4. would I be able to clone my C: drive to the M2 SSD (I use Seagate discwizard so may need to clone onto an Seagate HD then to the M2).
Conceivably yes . However ...
- Use a real cloning/imaging program (like Macrium Reflect).
- Create an image-file (instead of direct clone). That way, you can connect only the new M.2/NVMe SSD as C: . Boot blank/erased machine with Macrium USB, and restore image against "bare metal".
- It will carry over everything, including things you don't really want like Intel-RST. That is why a clean-install is better.
1. No. M2 will accept different form factors and interfaces. Form factor is length, here you're looking for 80. M2 interfaces are PCIe or SATA. For the R7, you want PCIE nvme, referred to as "M Key." You don't want SATA (B Key, or M + B key). You can tell the difference from the number of notches and location of the notches on interface.
2. Optane acceleration can be disabled and an optane drive can be used as a normal storage drive, but that would be cost and size prohibitive.
3. I use the M2 drive as a boot drive (C:) in my R7. You can set whatever drive you want as a boot drive, when installing windows.
4. It might be possible to clone 2 drives in RAID, onto 1 non-raid drive. I don't know how to do this. I changed from raid to AHCI in bios, removed all drives, added the new M2 NVME drive only, and then did a clean install of windows using a recovery flash drive for windows 10 that you can download for free directly from Microsoft. Then plug back in the old drives.
From the R7 service manual: optane memory Interface PCIe NVMe 3.0 x2 Connector M.2 Configurations supported 16 GB and 32 GB
NOTE: Disabling Intel Optane memory is required before removing the SATA storage device accelerated by the Intel Optane memory or the Intel Optane memory module from the system. 1 On the taskbar, click the search box, and then type Intel Rapid Storage Technology.
1. So firstly it looks like the memory is compatible with my R7. (ok, so I get to use 2 instead of 4 lanes) Is the 16/32 G limit applicable for optane memory, i.e. when I fit 1TB I will get 1 TB?
2. When I type "intel rapid" I get given option to install - so looks like it is not installed. I am correct in thinking that this is only needed for optane, so for my nvme ssd it is not needed?
You can get a cheap off-brand 2tb SATA ssd drive for one of your slots in the bottom, and then just make sure you only install apps you need faster processing speed for on the NVMe. Viola you have tonnes of space and much better processing speed when needed.
Despite being warned about non-name brands, I finally snapped and pressed the button to buy the Sabrent 1TB nvme ssd for £ 109 at amazon, almost 1/2 price for samsung 970 evo plus.
From what I read about Sabrent is they are US company utilising toshiba memory chips, nearly all reviews have been very favourable and screenshots from crystaldisk show very impressible speeds.
As the motherboard is 2 lane but the nvme can use 4, speeds may not reach those quoted but still should be faster than HD SSD.
To save time, I'm hoping to clone existing SSD (raid) using segate discward via an intermediate seagate HD but it is no big deal to install Windows + apps/games from scratch.
1. Seagate disc wizard to clone 2 x SanDisk SSD as RAID to Seagate drive - took 1.5 hours
2. Replace 2 x SSD with Seagate HD; fit NVME SSD, luckily had an M2 x 3 mm screw
3. Clone Seagate to NVME - there was a worrying moment when only the Seagate HD was listed in source but the nvme SSD was listed in destination; took about 45 mins
4. Remove Seagate HD and we're done. (no changes needed in BIOS)
Time from power on to appearance of Windows log on screen dropped from 21 sec to 16; bearing in mind most of that time is the Alienware BIOS screen.
Just need to figure out how to get crystal disk to do timings for the new nvme drive.
have crystal disk benchmark; annoyingly I had downloaded crystal Disk Info so couldn't figure out how to get benchmark (should have been crystal disk mark - DOH!) so no data for the 2 x SSD RAID
… will get screenshot; my preferred image hosting site has crashed
Be careful about what NVMe SSD you put in: If it is not listed as in Dell's systems as compatible (which is BS in my opinion) - expect no support. I even have an extended warranty and in over $2k and could not get technical support for an issue that was clearly on their end.
