Upgrading NVM M2 SSD

[Rick5000]

Hi there,

I own an HP Pavilion 15 - bc035nd which has a 'default' 256GB NVM M.2 SSD. 

As I'm running out of space on my C:\ and would like to expand, I'm willing to replace my default NVM M.2 SSD with a new one. Hardwarewise it should fit as I'm looking to replace my SSD with a  970 EVO Plus 500GB. I have read the form topic "How do I upgrade my SSD?" shorturl.at/gjSW3 though a question remained.

There are multiple options:

- Clone the SSD from current SSD to new one (multiple software solutions available)

- Reinstall Windows 10

As far as I know, this laptop comes with pre-installed HP software, firmware and drivers. If I reinstall Windows 10 (as an .ISO from Microsoft.com) I'll basically lose all these options, as well as HP Support assistant et cetera. 

Is there an image file I can download so that I basically have the same "default" installation as if I would reset my laptop back to factory settings? This laptop has an SSD with a C:\ drive and 1TB HDD with a D:\ and an E:\ partition. The E:\ is for recovery.

TLDR;

How can I reinstall the default factory software (reset Windows 10) when replacing my SSD without using disk cloning software? HP sells recovery disks but they cost €50 and I'm sure theres an easier solution. 

Thank you in advance!

[banhien · Accepted solution]

@Rick5000 

Cloning will save you a lot of time to reinstall all drivers and applications. Sometimes you can't re-install application(s) at all therefore cloning is still my choice.

If you wish to go back to Factory Settings (not all programs to be re-installed), please try Cloud Recovery tool

   https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c06162205

Regards.

[Rick5000]

Thank you for your quick reply!

I do understand cloning is an easy solution, but there's a lot of unwanted software on my laptop right now which I don't need. I suppose I could first reset to factory defaults and then clone.

Though, also for learning purposes, how could I reinstall Windows including firmware/default software (as you'd get when you'd reset to factory settings) without cloning? I.E. How can you copy the factory defaults to a new disk? Should be able to make a recovery disk for that right? Or something else.

[Rick5000]

@Banhien  #Banhien I've checked the cloud recovery tool and it looks like it "only" reinstalls the c:\, so the new SSD.

What does it do with the HDD that's attached? The HDD (1TB) has a D:\ and E:\, the E:\ is also a recovery partition. Somehow I can't see any files on it other than a folder "recovery" with lang.ini (even when enabling hidden files).

edit: Tried tagging you, but it didn't work.

[banhien]

@Rick5000 

The specs of your machine is

   https://support.hp.com/us-en/product/hp-pavilion-15-bc000-notebook-pc-series/10862166/document/c0518...

It has 2 physical disk drives

• 1 TB 7200 rpm SATA
• 256 GB PCIe® NVMe™ M.2 SSD

And you are running out of C: which is the M.2 SSD. I think you keep everything on C: and 😧 still has plenty of room. To make thing simpler, my suggestion:

(a) Move all user data/files from C: to 😧

(b) Set 😧 as default files for all applications and downloaded files using

     https://www.howtogeek.com/245706/how-to-change-the-default-hard-drive-for-saving-documents-and-apps-...

You can do a clean install Windows 10 but I don't think you can install all programs again that why I said Cloning is the way to go.

Regards.

..

[Rick5000]

Alright! Thank you. How about the HDD? Since it has a recovery partition I was wondering if I could use that to recover the SSD. Cloning sounds like a good way to go, but I don't want to break anything in the recovery partition because it seems like it has a purpose. Even if I don't touch it of course, as the SSD C:\ will be rewritten/replaced.

I'll surely just use the HDD for file storage and other big files/ passive VM's,.

[banhien]

@Rick5000 

As I said above, they are TWO physical drives, the cloning process is only for the 256GB SSD. We won't touch to 😧 and E: which are on 1TB HDD.

Regards.

[Rick5000]

I know, though I wonder if the recovery partition would still work as I'll be phisically replacing the SSD. The HDD remains untouched but has data on it which is probably intended for the SSD (probably the reason it says 'recovery'). Cloning will copy data bit by bit, but the hardware ID of the SSD will change (or whatever unique identifier hardware devices use nowadays).

Do you happen to know how that works or how it's implemented? Reason I ask is that I just want to be able to use the "back to factory settings" option again after replacing the SSD. Right now that setting will not just reinstall Windows 10 but just bring it back to factory defaults etc. instead.

[banhien]

@Rick5000 

That is much simpler, the Cloud recovery tool will do that for you. Please backup all your data files before it clears everyting.

Regards.

[Rick5000]

Thank you for all your help, I appreciate it a lot!

Final question, how do you tag people on these forums? I haven't managed to do so yet, tried @username but it doesn't tag.