M.2 SSD upgrade in laptop. What should I use? (PCLe, NVMe, 2280, NAND)

[hannahtr]

So I'm looking for a SSD for my laptop and I'm confused what type should I buy?

Also, I want to have a ram upgrade, i have currently 8gb DDR4 2400mhz CL17 , do I need to buy the same brand or is it okay if its a different brand?

 

 

[Old_Dad · Accepted solution]

Hello Hannahtr,

I'm not a HP support agent, I'm just like you but maybe I could reply.

Just go on the Crucial website and select your HP Product. if your product is a HP 15-DA1036TX, just follow this link. https://www.crucial.fr/compatible-upgrade-for/hp---compaq/hp-15-da1036tx

For HDD, you have 2 slots; 1 for HDD or SSD in 2.5'' and 1 in M2 (this one is like a DDR module but it's not a DDR module).

So, if your M2 slot is free, you could install a M2 module, then install your system on it and if you're rich, you could replace your existing HDD by a 2,5"" SSD like EVO850 or something like that.

For memory, you  could choose something else. You just have to know that if the speed of your new ram is less than 2400 MHz (2100 for example) your OLD module will work at 2100 too, even if it can work at 2400..

Same think if your new module is faster than the one you already have, for example 3200mHz. So your RAM will work at 2400 max.

I guess you understand now that your RAM will work at the speed of the lower DDR4.

Well I suggest you to buy 2400 CL17 module, like the onbe you already have.

On the link I gave you, you could see all crucial memory and/or SSD (including M2) that yoru computer supports.

You can look at the Kingston website too cause they do the same as Crucial.

King Regards

Old Dad

(Sorry for my english)

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

Below is the link to the Crucial memory/SSD report for your notebook.

They take all of the guesswork out of what memory or SSD to install.

https://www.crucial.com/compatible-upgrade-for/hP---Compaq/hp-15-da1036tx

The P5 NVMe SSD's have faster read/writes speeds than the P2 ones have.

Buy one of the compatible DDR4 memory chips. 

I would buy one with the same speed the current memory chip your notebook has now.

[hannahtr]

Hi Old_Dad!

Thank you for your help, I can now choose what kind of M.2 SSD I will purchase. SATA SSD are really expensive though so maybe I will save that upgrade for later, I will just stick to my old HDD for now.

One more thing, do you happen to know how to transfer the OS to the new M.2 SSD?

[hannahtr]

Hi Paul_Tikkanen!

Thank you for your help. 

I was wondering, is there any difference between SDRAM and SODIMM?

Because I have checked my specs on hp website and it says "8GB DDR4-2400 SDRAM"

would it have complications in terms of performance if incase I bought a  Crucial 8GB DDR4-SODIMM??

[Old_Dad]

Hey,

For SSD Drive in 2.5'', once you found a model on Crucial website you like you could buy it in other websites than Crucial (with same spec/name/etc). They havent in their website the best price for SSD drives neither Sodimm.

To transfer your system on another drive it's quite simple. But you have to know that your new drive, the one you will buy (the M2 probaby) must have as much space as your old HDD.
So if your drive is 1To you have to buy a M2 with 1To too. And to be honest a M2 with this capacity is expensive.

So you have 2 choices:
1.for this choice, you will have to make a fresh install of Windows on your M2.
(benefit, you will have one drive SSD (M2) for your Windows system + your actual drive reformatted for your DATA + an external drive to backup your Windows system and restore it each time there is a problem
Disadvantage, you will have to reinstall ALL: windows, drivers, games, apps...)
- buying a M2 drive with small capacity (256Gb)
- buying an usb stick (8Go is enoogh)
- buying an external USB drive with at least same capacity as actual HDD

2.for this choice, you could clone your actual drive directly to your new M2 without losing any data:
- buying a M2 drive with at least as much space as your actual HDD drive.
(Benefit, you won't have to reinstall all but the disadvantage, expensive M2 drive cause 1To is really expensive and even if you format your old HDD to have sapce for datas, all your first data will stay on your M2 drive. So if yo uwant to backup your system you will have to backup ALL: System + data cause they are on same drive)

(FYI, I chose the first choice cause ok it's longer to reinstall ALL than just clone it but you oculd make as many backup/restore as you want and it will work for ALL futur laptop/desktop you will buy in future).

Well, once you decided what to do, here how to do for both choices.

With Choice 1:
- start your PC, go to the Microsoft website (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10%20) and click "Download tool now" then follow instructions and when asked, choose download a Windows image and make a bootable USB stick drive.
- plug your external USB drive, download Macrium Reflect Free (https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree). Choose "Home Use", then enter your email to get your free register code for the software and install it.
- Start Macrium, click on your HDD drive and choose "Image this disk". Choose your external USB drive as target and do the backup.
- When done, shutdown your PC, plug your M2 drive, unplug your HDD drive (otherwise, when you will install Windows on your M2, Windows will see there is already an install Windows System on your HDD and will create a multi boot. Cause you wont use 2 Windows systems, I suggest to unplug this drive during the new install to hide this drive to Windows)
- plug your USB stick with Windows installer you just made before. Turn on your PC, and keep pressing ESC button. You will see a HP menu. Choose Boot menu and then the USB stick drive.
Follow instructions to install Windows on your M2 drive.
(your PC has numerical license included in your BIOS for Windows Home so it will automaticaly registered after the first boot).
- after installing Windows, do some System updates, install drivers, etc...
- then shutdows your PC, re-plug old HDD.
- Turn on your PC and keep pressing ESC button. On the HP menu, choose this time BIOS Setup and go to the Boot Option Menu. Verify that your M2 drive is the one System will use to boot at first. If not, select it as first boot (by using F5/F6 key).
- Save your change and start yoru PC again.
- Now that you're on Windows, you should have:
-- a M2 drive with your new Windows system
-- your OLD HDD with your OLD Windows system
-- an external Drive with the image file of your OLD Windows system.
- So now you just have to format your OLD HDD drive to use it for DATAs.
No worries, you could access at anytime your ALD system in virtual mode. In Macrium, click on Restore tab then choose "Launch Macrium viBoot). MAcrium will ask you which system to load, just choose the image you did on your External HDD. So you will have another Macrium window which wioll display your old system as it was. So you could get files/documents you had and see Parameters you have, etc..

