XPS Desktops

[euboxic]

The specifications sheet for the XPS 8930 states that the max SSD size is 1TB. But Dell offers a 2TB SSD for the XPS 8930 on their upgrades website. I was told that if it's on the Dell website, the larger SSD would work, but they couldn't guarantee an outside vendor's 2TB SSD would be compatible. Seems a little confusing. Has anyone run into this issue?

[ProfessorW00d]

Spec sheet reflects components that were Dell tested and verified at that time . . . which is a long time ago for the XPS 8930. I am sure any reputable 2TB SSD will work, and you could probably install a 4TB SSD, if you were so inclined.

[JOcean]

@ProfessorW00d is spot on and this page at Crucial lists a number of SSD up to and including 4TB as compatible. And Crucial guarantees compatibility with their products.

[RoHe]

If you search these forums I suspect you'll find threads about installing 2T SSDs in this PC model.

Since Dell shipped the XPS 8930 with BIOS set to RAID, you probably will want to reconfigure Windows to use AHCI before upgrading the SSD, because some SSDs (particularly Samsung) don't play nice when BIOS is set to RAID.

You can't just change that setting in BIOS. You have to do it the right way or you'll make Windows unbootable:

1. Open Cmd, run as administrator
2. Copy-paste this command, which will start Windows in Safe Mode the next time you reboot:
   bcdedit /set {current} safeboot minimal and press Enter
3. Restart the computer and enter BIOS setup
4. Change the SATA operation mode from RAID to AHCI
5. Save the change and exit Setup and Windows will automatically boot to Safe Mode
6. Open Cmd again, as in step #1
7. Copy-paste this command, which will start Windows in Normal Mode the next time you reboot:
   bcdedit /deletevalue {current} safeboot and press Enter
8. Reboot and Windows will automatically start with AHCI drivers enabled

Now you can image the existing SSD and save the image on external USB HDD. Macrium Reflect (free) is a good tool for this.  Be sure to include all partitions Macrium sees on the existing SSD in the image, and select the option to validate the image as soon as it's created. Also use Macrium to create a bootable USB that you'll need to boot the PC so you can transfer the image onto the new SSD after you swap it in.

You'll also have to increase the size of the C: partition on the new SSD when you're transferring your image onto that SSD.  Macrium can do that for you so be sure to understand how that's done before you copy the image onto the new SSD. Otherwise, all the extra space on the 2T SSD will be wasted.

[DELL-Chris M]

XPS 8930 validated OEM 2TB SSD part numbers =

53J86 2TB Toshiba XG6
MGHFP 2TB Toshiba XG5
H3GWX 2TB Samsung PM981
MHG36 2TB Samsung PM981A

[CTG_8273]

"The specifications sheet for the XPS 8930 states that the max SSD size is 1TB. But Dell offers a 2TB SSD for the XPS 8930 on their upgrades website. I was told that if it's on the Dell website, the larger SSD would work, but they couldn't guarantee an outside vendor's 2TB SSD would be compatible. Seems a little confusing. Has anyone run into this issue?"

HA HA Dell knows how to trick people into buying a drive from them. 

A bunch of the Accessary items on Dell website is overpriced like memory and especially hard drives.

The 1 TB limit was from the Factory. After BIOS updates you should be fine with larger drives but there may still be a limit like 4 TB maybe or maybe not.

And any drive brand would work. I would not but hard drives from Dell they are higher than anywhere else. Newegg or Amazon has SSD's.