon.fr/Samsung-SSD-Interne-860-EVO/dp/B078WST5RK/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_fr_FR=%C3%85M%C3%85%...

On page 60 of service manual, you can see the steps to replace the drive

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c05087748

You could clone the drive with the software provided by the Manufacturer of the SSD such as Samsung Migration software or you could perform a clean install of Windows 10. Here is a small guide

To install Windows again:

Download media creation tool from Microsoft on PC (before replacing drive), run and create a bootable pendrive with the OS on it. (there is an explanation on the Microsoft web page on how to create the pendrive). Create the drive with Windows 10 Home 64-bit edition. Windows will automatically activate once installed and connected to the Internet.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

If you choose this option you will need to use the pendrive to perform a clean install of Windows 10. You might need to disable fastboot and secure boot in BIOS (probably not). So, insert the pendrive in the PC and it should boot directly from the drive. If not, turn off the PC by holding the power button. Press the power button and immediately keep pressing ESC until the startup menu appears and then press F9 and choose the pendrive in the boot menu. Once it boots from pendrive follow the procedure to install Windows.

When finished installing allow Windows to completely update and find all or most drivers. You can follow this process by going into settings > Security and update > click on Verify for updates. You might need to reboot a couple of times.

 I recommend installing HP support assistant which will help keep your drivers up to date and much more. You can download the latest version from here.

https://www8.hp.com/us/en/campaigns/hpsupportassistant/hpsupport.html

Once completely updated you can go into device manager and see if there are any missing drivers (there will be yellow exclamation mark next to the device). You can find these drivers and software on HP support page for your product.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/product/hp-15-ay100-notebook-pc/12499456/model/13916644/product-info

While you have the PC open you could also add another 4GB of RAM in the empty slot

Example:

https://www.amazon.fr/Crucial-CT4G4SFS824A-PC4-19200-260-Pin-M%C3%A9moire/dp/B019FRDKWI/ref=sr_1_4?_...

These upgrades will greatly increase the everyday performance of the PC.

Hope it helps,

David

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[Seyf]

can I also replace it with a hybrid storage?

Which choice would be the best?

I'm using the laptop mostly for office and video games

[iomare]

The best choice would be the SSD (much better), Samsung 860 Evo is considered the best, however, you could also go with a cheaper SSD such as the MX500 or even BX500 from Crucial. Any SSD will be much faster than a regular hard drive or even a hybrid drive. It will also be less likely to fail as there are no moving parts.

So, the best idea is a 2.5" SATA3 SSD of your preferred brand and capacity.

Regards,

David

[Seyf]

Thank you for your fast and clear answers

[iomare]

You're welcome @Seyf 

Let me know if you need any further help when you are performing the upgrade.

All the best,

David

[Seyf]

Would it be possible to put a M.2?

[Seyf]

Any help, would M.2 possible on that machine?