I want to install a second internal drive in my HP Envy Notebook

[beet-trucker]

I want to add a second internal Drive to my Notebook.  It would be an SDD.  Is this possible?

[Huffer]

What do you have in it now? 

1-TB, 5400-rpm, SATA, 7.2-mm hard drive
NOTE: The hard drive spare part kit does not include the hard drive rubber bracket or hard drive cable.
The hard drive rubber bracket is available using spare part number 857826-001. The hard drive cable is
available using spare part number 857835-001.
766457-856

There is a 2.5 inch bay which needs extra mounting and attachment hardware to use if you only have an M.2 SSD. So yes, you can add a drive but what and how depends on what you have now. The model number you give is generic so we cannot tell your exact configuration. 

[beet-trucker]

Thanks much.  That was helpful.

Is there additional information that would help identify how to add a second drive that will accept an M.2 SSD and where can I find that information?

I do know this much more about the computer identity.  It is referred to as a "17T-u000 CTO"

Additionally, interesting if not important, there is no label attached to the outside of the computer.  I can only assume that is because it was provided as a replacement when a previous machine had a (maybe) failed mother board.  The failure was under HP Care Pack.  HP was very slow in honoring the terms of the CarePack.

[Huffer]

Look in device manager for "disk drives" and list what you see.  The laptop has a place for an M.2 SSD and then also a 2.5 inch bay that can hold another drive whether mechanical or SSD. Once we know what you already have we can assess the best thing to add and how to do it. 

[beet-trucker]

There is a single disk drive listed.

HGST HTS721010A9E630

According to a Google Search the drive is:

HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630 (0J22423) 1TB 7200RPM 32MB Cache SATA III (6.0Gb/s) 2.5" Internal Notebook Hard Drive

Thank you for your willingness to point me in the right direction and identify the best solution.

[Huffer · Accepted solution]

So you have an old school mechanical hard drive and can put a 2.5 inch SATA SSD in its place for a pretty big speed upgrade. Or you can install an NVME M.2 SSD in the open slot and have an amazing speed increase. The operating system would have to be moved to or reinstalled on the M.2 SSD

[beet-trucker]

Thanks so very much.  I believe that about answers the issue.  Only one other request.  Do you know where I can find a decent photo of the interior of this computer?

[Huffer]

Here is the Service Manual:

Manual 

Not a photo but a pretty good image of the inside at p. 26

[beet-trucker]

This morning I replaced the battery.  WOW am I glad I did because the old battery was swollen and I assume could rupture with disastrous results.

The reason I am renewing this thread is that while replacing the battery I tried to find the NVME M.2 open slot which you referred to in your previous post.  I could not identify the slot.  Upon examining the Maintenance and Service Guide for the 17T - U000 CTO, I find that it does talk about a  512-GB, M2, SATA-3 solid-state drive supporting TLC SSD.  I could not find the slot for this type drive either.  There is of course the option of using a 2.5 in SATA SSD but that won't provide the performance boost that the NVME M.2 drive offers.

It is an HP Envy Notebook  17T - U000 CTO

Product = V5E32AV

Serial = 5CG6386R5F

Please  point me to the location of the NVME slot or the M2 SATA slot or affirm that my only choice is the 2.5 in SATA SSD.

Thank you very much.  You are being most helpful.

[Huffer]

The slot is supposed to be to the left of the battery or towards the outside of the laptop. Yes on further revirew of the manual M.2 will be SATA only. If that slot as shown on p. 26 is not there (and every once in a while we hear of a user whose M.2 slot is absent on this series), then a 2.5 inch SATA SSD is your only option.