I am the proud new owner of 2 Dell Optiplex 7010 Desktop machines (thank you TigerDirect refurbishment).  These machines each came with 8GB RAM, Core i5 CPU and 500GB Mechanical HDD. Window 10 Pro installed.  I have upgraded it to the Core i7-3770 CPU (wanted the Intel HD 4000 graphics). 

I am looking to build a super fast new Windows 10 system, so I went ahead and booted one of them so that I could register the digital signature to the Microsoft site (will be able to reload and activate with no issues). 

I bought a SilverStone ECM20 (PCIe card for an M.2 SSD).  The BIOS does not see it, and cannot see it even after following the steps here: 

https://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/04/sln300820/what-are-pcie-ssds-and-how-to-use-them-as-a-boot-drive-for-a-dell-pc?lang=en

I set the BIOS set specified, disconnected the SATA Cable to the 500GB HDD from the motherboard and rebooted.  I get a warning that there is no HDD installed.  Pressing continues to boot from the Windows 10 (freshly created USB drive) and it sees the M.2 SSD as an install option (using the SAMSUNG EVO 970 Plus drive).  I performed the install, and when it came time to reboot, I did...after removing the WIN10 USB.

It boots to the same screen that there is no HDD installed. Pressing the does not boot from the M.2 SSD.  Also in the BIOS I see nothing in the UEFI menu (other than the Windows 10 USB which is not plugged in).

These are wonderful desktop machines AND literally 1000's of them are re-entering the world as refurbished machines. 

I hope that this can be fixed. 

 

Curtis