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Aurora R5 m2 Samung 950 Pro SSD Support
Hello Everyone,
Put in a 950 Pro 512GB in to replace the stock Toshiba 256GB into my Aurora R5 box last night, (i7 6700K w/1070 config), and the board didn't detect it. Updated BIOS to v1.09, still nothing.
I've read previous posts saying that BIOS v1.07 does allow 950 Support, but reading further there is no confirmation from Alienware on this.
Does anyone have any information or experience on support for the 950 Pro in these boxes?
Appreciate any info anyone has on it!
Tesla1856
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March 4th, 2017 15:00
Can't say for sure (maybe someone will) but it should work fine. The interface on all these NVMe SSDs are fairly standard. The 960-Pro is really nice SSD with MLC memory on-board.
https://www.pcper.com/news/Storage/Brace-Yourselves-Samsung-SM961-PM961-960-PRO-and-960-EVO-SSDs-Are-Coming
And I don't know why a 960-EVO would not work because Dell pre-installed a PM961 in mine. It works fine and is blazing fast ... Crystal said 3051/1633.
Tesla1856
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March 6th, 2017 19:00
These options are from my working Aurora-R6 with Samsung NVMe pm961 M.2-SSD installed on motherboard (as shipped with Windows-10 Pro 64bit).
Set BIOS to:
M.2 PCIe SSD = Your detected NVMe SSD in motherboard's M.2 slot
SecureBoot Mode = Standard (also means ON)
Boot Option #1 = Windows Boot Manager (might not show until Windows has been installed)
Boot List Option = UEFI
SATA Operation = Dell ships as "RAID on" and Intel-RST is installed inside Windows.
Have only M.2 SSD install in system (on motherboard). Disconnect or remove any SATA drives. It's likely OK to leave optical drives connected. BIOS should still show your SSD as M.2 PCIe SSD.
Use DiskPart's "clean" option to remove any partitions from this SSD. It will leave SSD un-Initialized (like it comes from the factory). One way is to use Macrium Reflect (free) bootable USB. It should boot, even in UEFI Mode. Drop to it's Command Prompt to run diskpart. This is also a good way to see if SSD is working at all.
Boot Win-10/64 bootable Flash drive (you created with Microsoft's Media Creation Tool). Install the 64bit version you have a license, CoA key, or Digital Entitlement to run. Or, version that was originally installed on this machine (key is embedded in motherboard).
As you begin the install ... if you are unable to see the SSD at all, auto-partition it, or make it all the way through the Windows install ... you might need to Load the Intel-RST "F6 Floppy" Driver (since it's an Intel controller). If still problems, you might need to a similar "F6 Driver" that is instead matched to your SSD make/model (ie Samsung). Sorry that I'm a little uncertain about this step, but I can't really Nuke-and-Pave (erase and clean-install) my Aurora-R6 right now and try it.
Installer will automatically create required partition(s) on SSD to use total space. Since SSD was un-Initialized, new partition(s) should be created as GPT (a good thing). I think Pro creates an extra small partition in front of drive. Lesser versions might not.
Windows-10 should install and boot-up from SSD when done. Test operation and install Windows Updates.
If you happen to look in BIOS, you will see that first boot drive or entry is called "Windows Boot Manager". If you happen to run msinfo32 in Windows, it should say "SecureBoot State is ON.
Dell posted this article:
http://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/19/SLN301036/windows-10-install-with-nvme-ssd-and-sata-drives?lang=EN
Edited 3-15-2017 (after looking in my Aurora-R6 BIOS, and checking Internet resources)
Alienware-Eimy
3 Apprentice
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October 20th, 2016 15:00
Hi,
That SSD is not validated but maybe you can get some help here:
en.community.dell.com/.../19989934
Whipping Boy 79
9 Posts
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October 21st, 2016 09:00
Alixij
Posted by Alixij on 4 Sep 2016 6:03 Verified Answer
Verified by Sindelis
moderate
Mornings!
Zmerk, bro, I did let technicians to do all the final tuning. Give me 1 day, I'm gonna contact them on monday (tomorrow) morning and provide you with all the details. 1 thing is for sure - it works flawless and they DIDN'T use the adaptor. I will find out with technicians tomorrow exact bridge model, how they installed windows (cloned or clean install). Just wait for 1 day.
2 things that I added and they appear to work just perfect against what I've been told by Dell's represenatatives: 1. I have DDR4 Crucial Ballistix Sport 32 Gb at 2400MHz (dual channel) and they DO work on that frequency. 2. NB!: Samsung 950 pro SSD 512 Gb installed WITHOUT AN ADAPTOR. Boot preference needs to be changed in BIOS - that's it.
