XPS 8930, 970 EVO SSD’s NVMe (PCIe M.2 2280)

That statement is a new one to me. There have been some incompatibilities noted with a few users that have installed the 970 but many others have installed with no problems. If you are not sure then consider a drive such as the WD Black M.2 SSD. The price is comparable or cheaper than the Samsung and the speed and warranty are the same. More information here.

@eionni The only issue I am aware of with the Samsung SSD is that it prefers that SATA Operation mode be set to AHCI instead of RAID which Dell uses by default. Samsung Magician software and the Samsung NVMe driver require AHCI. I think Crucial SSDs also prefer AHCI.

@eionni  -  If you intend to clone the HDD and move that image onto the new SSD, keep in mind you just can't change BIOS from RAID to AHCI because Windows won't boot afterwards. So you need to this before cloning the HDD.

1. At the desktop, open a Cmd prompt window, Run as administrator
2. Copy-paste this command into the CMD window, which will start Windows in Safe Mode at next boot : bcdedit /set {current} safeboot minimal and press Enter
3. Restart the computer and enter BIOS setup by immediately tapping F2 at boot
4. When BIOS setup opens, change SATA operation mode from RAID to AHCI
5. Save the change and exit Setup and let Windows automatically boot in Safe Mode.
6. Open a Cmd prompt window again, as in step #1
7. Copy-paste this command, which will start Windows in Normal Mode the next time you boot:
   bcdedit /deletevalue {current} safeboot and press Enter
8. Reboot and Windows will automatically start with AHCI drivers enabled

Now it's safe to clone the HDD and move the image onto the new SSD. Once that's done, you should reboot and start tapping F12. When the F12 menu opens, look for the option to boot from SSD. Assuming everything is working ok from the SSD, you can open Disk Management in Win 10 and initialize the HDD (everything will be deleted!) so you can use it for additional storage. When that's done, reboot normally and your SSD will be the new boot drive.

If I purchase 970 EVO, I will change from RAID to AHCI as per your instruction. After that, the boot drive will need a partition SSD to load a new setup Windows 10. Am I right?

But you don't need BIOS set to RAID.  Do you know if that WD BLACK SN750 NVMe SSD 1TB will work nicely when BIOS is set to RAID?

Get whichever SSD you prefer, set BIOS to AHCI and you won't have to worry...

Don't understand what you mean about "partition SSD to load a new setup Windows 10". Here's what I'd do:

1. Change BIOS to AHCI, as above
2. Install SSD in NVME slot
3. Use Macrium Reflect (free) to clone HDD image onto SSD (clone all partitions on the HDD to the SSD)
4. Resize partitions on SSD to use its extra space, if it's bigger than existing HDD
5. Reboot via F12 menu to boot from new SSD
6. Make sure it's all working ok
7. Use Disk Management in Win 10 to initialize the HDD (all files deleted!) so you can use it for storage
8. Reboot normally and SSD should be the new boot drive
9. Tell Win 10 to move default folders onto HDD
10. Configure installed apps to save output files on HDD

I see. If I choose a WD BLACK SN750 NVMe SSD 1TB will remain under SATA Operation mode be set to RAID, which Dell uses by default. Am I correct?

@eionni I think the new setup process when installing Windows 10 will take care of creating the partitions you need. There are usually a few partitions, boot partition, recovery partition, and OS partition. Look at your HDD with Disk Management and you will see that there are several partitions.

Is there a reason you plan a new installation of Windows 10 versus cloning your HDD? With cloning, the process is much faster, you will not have to download and install updates and drivers and reinstall all your applications. Also, Samsung provides via a free download cloning software called Samsung Data Migration. If you clone, be sure to disconnect the HDD when cloning is complete before booting from the SSD otherwise you will need to boot from the SSD using the F12 Boot Menu. To use the HDD as addition storage, you will need to reconnect the HDD, boot from the SSD using the F12 Boot Menu, and then reinitialize the HDD using Disk Management or DiskPart. Here is the DiskPart procedure: https://macrorit.com/partition-magic-manager/initialize-disk-gpt-mbr-from-cmd-diskpart.html

When using DiskPart make sure you use the 'list disk' command to identify the HDD, and the 'select disk' command to select the HDD to reinitialize.

Can anyone respond to my question about WD see the above message? 

Hi Vic384,

I am not sure if I get a new M.2 SSD. I knew there is no OS in the system. We have to go through format, Partition, and then lastly install Windows 10 as a factory setting. I do not need to clone from HDD.  The reason I want to clean and fresh in the OS system with an M.2 SSD.

It should be less complicated to install and Bios as well. Lastly question should I go for WD black m.2 ssd 2880 instead of 970 EVO SSD NNME??

Pls, advise.

Thanjs

Eddie

The SSD name is WD_BLACK™ SN750 NVMe™ SSD.

https://shop.westerndigital.com/products/internal-drives/wd-black-sn750-nvme-ssd#WDS250G3X0C

Is this product would be easier for Dell XP8930 than Samsung Evo?

Thanks

Eddie

Hi, @Vic384 

You wrote:-

"The only issue I am aware of with the Samsung SSD is that it prefers that SATA Operation mode be set to AHCI instead of RAID which Dell uses by default."

This is a query based on "curiosity", rather than wanting to change anything!!

My XPS8930 was supplied, direct from Dell, with an NVMe SSD (Samsung PM981) - what is the simplest way of checking whether it is set up for "RAID" or for "AHCI"?

I would add that, for such a Modern-Device, I was surprised that "Device-Manager" reports the Driver (used for the Samsung NVMe) as being by Microsoft, rather than by Samsung & it is dated 21 June 2006!!

@John-Jay The simplest way to check whether the XPS 8930 is set up for RAID or AHCI is to look at the BIOS, under the Advanced menu, the SATA Operation setting.

When I wrote Samsung SSD prefers SATA Operation mode set to AHCI I was mainly thinking about the Samsung SSD sold to consumers like the Samsung 970 EVO (the subject of this discussion), the Samsung 860 EVO, etc. I am not sure the Samsung SSD that Dell uses falls in that category. I am not sure you can use Samsung Magician or Samsung Data Migration with the Dell/Samsung OEM SSD. As far as the NVMe driver is concerned, I know that you cannot install the Samsung 970 EVO M.2 NVMe driver unless SATA Operation is set to AHCI (Windows installation in AHCI). 

I suspect BIOS on XPS 8930 is set to RAID with or without an NVME drive installed.

Once Win 10 and BIOS are reset to use AHCI, there should be no difference in ease of installation and cloning on to any brand NVME.

So then it comes down to considering: size, speed (read/writes), warranty, and cost per GB when choosing which NVME to install.

Hi, @Vic384  & @RoHe ,

Thanks for your info! As suspected, my XPS8930 is set to "RAID" - not really certain of Dell's Logic (unless it is to do with the historic fact that they USED to install Optane SSD Drives)!

However, since I'm not currently intending to replace my PM981 (its a 512G size), I don't see any benefit in changing it - as I said, my query was simply "curiosity"!!

@John-Jay  - Look at this way...

Having RAID set by default in BIOS and Win 10 configured that way means they only need one motherboard setup and one OS image to install on a PC model (eg, XPS 8930) with or without a HDD, SSD, Optane etc.

They can have stash of imaged drives with the OS ready and just grab the one for the config being assembled. Makes it faster and easier for them to assemble systems.

I suspect that's also why there are occasional systems with the OS on the wrong drive, even though it still works...