PO3-620-EB13 Upgrade M.2 SSD

dwd2000

I just bought this unit about a month ago. I've added 16gb more ram, (via Crucial Scan) and a second hard drive. I'm a little nervous about having only a 512gb SSD Windows drive. (already half full or empty, depending on your point of view)  I realize I need to back up Windows onto a bootable drive first, then remove the graphics card, (although it looks like there's enough room without removing it) then replace the SSD, etc.

I would like to put in at least a 2tb card. Crucial Scan didn't/couldn't recommend an upgrade.

So, there are two actual questions.

1a) - Will the computer recognize the new drive after the upgrade? (so I can reinstall Windows)
1b) - Should I look into a usb - M.2 adaptor, then back up Windows to the new card, then just install the new card?

2) - What actual specs should I be looking for in a new drive?

For those who need to know how to transfer Windows 10 to a new drive - https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-windows_install-winpc/how-to-move-windows-10-to-new-harddrive-when/538bc4a8-2e20-415a-9479-9c2d5390215f

Thanks

billsey

The PO3-620 supports a SSD in the M.2 slot, either a SATA of NVMe 2x/4x. Your best bet is NVMe with four lanes to get the highest performance. What I would do if it were me if pick up an external case for NVMe and drop the new drive in there to start with. Clone the existing drive to the new one, allowing the cloning software to expand the C: partition but have it leave the rest of the partitions the same size as they started with. Once the clone process is complete shut down, remove the old drive and install the new one. You might be able to do that with the GPU in place but it's likely easier with it out. Reassemble and boot with the new drive. At that point you can go ahead and put the old drive in the external case and connect it to wipe and repartition as one big (relatively) volume. No need to reinstall Windows since the cloning process moves everything over. The process you link will work, but it's more work than just doing a clone with something like the free versions of Macrium Reflect.