M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD not recognized in BIOS

[08LDO6120]

I received this laptop as a gift from my wife, and realize that it is a budget system based on its minimal available hard drive space (eMMC 64gb). So I went to the HP site to determine what my options were regarding upgrades to both memory and storage. I had limited success, but was able to locate the service and maintenance manual which seems to indicate that both can be upgraded. I purchased a Crucial P5 M.2 2280 500gb SSD after running a compatibility check (CT500P5SSD8). When I opened the laptop to install I had no problem finding the M.2 slot, but noticed that there was only one location on the motherboard for a RAM card (currently 4gb as delivered) even though the manual indicates up to 16gb of RAM. This should have been my first indication that this upgrade was not going to go as planned. 

I've seen another post from a member with the same laptop as mine wanting to add an SSD using the M.2 slot, but the solution that he received was that there was no solution. Essentially indication that the M.2 slot shouldn't be there because there was not way to access it. Therefore my question is why hasn't HP activated the slot through a BIOS update? Even if this system is considered a budget system,  both the HP manual and Crucial indicate that this SSD is a compatible upgrade. There MUST be a better solution. 

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi:

Unfortunately, a M.2 NVMe SSD won't work but a SATA M.2 SSD will.

See this discussion...

Solved: Question re HP 14-fq0045nr - HP Support Community - 8376107

[08LDO6120]

I appreciate the response, I do.

My frustration isn't with those of you who provide us support and insight to the products that we have that are HP branded. My frustration is with HP as a company along with the many others who hide behind the "legal" statement contained within their service and maintenance manuals that "there may be variances between models"...well, of course there will be variances when all they provide is a generic manual. In this case the manual covers every model within the 14fqxxxx line. It's a very poor way of demonstrating customer support.

I just don't understand the mindset of selling a laptop in 2020/21 that only allows expansion via an old SATA protocol when seemingly everyone has moved to PCIe and NVMe protocols to support the latest chipsets, especially when the company uses the fact that their product has that chipset thereby implying that the product (i.e. laptop) also supports the latest protocols.

I hate to say it, but this will be the last HP product that I or my family will ever buy.

The old adage of "buyer beware" is certainly relevant in this instance.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.