HP Envy x360 M6 aq105dx

[chaoticlife]

Thank you for the great instructions hchen42!!

Can you tell whether the SSD is supported at pcie x2 or x4 speeds?

[hchen42]

Both should work.  I have a pcie.  According to the Microcenter guy, as long as one of the "m key" notch (the short side of the notch) matches, it should work.  Given that I used an Intel pcie and rthorng1 use a sata, both seem to work.   BTW, the prices seems to be similar.

Based on my research, other current/newer envy 15 x360 with different config uses a pcie ssd.  I doubt HP uses a different motherboards on a main model.

BTW, ignore that "msata" on the board.  If you google msata, you'll see the pin layout is totally different.

Anyhow, if you aren't sure, I'd goto a local computer shop where you can return the item and try it.  Or just purchase the two proven model that I and rthorng1 posted.

[hchen42]

---

@chaoticlife wrote:

Thank you for the great instructions hchen42!!

Can you tell whether the SSD is supported at pcie x2 or x4 speeds?

---

Unfortunately, I don't.  Do you know how I can test that? 

[chaoticlife]

Not offhand. The drive is pcie 3.0, which is x4. Maybe it will say what the computer sees (pcie 2.0 or 3.0) in Device Manager or in the bios?

My laptop is out for delivery and I'm shopping for m.2 drives today.

[chaoticlife]

Disregard my last post, I've just started figuring out m.2 slots and drives, and I was confused.

m.2 pcie 2.0 interface can be either x2 or x4 (either 2 lanes or 4).

m.2 pcie 3.0 should support x4.

Puget systems provides a good description of the connectors and the logical interfaces here.

None of that helps with figuring out what the slot on the aq105dx supports, though.

[hchen42]

---

@chaoticlife wrote:

Disregard my last post, I've just started figuring out m.2 slots and drives, and I was confused.

m.2 pcie 2.0 interface can be either x2 or x4 (either 2 lanes or 4).

m.2 pcie 3.0 should support x4.

Puget systems provides a good description of the connectors and the logical interfaces here.

None of that helps with figuring out what the slot on the aq105dx supports, though.

---

Good find.  If anything, after I have done a clean install of windows 10 on sunday, the laptop booted up in about 1.5 second.  I power up and I see the HP logo for about a second and it shows the windows login screen.    I will check the laptop once I get home.  Maybe it'll show up in device manager or bios.

[hchen42]

---

@chaoticlife wrote:

Disregard my last post, I've just started figuring out m.2 slots and drives, and I was confused.

m.2 pcie 2.0 interface can be either x2 or x4 (either 2 lanes or 4).

m.2 pcie 3.0 should support x4.

Puget systems provides a good description of the connectors and the logical interfaces here.

None of that helps with figuring out what the slot on the aq105dx supports, though.

---

Just checked, nothing in driver nor under bios could I find anything about pcie 2.0 or 3.0.  I did see some pcie drivers under device manager.  Oh well, if anyone figures it out, please share your findings. 

[chaoticlife]

You just did a fresh install, not a clone of the existing disk, right? If so, did Windows ask for activation?

I also picked up an intel 600p from microcenter. I'd reserved it on a Cyber Monday deal but wanted to do a little research before I commited. I found that intel offers a free download of Acronis that will run if you have an intel SSD installed. (here).

I did the install, but it fails. There is a separate program to run to make Acronis see the ssd, but then after the system restarts, it can't see it again. I looked around some and see other people having the same problem.

Next I tried EaseUS backup, but it ddn't see the ssd either (even though Windows device manager sees it).

I finally realized that I probably needed to go into the wndows disk management  program and initialize the ssd, and after that, EaseUS was able to see it. I think the Acronis probably would also have worked after I initialized the ssd, but I didn't think to try, I just went to EaseUS and started the clone.

Cloning is currently 4 minutes in and still calculating how long it has to go. Fingers crossed that all is well when it's done.

[rthorng1]

Yes, I did a fresh install from a USB stick. After I installed the M.2 SSD, the system did not recognize the drive, even while in the cloning software. Therefore, I was unable to format it to use. Maybe if you unplug the main HDD and attempt to boot it without a boot drive, it may force the system to recognize it. But, I installed Windows, then after the computer reads it, then I was able to use cloning software to clone the old drive and format the new M.2

[hchen42]

---

@chaoticlife wrote:

You just did a fresh install, not a clone of the existing disk, right? If so, did Windows ask for activation?

I also picked up an intel 600p from microcenter. I'd reserved it on a Cyber Monday deal but wanted to do a little research before I commited. I found that intel offers a free download of Acronis that will run if you have an intel SSD installed. (here).

 ...

---

I actually tried both. 

I created an installed flash drive from the existing HHD (google Windows 10 install).  This was the first try.   It went flawless.  Don't recall windows asking for activation.  I think the activation key is embedded into the bios now (I recall reading that when windows 8 came out).  Boot up after this installation was about 1.5 second. 

I tried to reinstall using Acronis and clone the image of the original drive.  Then performed a restore to the SSD with the original drive image.  Make sure you scanned the disk drive for any error.  This step should take about 7 minutes.  I actually wanted to try this method first, but the file system error causing the image back to take over 2 hours.

Right now I am booting off SSD with the original drive's image.  This install's Boot up time takes a bit longer, about 5 seconds... I am debating whether to go back with clean install.  The problem with clean install is I am not sure what drivers are missing and what's properly installed.  I only saw one error during clean install and it's the display.  Otherwise, everything seems to be fine.