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7010, PCIe M.2 bootable drives (via adapter)
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:
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
brigmill
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April 10th, 2022 14:00
Also, I realize it's an old post, but because of the obnoxious I look at - I, too, have a 7010 MT booting from M2 pcie card. I don't have a blog about it, nor have I written down the specifics, but if you still need help with this please let me know and I'll come up with a document. Thank you, paul_1011 for the kind response and gesture.
BGM
savvy2
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April 26th, 2019 07:00
7 years old PC'S and most will never have Dell bios upgraded to use m.2
Samsung did sell m.2 with internal bios extensions that did work but are out of production now.
have one I do and does work on any old PC in a PCI-slot card adaptor to M.2.
but can be had used off fleabay./
speedstep
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April 26th, 2019 07:00
PCIe M.2 Boot is not a feature that can be added via card.
M2 Booting requires UEFI GPT BIOS. The 7010 has CLASS 0 Legacy bios and can boot and run XP.
So this is NEVER going to be an option.
https://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04/Drivers/DriversDetails?driverId=K0CK5
savvy2
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April 26th, 2019 07:00
there is one exception to that hard rule.
Samsung makes the cards with internal bios extensions, that do boot.
but are hard to find now, due to most PC now have m.2 slots.
but only flash upgrading the PC has hope, IDK , I can not speak for dell, only dell knows what their bios can and can not due and the , bios upgrade pages are vague to a fault. (bios details, documents, lack big time facts)
speedstep
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April 26th, 2019 08:00
There isn't a version of XP that supports BOOTING from PCI-E crosspoint storage or M2.
Never has been, Never will be.
DELLS that do not have X4 or X8 slots that are not X16 video slots do not support ANY mass storage controllers. You can't put a storage card or NIC into the video slot. The machine will not post.
bearhntr28
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April 27th, 2019 09:00
Savvy2,
Do you happen to know which ones?
Thanks,
bearhntr28
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April 27th, 2019 09:00
Savvy2,
Do you have a DELL P/N? or EID for these cards?
Currently I have placed a SAMSUNG EVO SSD 960 in the machine.
Thanks
speedstep
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April 28th, 2019 08:00
"Samsung makes the cards with internal bios extensions, that do boot."
this is bogus.
https://www.samsung.com/us/computing/memory-storage/solid-state-drives
bearhntr28
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April 29th, 2019 05:00
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Do you even read these messages, or just reply blindly...multiple times with the same 'snarky' response?
Where in the world did you get XP? I never ONCE said XP. It is Windows 10 64-bit Professional.
I think you need to review the following document:
https://www.dell.com/downloads/global/products/optix/en/optiplex_7010_technical_guidebook.pdf
There is an X16 and a 'wired X4' slot on the motherboard.
The system performed POST just fine with the card in either of these two slots - it simply would not BOOT from the M.2 card and drive in either of these. I was able to install Windows 10 just fine on this M.2 drive, just could not get it to boot.
And there MAY be cards which have the proper BOOT HOOKS that will allow for this - the SilverStone card and Samsung EVO 970 Plus simply did not have them.
Curtis
speedstep
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April 29th, 2019 05:00
"cards which have the proper BOOT HOOKS "
No such thing exists. totally bogus.
The other unhappy news is that 32 bit os and drivers are now dead.
64 bit windows 10 from now on period end. No windows 7 support going forward after skylake. The 7010 supports booting XP because its bios is CLASS 1 LEGACY BIOS.
MBR LEGACY BOOTING ROMS aka INT13 roms do not boot because if they did then you could boot XP and Linux and other 32 bit OS.
speedstep
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April 29th, 2019 05:00
"cards which have the proper BOOT HOOKS "
No such thing exists. totally bogus.
MBR LEGACY BOOTING ROMS aka INT13 roms do not boot because if they did then you could boot XP and Linux and other 32 bit OS.
The 7010 is a legacy system that DOES ALLOW Booting 32 bit windows XP. Its the very last model that does this. That fact alone is why NVME UEFI GPT M2 booting is NEVER happening ever.
https://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04/drivers/driversdetails?driverid=k0ck5
JDelgadoCR2
1 Message
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January 21st, 2020 09:00
I haven't tried it but this seems a good simple workaround:
https://www.dell.com/community/Optiplex-Desktops/7010-2012-NVMe-support/m-p/7295405/highlight/true#M32941
frankr2994
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January 21st, 2020 15:00
Try using clover bootloader. Supports nvme booting on older systems. Here's the link. Just make a USB bootable drive with Rufus with clover on it. No personal experience but it should work.https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.aioboot.com/en/clover-bootloader-windows/amp/
frankr2994
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January 21st, 2020 15:00
Here is a better link of explaining. https://www.win-raid.com/t2375f50-Guide-NVMe-boot-without-modding-your-UEFI-BIOS-Clover-EFI-bootloader-method.html
One note. If you use an adapter off your x16 3.0 slot you will get full speed. I'd save this slot for a GPU though. Your next option is the second x16 slot which is wired x4 and is 2.0. you will probably get half the speed of the nvme drive using this which is still stupid fast.
speedstep
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January 22nd, 2020 15:00
3D cross point Optane and NVME
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggIjr5Z0N10
Faster drive doesn't make for faster games.
It does make for faster booting but if your game performance is the goal then spend money on a GPU.
PCI-E Storage is very fast. Its just not the be all and do all.
SSD's have limited writes. Aka SLC VS MLC VS TLC VS QLC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XZNr7mS0iw