Zbook 17 G3 SSD M.2 NVMe Samsung 970 EVO Plus 2280 M.2 PCIe3.0 x4 NVMe

[bursche57]

Hello Community!

I bought a used Zbook 17 G3 (M9L91AV). I want to build in a Samsung 970 EVO Plus 2280 M.2 PCIe3.0 x4 NVMe and use it as the boot drive.

Is that possible and how should I do a clean install of W10?

I hope someone can help me here!

With Kind regards

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

You should be able to use that drive.

The Crucial memory report shows that both SATA and NVMe M.2 SSD's are supported, if you scroll to the bottom of the page.

https://www.crucial.de/compatible-upgrade-for/hp---compaq/hp-zbook-17-g3-mobile-workstation

You can try two things to install W10 on the M.2 SSD:

1. Use the HP cloud recovery client utility.

This package provides the Cloud Recovery Client for supported models running a supported operating system. This Client Utility enables users to download the Recovery Kit from the cloud.

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp85001-85500/sp85318.exe

I have attached an info link below for how to use that utility...

2. Clean install W10 by making a bootable USB installation flash drive using the media creation tool at the link below.

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

After W10 has completed installing, you can install the drivers and available software from the support page.

https://support.hp.com/de-de/drivers/selfservice/hp-zbook-17-g3-mobile-workstation/8693765

The one thing I am not sure of is this...

I believe that the PC will always try to boot from the original boot drive when there is an operating system installed.

So, what I suggest you do is to temporarily disconnect the drive and install W10 on the SSD.

If it works, hook the drive back up.  If the notebook persists on booting from the hard drive first, use the media creation tool to format the hard drive and remove the operating system, and hopefully, the notebook will then boot from the SSD.

Here is the link to the service manual...

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c06107030

[bursche57]

First of all thank you very much!

There is one thing. The preowner didn't give<7sell the original installed SSD. So I have to buy one.

Can I use the Cloud recovery tool on a different PC or Notebook to get that W10 Recovery Image for the Zbook? Or does it depend on the hardware that I use for downloading? I mean if I download it from a different PC/Laptop it will not even start downloading because it is not a HP PC/Laptop. Is there a kind of hardwarecheck?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

You should be able to use that utility on any PC that has W7 or newer on it to create the recovery drive.

It will ask you to enter the product number of the notebook in a window before it will let you make the recovery media.

It may even ask for the serial number too.  I don't remember.

[bursche57]

First of all sorry about late answering but I didn't have any time until last weekend.

Thank you very much Paul.

I have successfully installed W10 with the Cloud recovery tool and the recovery USB stick.

There is another question.  If I am right you may have up to 2 M.2 NVMe SSD and 2 other SATA SSD'2 or HDD's. So it is possible to have up to 4 physical SSD/HDD - right?

When you open the back you have one HDD Cage at the Right Bottom (vertical) and underneath that a M.2 Slot for an M.2 NVMe SSD. Is that M.2 Slot for the first M.2 SSD too? Then you have just to the left of the HHD Cage (vertical) another HDD Cage (horizontal) for another HDD or SSD. Is that the place for the second HDD/SSD? And there is another M.2 Slot just above this horizontal Cage - is that the Slot for the second M.2 SSD?

Thank you very much in Advance.

Lutz

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

You're very welcome.

I suggest that you start a new topic on that question because I am unfamiliar with how you can configure those models with additional storage.