mSata SSD as the main disk hp elitebook 8740w

[Nikolay_]

Hello! Can I use mSata to boot the windows system on hp 8740w? I found a connector suitable for mSata near the RAM. I am ready to sacrifice the main HDD in favor of the SSD. I looked after the Samsung 860 EVO 250 GB, will it fit me? If this option is possible, then what BIOS settings need to be done to make it work? Thank!

[Huffer]

Is this what you found?

WWAN slot

That is not an mSATA slot it is only for a WWAN cellular modem card. A storage disk will fit in the slot but will not be seen by the system. The laptop predates the mSATA technology. Your laptop does have 2 hard drive bays and your fastest storage option is a 2.5 inch SATA SSD. In fact, it will be every bit as fast as an mSATA mSSD would be if you could install one of those, but you can't. 

Post back with any other questions and please accept as solution if this is the info you needed. 

[Nikolay_]

Thanks for the detailed explanation! Yes, the picture is exactly what I was talking about. It turns out that Samsung 860 Evo, SATA3, 2.5 ', TLC won't work for me? Do I need to search for CATA1? And what do you mean when you say that on my laptop 2 places for HDD? Second instead of DVD drive?

[Huffer]

860 Evo would be fine as a 2.5 inch SSD you can just put it in place of the hard drive in the hard drive bay. 

Here is the Service Manual:

Manual

This model has an official HP Part available to place a hard drive in the optical bay. Its actually called an upgrade bay and supports either an optical disk or a hard drive or a solid state drive. See p. 29 and 55-56 of the Manual. 

You would need the hard drive bracket and hard drive carrier. HP no longer stocks these parts but they are available on eBay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-8760w-Upgrade-Bay-Cradle-With-Hdd-Bracket-613682-001-Ship-with-1750B0035...

You can use a SATA-3 disk or SSD in your system. I believe it is running at SATA-2 but a SATA-3 will downclock to run fine.