CAVEAT w/ NVMe SSD As soon as I add a second HDD though, I have multiple issues, freezing, keyboard lag, etc. So if you run into issues it may be a driver, bad hardware (like SSD or HDD, etc.).
and INCORRECT SUPPORT I am an end-user with an Aurora R7 and have had numerous issues with the Killer-network, bluetooth, audio and now with the Samsung EVO 970 NVMe. I get 2920 MB/s read, 2068 MB/s write, and random read at 666MB/s (with the Samsung EVO 970 SSD) which is great, but I have to leave all other HDD drives disconnected for some reason or I will get freezes and keyboard lag.
Dell claims they care about customer service: I asked for a suggested/compatible NVMe SSD, when I asked what the read and write speed was they said 7000 MB/s ....which is not even a possible read/write. I question them on it they disconnected so they wouldn't get a bad review and I was transferred to a new agent. I feel like they just try to close the ticket and not escalate to technical at all costs.
Tesla1856
8 Wizard
•
17.4K Posts
0
July 30th, 2019 22:00
4. would I be able to clone my C: drive to the M2 SSD (I use Seagate discwizard so may need to clone onto an Seagate HD then to the M2).
Conceivably yes . However ...
- Use a real cloning/imaging program (like Macrium Reflect).
- Create an image-file (instead of direct clone). That way, you can connect only the new M.2/NVMe SSD as C: . Boot blank/erased machine with Macrium USB, and restore image against "bare metal".
- It will carry over everything, including things you don't really want like Intel-RST. That is why a clean-install is better.
r72019
6 Professor
•
5.3K Posts
2
July 30th, 2019 22:00
1. No. M2 will accept different form factors and interfaces. Form factor is length, here you're looking for 80. M2 interfaces are PCIe or SATA. For the R7, you want PCIE nvme, referred to as "M Key." You don't want SATA (B Key, or M + B key). You can tell the difference from the number of notches and location of the notches on interface.
2. Optane acceleration can be disabled and an optane drive can be used as a normal storage drive, but that would be cost and size prohibitive.
3. I use the M2 drive as a boot drive (C:) in my R7. You can set whatever drive you want as a boot drive, when installing windows.
4. It might be possible to clone 2 drives in RAID, onto 1 non-raid drive. I don't know how to do this. I changed from raid to AHCI in bios, removed all drives, added the new M2 NVME drive only, and then did a clean install of windows using a recovery flash drive for windows 10 that you can download for free directly from Microsoft. Then plug back in the old drives.
mp_108
2 Intern
•
175 Posts
0
August 1st, 2019 10:00
Thanks for your help - just to confirm what I intend to do will work.
The cheapest fast 1 TB nvme memory I have found is sabrent rocket on amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sabrent-Rocket-Internal-Performance-SB-ROCKET-1TB/dp/B07LGF54XR/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=1Q7CRRW0B3PAB&keywords=nvme+ssd+1tb&qid=1564681628&s=gateway&sprefix=nvme+ssd%2Caps%2C146&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1
spec:
M.2 PCIe Gen3 x 4 Interface
PCIe 3.1 Compliant/ NVMe 1.3 Compliant
From the R7 service manual:
optane memory
Interface PCIe NVMe 3.0 x2
Connector M.2
Configurations supported 16 GB and 32 GB
NOTE: Disabling Intel Optane memory is required before removing the SATA storage device accelerated by the Intel
Optane memory or the Intel Optane memory module from the system.
1 On the taskbar, click the search box, and then type Intel Rapid Storage Technology.
1. So firstly it looks like the memory is compatible with my R7. (ok, so I get to use 2 instead of 4 lanes)
Is the 16/32 G limit applicable for optane memory, i.e. when I fit 1TB I will get 1 TB?
2. When I type "intel rapid" I get given option to install - so looks like it is not installed.
I am correct in thinking that this is only needed for optane, so for my nvme ssd it is not needed?
thanks
Tesla1856
8 Wizard
•
17.4K Posts
0
August 1st, 2019 11:00
1. Well, it's a SSD (not really called "memory" ... instead, it's a "drive").
Yes, a 1tb NVMe SSD will work.
I suggest you stick to "name brand" SSDs ... like Samsung, Intel, and Kingston.