*****************************************
So if it isn't validated, it doesn't mean it won't work....
so maybe I just got a DOA 950 Pro then....
Anonymous
5 Practitioner
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October 22nd, 2016 04:00
Here's a pic of Samsung 950 pro 512 Gb SSD installed in my Aurora r5. Works 100%. Just change to AHCI in bios boot options and you'll be fine. Let me know if you succeed or need help. Good luck!
Cheerz!
1 Attachment
image.jpeg
Tesla1856
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October 24th, 2016 15:00
Whipping Boy 79
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October 24th, 2016 15:00
Installed the 950 Pro- updated the bios to V1.09, and the system just hangs on initial post. Can't boot into bios, I had changed SATA mode to AHCI, and turned off UEFI / Secureboot- reimaged unit with fresh copy of Win 10 prior to installing the SSD... T
Whipping Boy 79
9 Posts
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October 24th, 2016 15:00
I remove the 950 and the unit boots... so no the BIOS hasn't bricked...
I've installed 2 - Samsung 950's both with the same issue-
does anyone other then Alixij actually have a working unit with a 950 Pro 512GB in it?
Whipping Boy 79
9 Posts
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October 24th, 2016 16:00
Looking back and another post from end of July has the exact same issue I am having:
*******************************
Posted by nunsterdw on 29 Jul 2016 8:40 moderate
I just received my Alienware Aurora R5 earlier this week. I purchased a Samsung 950 Pro 512GB NVMe M.2 SSD and placed it into the M.2 slot.
After restart I could see the SSD in the BIOS and continued booting into the factory install on the 2TB HDD. There under Disk Management I could see the drive. I could create a volume and bring it online. I made it a GPT disk.
Boot to UEFI Flash drive and try to install Windows 10 and it gets to the last part (Finishing Up) and then throws an error ("Windows could not update the computer's boot configuration. Installation cannot proceed.")
Various things I've tried:
Disconnected the HDD so that the M.2 is the only disk. Result: Computer will not boot past the BIOS load screen. Alienware head and blue bar all the way full. Stops there permanently.
Set ATA Controller to AHCI. Result: Computer will not boot past the BIOS load screen. Alienware head and blue bar all the way full. Stops there permanently. At this point I have to completely remove the SSD to get back to a functioning boot.
Booted back to HDD and cloned it to the SSD using Paragon Migrate. Result: Clone is successful, however windows fails to boot to the SSD after selecting Windows Boot Manager Disk 1 entry under the UEFI boot menu. Try startup repair from Windows setup: (Fails). Tried Paragons rescue Utilities: Says they successfully repair the problems. Still won'[t boot to SSD.
BIOS is 1.0.4 brand new hardware can't get it to work.
Anyone know how to get the M.2 slot working as the OS bootable drive?
Thanks for any help. Very frustrated.
************************************************
this was never answered, it was just reposted.... does anyone have any information on this?
J
Tesla1856
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October 24th, 2016 16:00
Different problem. They were just having cloning trouble.
Never did they say that with M2 SSD installed, that their machines failed to BIOS-Post or allow access to BIOS.
Try this to verify your SSD and MB is working.
Erase all existing partitions on SSD
Set BIOS options to UEFI/SecureBoot/AHCI.
Boot machine with only SSD installed by. If you can get that far ... clean-install Windows-10 by USB-Flash from Microsoft.com .ISO or Media Creation App.
Whipping Boy 79
9 Posts
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October 25th, 2016 08:00
If you look closer at nunsterdw's issue it is only a problem when the m2 slot is populated...
It's not a cloning issue.
It's the same issue I am having. Difference is that I've updated the bios to V1.09
The Aurora boots if Sata mode is in RAID configuration, but in AHCI it will simply stop at the "alienware" logo on the initial bios post screen and stay there for a indefinite period of time. To boot you must remove the SSD from the M2 port.
In the bios, it states that the m2 port is not populated, but in the diagnosis utility, it does say that it is populated (when in RAID mode...)
I've used 2 different 950's with the same issue, and this is the 2nd Aurora I have received in the last week with the same issue....
Anyone with this issue?
Anonymous
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October 25th, 2016 11:00
Whipping Boy 79
9 Posts
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October 25th, 2016 11:00
Aurora will not boot into BIOS when Sata mode is in AHCI and m2 slot is populated with the 950....
not sure how anyone has it working unless I have a bumb board....
Anonymous
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October 25th, 2016 11:00
Do you want to talk via SKYPE and get to know everything that Ive got to know to get my system to work?
Whipping Boy 79
9 Posts
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October 26th, 2016 07:00
yep I will, just out on business, will be available tomorrow!
Cheers!