@speedstep​, has this changed since then (7 years is a long time)? My Dell OptiPlex 9010 MT has UEFI enabled, Legacy ROM disabled, Secure Boot enabled, and is currently running 64-bit of Windows 10 Pro with BitLocker enabled. I want to replace its SATA III HDD with a M.2 NVMe SSD instead. I could not find what class this UEFI is, but it says BIOS Version/Date A30, 6/28/2018, and SMBIOS version 2.7 (is that the "class"? If so, that exceeds 2.3.1). BIOS Mode shows UEFI.

If all is good, I'll just buy a M.2 NVMe PCIe adapter card and plug it into my empty blue-slotted PCIe lane. Thank you!

which 9010 , case size dictates which motherboard is there and more. 4 cases even AIO junk.

I have PC even back to 2005 that run W10-64bit and one 2007 runs w1064bit.  if you take care of them they last.

just like cars

the card may work and the drive m.2 ssd may work but booting to it now that be a show stoppper

the card is cheap, i keep 2 as spares here,

so only the card the m.2 gum stick is in question and if it likes your PCI-e version and BIOS.

the south first thing to look at is the (BESIDES Dells undocumented BIOS) is south bridge chip

Intel® Q77 Express Chipset with gen2 or 3 CPU.

here is intels answer to you qouted and 1st google hit btw.

Using an NVMe device to boot a computer system requires:

• System BIOS configured to enable UEFI* version 2.3.1 and support NVMe boot
• System based on an Intel® Z97 or X99 Chipset and UP newer but  yours fails this test.
• 64-bit operating system that supports UEFI; Windows 7*, 8*, 8.1* or Windows® 10
• Setting the CSM in the system BIOS (for Windows 7) (this is for new PCs with UEFI_
• Intel® NVMe drive

as 2nd drive just try it.  many times yes. (set it up in disk manager first)

some PCs older some SATA ports go dead if you install that card. x99 is common.

there is no bios nvme boot in your bios but some rare now , nvme have OProm extension on the stick that do boot but are problematic and most makers ended this practices, but I"VE see one work.

https://www.win-raid.com/t871f50-Guide-How-to-get-full-NVMe-support-for-all-Systems-with-an-AMI-UEFI-BIOS.html

It may work as 2nd drive , just try it, there are no guarantees here , installing 2019 tech on any old PC 2007.

The 9010 runs XP and does not have UEFI Class 2.3.1 bios so this is NEVER an option.

https://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/04/sln312680/optiplex-9010-xp-driver-cab?lang=en

Legacy Bios does not support PCI-E UEFI GPT.

Secure boot is not compatible or allowing xp or vista.

This machine is rock solid! It is on 24x7 mostly so it likely some of the components will begin to fail. Currently running Windows Server 2016 without a hitch and I'll be moving it to 2019 shortly, hence my desire to get a faster disk. It is the Small Form Factor case with the 7 series chipset, but it does have two PCIe 3.0 slots with one being x16 and the other x4 so the latter would technically accomodate for a standard NVMe disk.

I might wait until the end of the year and upgrade to a 9th gen i9 chip and live with that for another 7+ years.  I also bought a precision laptop with this desktop and it too is still going strong - goes to show that you get what you pay for. 

Hi, my 9010 came with windows 8 pro and not XP so perhaps we are talking about different builds?

I bought this workstation in November 2012 and it does support UEFI with Secure Boot. Looking msinfo32 it reports 2.7 for SMBIOS Version, does this number represent UEFI class version number?

This system is certainly capable of secure boot with UEFI and legacy boot options. Currently I am running windows server 2016.

" 9010 came with windows 8 pro " did not come from dell.

System , bios, chipset, etc was released well before 2012.

NEWER Systems that have secure boot ARE NOT compatible with 32 bit os or XP.  The 9010 boots and runs XP.

https://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04/Drivers/DriversDetails?driverId=WWPH0

UEFI Secure Boot NVME PCI-E booting is NEVER an option.

Windows 8.0 was released on October 26, 2012.

This is why the 9020 is the oldest series that is supported.

Not supported does not mean not working just that only vista or win7 drivers are available.

Bios for this model is very old. Intel has decided not to provide microcode updates to plug Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities in a number of older processors.

https://newsroom.intel.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2018/04/microcode-update-guidance.pdf

https://www.dell.com/support/driver/us/en/04/DriversDetails?productCode=optiplex-9010&driverId=90DD2

https://www.grc.com/inspectre.htm

https://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/04/sln297954/dell-computers-tested-for-windows-10-may-2019-update-and-previous-versions-of-windows-10?lang=en#Optiplex-MAY19U

If your model is not listed below it is not tested for the latest version of windows 10.

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000026416/memory-and-storage.html

PCIe* NVMe*-based SSDs require specific hardware, BIOS and driver support to be used as a boot device.  See below for some requirements for a successful installation.

Basic requirements

To use as a bootable drive, you need:

• PCIe NVMe storage-capable hardware motherboard support for the form factor of the SSD
  
  • There may be multiple connectors available, but that does not mean all of them support the NVMe standard.  Consult your motherboard vendor and user manual for the right connections
  • M.2 form factors come in 3 different key types.  The key type (M, B, B+M) is related to the notches in the M.2 card and this must be compatible with the motherboard support. 
• System BIOS that supports UEFI 2.3.1 or later with NVMe support

Click the Windows start button in the bottom-left corner
Type “msinfo32.exe”
Click msinfo32.exe
Look for “BIOS Mode”

If it says “Legacy”, then according to Microsoft your system is
not compatible with GPT PCI-E NVME booting Windows 8 or 10.

Legacy uses the MBR partition specification.

There is a Driver Cab Set for Windows 10 on this model.

It is not and will not be updated however.

https://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/04/how13371/optiplex-9010-windows-10-driver-pack?lang=en

Hi nich0las, or for anyone else who sees this and has a similar question,

I'm using a PCIe NVMe M.2 adapter in an OptiPlex 9010, with a (slow) OEM Samsung PM951 128GB disk. I am only using it as a secondary drive and it works fine in that function.

Sorry, you are incorrect. As I stated this machine came with Windows 8 Pro and it came from Dell and I even have a Windows 8 Pro sticker on the back of the machine. I bought this Workstation whilst living in the UK directly from Dell, so there is no dobut in my mind that it is an offical configuration. Also, when I enter in the Asset Tag it brings up all the details of this machine which include the operating system. I'm not going to dispute the boot from nVMe though, but as I suspected it could support the drives via the PCIe slot. Thanks for your help.

Thanks for letting us know. I ended up upgrading my PC and now running a Dell Precision i9900 so this should hopefully last another 6 years. I must say that the build quality of this new Precision 3431 is no where near as good as my old OptiPlex 9010. The Precision was made in China where my OptiPlex 9010 was made in Poland. Difference when ordering from Dell Australia vs Dell UK.