2. No, Intel-RST is not required if running your drives in AHCI mode.
tilt_skillet
22 Posts
0
August 1st, 2019 16:00
Agreed, an off brand NVMe SSD is never going to reach the speeds they claim and also have more compatibility issues than the name brands causing more speed and functionality issues. And when you are dealing with your computers primary boot drive you want reliability not size.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-V-NAND-Express-Solid-State/dp/B07CJ3RVP3/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Samsung+970+PRO+M.2+NVMe+512GB&qid=1564700834&s=gateway&sr=8-1
That's what I upgraded my R7 to and installed windows on and good sale right now too, windows boots up in 5 seconds.
You can get a cheap off-brand 2tb SATA ssd drive for one of your slots in the bottom, and then just make sure you only install apps you need faster processing speed for on the NVMe. Viola you have tonnes of space and much better processing speed when needed.
mp_108
2 Intern
•
175 Posts
0
August 9th, 2019 03:00
mp_108
2 Intern
•
175 Posts
0
August 10th, 2019 01:00
update:
That went surprisingly well, as follows.
1. Seagate disc wizard to clone 2 x SanDisk SSD as RAID to Seagate drive - took 1.5 hours
2. Replace 2 x SSD with Seagate HD; fit NVME SSD, luckily had an M2 x 3 mm screw
3. Clone Seagate to NVME - there was a worrying moment when only the Seagate HD was listed in source but the nvme SSD was listed in destination; took about 45 mins
4. Remove Seagate HD and we're done. (no changes needed in BIOS)
Time from power on to appearance of Windows log on screen dropped from 21 sec to 16; bearing in mind most of that time is the Alienware BIOS screen.
Just need to figure out how to get crystal disk to do timings for the new nvme drive.
mp_108
2 Intern
•
175 Posts
0
August 10th, 2019 02:00
last update, no really ….
have crystal disk benchmark; annoyingly I had downloaded crystal Disk Info so couldn't figure out how to get benchmark (should have been crystal disk mark - DOH!) so no data for the 2 x SSD RAID
… will get screenshot; my preferred image hosting site has crashed
mp_108
2 Intern
•
175 Posts
0
August 18th, 2019 02:00
…. ok, I promised I wouldn't add to this, but as it happened, I needed to revert to the RAID drive.
For comparison, the same benchmark for the Sandisk RAID drive.
speedstep
9 Legend
•
47K Posts
0
August 18th, 2019 08:00
M2 comes in 2 types.
SATA and PCI-E
Sata versions have a B key and and M key.
PCI-E versions are M KEY ONLY.
They are NOT interchangeable and the PCI-E versions require F6 mass storage drivers.
Tesla1856
8 Wizard
•
17.4K Posts
0
August 18th, 2019 13:00
< I needed to revert to the RAID drive. For comparison, the same benchmark for the Sandisk RAID drive.
Quite a performance drop from AHCI down to RAID.
So, there is no scenario where RAID should be used ... not for backups and apparently, not even for speed.
Jairus Martin
3 Posts
0
October 10th, 2020 16:00
Be careful about what NVMe SSD you put in: If it is not listed as in Dell's systems as compatible (which is BS in my opinion) - expect no support. I even have an extended warranty and in over $2k and could not get technical support for an issue that was clearly on their end.
CAVEAT w/ NVMe SSD
As soon as I add a second HDD though, I have multiple issues, freezing, keyboard lag, etc. So if you run into issues it may be a driver, bad hardware (like SSD or HDD, etc.).
and INCORRECT SUPPORT
I am an end-user with an Aurora R7 and have had numerous issues with the Killer-network, bluetooth, audio and now with the Samsung EVO 970 NVMe. I get 2920 MB/s read, 2068 MB/s write, and random read at 666MB/s (with the Samsung EVO 970 SSD) which is great, but I have to leave all other HDD drives disconnected for some reason or I will get freezes and keyboard lag.
Dell claims they care about customer service: I asked for a suggested/compatible NVMe SSD, when I asked what the read and write speed was they said 7000 MB/s ....which is not even a possible read/write. I question them on it they disconnected so they wouldn't get a bad review and I was transferred to a new agent. I feel like they just try to close the ticket and not escalate to technical at all costs.