Inspiron 3670, M.2 SSD, Windows 10 boot?

I think you got it mostly right.  However, you need to clone the entire hard drive to the M.2 SSD.  You can't just clone the "C" partion of the drive as the M.2 also needs the boot partition (at a minimum).  Actually clone may not work or work properly.  Best option is to make a disc "image" of the Dell hard drive to a separate drive with a program such as the free (and popular) Macrium Reflect. Then restore the image to the new M.2 SSD.  Then set the boot in the BIOS.   This is basically what I did with my Dell Inspiron 15 laptop when I installed a larger M.2 SSD.  

https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree

 I bought the same one but mine did not accept m.2 ssd, I had to use an nvme m.2 ended up getting samsung 970 500 GB, wow is it super fast 2 second boot.  But is there any way to get it to boot of the nvme as the primary and use the hard drive as a secondary drive without formating it.  Like a dual boot if the m.2 has a problem for some reason.   I have a bunch of boot drives on my old pc and also got a new dell notebook last year I added a 512 GB M.2 SSD to that and it worked fine with the original HDD. 

I tried changing the boot order & boot record but it keeps resetting itself after a reboot and booting from the super slow HDD (like its not saving for some reason).

Any ideas other than a reformat?

Nope, I doubt if it will tolerate a dual boot.

 I just recently installed an M2 NVMe drive(Mushkin Enhanced Pilot 250GB) in each of the two 3670 PCs I got from Best Buy. All I did was install the M2 drives. install Macrium Reflect. Then copy all partitions from the 1TB drive to the 250GB M2 drives I got. I left all the paritions the same size except the C drive. Which I shrunk down to fit in the 250GB drive. Then I just shutdown the PC. Disconnected the 1Tb drive, and when I turned the PC back on, it booted right up from the M2 NVMe drives. 

And wow, those two to three second boot times are fantastic. i used the same procedure on both 3670 PCs i have, and they both worked great cloning the drives this way.

I have a third 3670 coming later this week. And hopefully Everything works out great with that one too when I clone the 1TB drive to the 250GB M2 NVMe drive.

It took a while (just a lot of other things going on), but I did the following:

1) Installed M.2 drive. Had to purchase a standoff with internal screw online. I know I could get a bunch of them cheaper, but this worked: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XBG1783

2) Used Macrium Reflect to image the boot drive onto the SSD (resized primary partition so it fit)

3) Power off, disconnect internal hard drive, power on. Booted from M.2 SSD without any changes.

4) Power off, reconnect internal hard drive, power on. Still booted from M.2 SSD (Hurray!)

5) Used Macrium Reflect to image M.2 to a portable hard drive as a backup.

6) Installed an additional 2.5 inch 2 TB drive. The inside of the case (front side) is set up for two 2.5 inch drives with holes predrilled. Used the vertical install point, attached with two M3x4mm (might have been 3mm) screws and straight connector SATA power and data cables. It's a nice touch that all of the holes in the case are labeled with the screw size that they take (not the depth though.)

There is a horizontal orientation 2.5 inch mount point near the bottom of the case. That mount point doesn't work with either straight or "right angle" connectors because it's too close to the side (removable side of case). There isn't room for the straight connectors, and the "right angle" connectors would turn out through the front.

The 2.5 inch drive only mounts in that one orientation (the openings in the drive for the flanges on the case and the screw holes only align one way.) I have a "left angle" (or 270 degree) data cable, and am waiting for a "left angle" adapter for the power cable. Once I have that, I'll see if I can mount a second 2.5 inch drive.

I haven't tried these yet, but this is what I ordered to try the bottom (horizontal) 2.5 inch drive case mount:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FHGW5K

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077952PBQ

Vertically mounted 2.5 inch driveM.2 SSD mounted on motherboard

Good catch on the 2.5" drive mount, didn't notice that before.

What did you use for SATA power, a splitter from the one power cable? 

I hate that Dell moved to the new 6-pin power connector on the motherboard. I haven't been able to find a compatible cable to utilize the second SATA connector.

Mounting hdd's are never a problem, you can drill new holes, use washers with screws, use double sided tape, etc. Just find a spot you can bring cables to. My ssd and front fan are both mounted with double sided tape with zero problems but don't use too much !

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@kwmcc wrote:

It took a while (just a lot of other things going on), but I did the following:

1) Installed M.2 drive. Had to purchase a standoff with internal screw online. I know I could get a bunch of them cheaper, but this worked: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XBG1783

2) Used Macrium Reflect to image the boot drive onto the SSD (resized primary partition so it fit)

3) Power off, disconnect internal hard drive, power on. Booted from M.2 SSD without any changes.

4) Power off, reconnect internal hard drive, power on. Still booted from M.2 SSD (Hurray!)

5) Used Macrium Reflect to image M.2 to a portable hard drive as a backup.

6) Installed an additional 2.5 inch 2 TB drive. The inside of the case (front side) is set up for two 2.5 inch drives with holes predrilled. Used the vertical install point, attached with two M3x4mm (might have been 3mm) screws and straight connector SATA power and data cables. It's a nice touch that all of the holes in the case are labeled with the screw size that they take (not the depth though.)

 

There is a horizontal orientation 2.5 inch mount point near the bottom of the case. That mount point doesn't work with either straight or "right angle" connectors because it's too close to the side (removable side of case). There isn't room for the straight connectors, and the "right angle" connectors would turn out through the front.

The 2.5 inch drive only mounts in that one orientation (the openings in the drive for the flanges on the case and the screw holes only align one way.) I have a "left angle" (or 270 degree) data cable, and am waiting for a "left angle" adapter for the power cable. Once I have that, I'll see if I can mount a second 2.5 inch drive.

I haven't tried these yet, but this is what I ordered to try the bottom (horizontal) 2.5 inch drive case mount:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FHGW5K

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077952PBQ

 

 

 

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I used this Cablecc 90 Degree Right Angled SATA 22Pin 7+15 Male to SATA 22P Female Extension Convertor Adapter with great results in all three of my 3670 PCs. For that lower 2.5" drive location.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00S5WPSZ2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I didn't want to use the option pictured a few posts up where a straight connector was attached. Since it was difficult for me to remove it. The angled connector worked best for me. So I got them to use in all three of my 3670's.

how to did the power cable and data cable for the SSD vertical mount? My iinspiron i3670 does not have spare cables?

GB

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@leogiri wrote:

how to did the power cable and data cable for the SSD vertical mount? My iinspiron i3670 does not have spare cables?

GB

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I got mine from Amazon.

I got this for power. Which connects to the Mini 6 pin ATX port on the Motherboard and provided two more power connections

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071CG67ZC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Then I got this 90 degree right angle adapter to put on the hard drive.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00S5WPSZ2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And then I got some sata cables.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010WYTK0E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 i only needed the right angle adapter for the lower, vertical hard drive mount.

I used this hardware with all three of the 3670 PCs I got. Since I used both of the vertical, 2.5" hard drive locations. In addition to the 3.5" hard drive location.

What standoff are using to mount the ssd?