Is the dell Optiplex 9020 compatible with an NVMe ssd

redxps630 and Chino - thanks for your posts.  But I'm still stuck at the beginning - How do I download the correct Clover files and then install them on a USB stick?  (And note that apparently a Russian guy's installer at cvad something is no longer reachable.)

If Dell doesn't permit you to post that here, please go to my post at win-raid (link above) and post it there.

Here's the link again:  https://www.win-raid.com/t2375f50-Guide-NVMe-boot-without-modding-your-UEFI-BIOS-Clover-EFI-bootloader-method-53.html#msg154677 

Thanks!

@glnz , It's a boot disk utility, you just run it and watch the magic happens. 

Chino - thanks.  It's beginning to make sense.  If I'm not mistaken, from the instructions on

https://www.win-raid.com/t2375f50-Guide-NVMe-boot-without-modding-your-UEFI-BIOS-Clover-EFI-bootloader-method.html 

I should have the NVMe M.2 in the adapter and in the PCIe slot when I create the Clover USB stick, yes?  Maybe the NVMe should already have the clone of my current HDD (with my dual-booting Win 10 and Win 7)?

Anyway, I have run out of time this weekend and will continue next weekend.

Many thanks again for your patience !!! 

@glnz , no need, you can run it on any machine and you can plug in at the end of windows installation when system restart and it will work. 

@glnz , The BDU will create the CLOVER drive automatically, you do not need to do anything.  Just plug a USB drive to your computer or laptop, run BDU, allow it to run update.  When complete, open the USB in windows explorer, you will see a partition around 200 mb.  Click to open the folder with the path on my previous post and copy the driver to both folder locations so you won't have to worry about CSM boot or UEFI boot.  Follow the instruction on previous post to open the plist and edit the time out with notepad and save it.

The main issue people normally have is they could install windows onto the NVMe drive but when it complete, they can't boot from it.  The CLOVER drive can plug in at that time to boot and when the GUI screen come up, just select the drive, usually the first one with EFI.  

If you just start from beginning, plug the CLOVER together with windows installer and after installation, just unplug the windows installer, the CLOVER will be force to boot and point to your drive when the GUI comes up. 

Test it and let me know if it works for you.

Chino - thanks.

But my intention is NOT to install Windows on the new NVMe M.2.

My intention is to clone my existing HDD to the new NVMe M.2. 

Again, I have the impression from both the win-raid Clover forum and the BDU Russian guy's site that the BDU will scan my PC when it installs Clover onto my USB stick and make some customizations on the USB to accommodate my actual hardware.  Do you get the same impression?

And if you think I need to know anything else, please say !!!

@glnz , for the CLOVER drive, all customization needed was the NVMe driver, follow instruction to copy the driver to both folder locations.  The time out is an optional.  I hear your concern but I've tried both process, created CLOVER on the same system and created on a different system, and it worked in both cases.  When you select the first time, that's when it customize a new folder with needed info and subsequently the connection is automatically without user intervention.

It doesn't matter if you will do clean install or cloning your existing drive.  In plain term, the NVMe SSD can be seen for windows installation or cloning but it lacks of requirement for booting natively.  That's when CLOVER becomes the connection to make it (boot).

Chino - hit Kudos again.

And I'm happy to hear you've done this !!!  On what model PC?

Now my existing HDD is dual-booting Win 7 Pro 64-bit and Win 10 Pro 64-bit, and I'm almost always on the Win 10 these days.  I use iReboot (and occasionally EasyBCD) to reboot into the other OS when I want to, and that's important if I'm updating or checking something (and rebooting) from a distance (using TeamViewer or AnyDesk).

When I clone my existing HDD to the NVMe and use Clover to boot into it, will it boot into whichever of my OSes is then set (in iReboot) or is this too much for the Clover setup?

Bottom line - I'm having fun with this idea, and I want to try it, but I could always "give up" and just go to a SATA SSD.  Do you think the NVMe with Clover will still be faster than a SATA SSD?

Finally, with an NVMe and Clover, what brand of NVMe SSD should I choose, given that I might have to add its drivers into the Clover or elsewhere?

Thanks.

@glnz Yes, choosing the slot could make the different because on those older models, the x16 slot could get full speed of gen. 3.0 vs. the x4 only get gen. 2.0 (half the speed).

If you refer to the plist option, I suggest to change it to 2. 

SEE NEXT POST

Chino - thanks again.  Other forums recommended the 4x PCIe slot.  And since I don't have a video card, the 16x slot might also be free.  Does it make a practical difference?

And the two Optiplexes in which I might do this are a 3010 (running Win 7 Pro 64-bit only so far but might upgrade to Win 10 only) and a 7010 (dual booting 10 and 7).  So your list is good.

Do you have the Clover set to automatically continue booting after 5 seconds, or must you be there to make the choice?

Will this work in a SFF 9020?

NvmExpressDxe-64.efi locations for recent CLOVER are
 \EFI\CLOVER\drivers64\UEFI\ and \EFI\CLOVER\drivers64\BIOS\

Mod the bios to boot from m.2 nvme ssd I used this guide to mod the bios to boot from m.2 nvme drive.. after modding remove motherboard battery for 30 seconds re install and reboot...