For my experience, my M2 drive is for Windows System and Apps like Games launcher (Epic, uPlay, Steam..) and apps like Word, Excel..., my other Drive for DATAs (installed games...)

With Choice 2:
- Shutdown your laptop and plug your M2 drive.
- Start your laptop.
- Download Macrium Reflect Free (https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree). Choose "Home Use", then enter your email to get your free register code for the software and install it.
- Start Macrium, click on your OLD HDD and choose "Clone this disk". MAcrium will ask you which target, choose M2 drive.
- After cloning is done, reboot your PC and before the HP logo is displayed, keep pressing ESC button until you see the HP Menu and choose BIOS Steup. Go to boot menu in BIOS and with F5/F6 key, move your M2 drive as first bootable drive. Save changes and exit.
- Now your system boots on your M2 drive and you can format your OLD HDD to have it for some other things.

To resume, I really suggest you the first choice.

I reply to your second question about SDRAM and SODIMM. For your Laptop you have to buy SODIMM only. Those modules are for Laptop cause they are shorter than SDRAM modules which are for desktop PC.

Hope I helped.

King Regards

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

The term SODIMM generally refers to memory used in notebook PC's.

Buying the Crucial memory will be fine.

SDRAM = Synchronous dynamic random-access memory

[hannahtr]

Hi!

The first choice seems fitting to me also, but the thing is that I lack is a HDD I could use to back up my files. 

I have checked my storage and luckily I have only used up 465GB because I store all of my other files in my 1TB External HDD (which is by the way almost full).

I am wondering if I could just buy a 500GB M.2 SSD, since I have only used up around 460GB  out of my 1TB storage. Or if can buy a 250GB M.2 SSD if I can clear up files I no longer need. Could I do that? That way I won't need to find another HDD to back up my files with. (also, if this is possible, do you still recommend the choice 1? )

Thank you 

[Old_Dad]

In theory, it should work. But... yes there is always a "but"...  I already did this in the past. And sometimes it worked, sometimes not. I guess it depends of the backup software you use. So I can't assume it will work with Macrium cause  Inever tested it with this software. I was using AOMEI Backupper free but uninstalled this softare  cause their restores were a bit "weird". Well.... Sorry I can't tell you YES IT WILL WORK! TRUST ME!.

There is maybe another problem yo uwill encounter. SSD drives don't like to be full or almost full. If there are too many datas on it and not enough space for "working", it won't work for long time. SSD need free space too.

To be completely honest, I do not know why(?) butI read this a long time ago. So, even if you could clone a 1TB drive (only 450Gb used) on a 500GB, you will have to clean some datas. AND... even your system is around 450GB, Windows will write on it for TMP files so, the 1st free 50 GB won't stay at 50 😉

Well, sorry Sir, but I can't tell you what to do in your case. I can just tell what I did for all PCs I got or changed.

I will start by cleaning files I do not need anymore on both 1TB HDD. To see how many free space  I really have.

Then I'll buy 2 SSDs. 1 M2 (256GB) for my system, and a SSD 2,5'' for DATAs.

Then I will backup my OLD HDD with macrium, put it on my new 1TB SSD drive. Then I will format my OLD HDD and put the image file on it. Like that I could access this image with the viBoot option of Macrium as if I started my old system.

And then of course, I will have to re-install all, on my 2 new SSDs. Then  I could do a backup from my new system, only the 26GB SSD... at max 30GB used for all apps installed, drivers, etc...

I will buy an empty box with adaptater to put my OLD HDD and make it as external drive. And when I will be sure that my old system is useless, I will format this drive to use it as external backup to store, my 2 or 3 last system backup and why not sometimes files from my 1TB SSD.

you just lived a slice of my life. 😄

Ok, you're right, you will have to spend money. But... for HDD (and I think HDDs are probably the only components of a PC - uhm if you buy SSD drives M2, 2,5'', ..-  that are not obsolete after 6 months) but you could use it again for a new PC. When this one will be out or cause you want another one.

Well that's what I will do.

you have all cards in hand, I  can't force you to play his one or another 😄

Sorry again.

Good luck.

King Regards

[hannahtr]

Hi king!

So, I have followed your suggestion of deletings files i don't need to fit it to my 250gb SSD (well almost i kinda messed up in the backup part 😅) It was going well, i cloned my HDD to my SSD (transfered a bunch of files to the laptop i borrowed took a looong time to finish btw) , and THEN I used the windows backup (idk what i was thinking tho i was so confident not to use the macrium for backup), then I formatted my HDD, Booted the SSD and everything's fine really then I did a reset my computer, and I want to go undo what I just did a few days ago obviously (i hate myself)

when I tried  restoring my files, it says it can't  find a restore image, then i checked the 'WindowsImageBackup' folder , and there was no system image file, then i went to see its properties its only like 16bytes 

The only thing I have loke a copy is the 'my clone.xml' file from macrium, and I was wondering (hoping actually, I'm desperate) if I can restore my files from that?

I appreciate any suggestions (or I should just suck it up right? it's my fault anyways lol)

Thank you again! 🙂