Installing a Samsung 970 EVO Plus NVMe M.2 SSD (250gb) in Aspire TC-885?

JeffSPDX
JeffSPDX Member Posts: 4 New User
in Aspire and Veriton Desktops
I'm trying to install a Samsung 970 EVO Plus NVMe M.2 SSD in the open M.2 slot and the drive isn't being recognized.  I found this thread (https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/550385/which-m-2-ssd-can-i-use) that suggests I need to change a BIOS setting for the drive to be detected.  Curious if anyone else has faced this issue?  Also, I'm having no luck finding any documentation on the motherboard for Aspire TC-885 so any suggestions of where to look would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

Best Answer

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 33,439 Trailblazer
    Answer ✓
    Yup, that is all correct. IRST is the default mode for storage, allowing the option of building a RAID system. You are set in non-RAID mode right now which gives you the two drives as separate devices. Your next step is to clone the HDD over to the SSD, allowing only the C: partition to shrink to fit. Once that clone is done you will be able to use the F12 boot menu to boot from the SSD. Once you are comfortable that everything is working fine off the SSD use Disk Management to remove all four partitions off the HDD and create a single big storage partition. No need for the Samsung software...
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.

Answers

  • brummyfan2
    brummyfan2 ACE Posts: 28,426 Trailblazer
    Hi,
    Do you still have the OS in HDD? If so, please post the Disk Management picture, like mine.

    Acer Predator PT516-51s Performance Results - UserBenchmark

  • ttttt
    ttttt Member Posts: 1,947 Community Aficionado WiFi Icon
    @JeffSPDX

    I have a TC-885-UA91 and I have a 500GB Samsung 970 EVO M.2 NVMe SSD applied to the PCIe x16 as a boot drive for Linux with an adapter.
    You should be able to see the drive uninitialized under Disk Management. Once formatted, should be discovered by BIOS and Win 10 "This PC" unless you use it for Linux.
  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 33,439 Trailblazer
    Did you have to remove the Intel Optane memory in order to install the Samsung SSD?
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • JeffSPDX
    JeffSPDX Member Posts: 4 New User
    @brummyfan2

    I included disk management picture below.

    I expected the ssd show up when I checked disk management after the first boot following install.  I'm pretty sure I have it install correctly the M2_2 (#8 on the system board diagram), but am wondering if I need to double-check that?

    @billsey

    The M2_2 was open when I installed the ssd, so there wasn't another device installed there previously, if that is what you mean.




  • brummyfan2
    brummyfan2 ACE Posts: 28,426 Trailblazer
    Hi @JeffSPDX
    Samsung 970 Evo works for another user in this model, so it should work without any problem, give this a try, install the M.2 SSD, go to BIOS screen and move to Main tab, press F9 button to set the values to default, press F10 to Save&Exit, leave the PC to rest for a while, turn on and go to BIOS and see whether it recognises the SSD, when you see the SSD in BIOS, reboot and go to Disk Management, neww SSD will be shown as "Off line", right click and initialise it and give it a drive letter.
    Acer Aspire TC-885 Performance Results - UserBenchmark
    Acer Aspire TC-885 Performance Results - UserBenchmark

    Acer Predator PT516-51s Performance Results - UserBenchmark

  • ttttt
    ttttt Member Posts: 1,947 Community Aficionado WiFi Icon
    @JeffSPDX

    I do not see any reason why the M.2 NVMe SSD doesn't show up in BIOS and Disk Management. We have the same motherboard, it should not happen this way.

    Do you have a NVMe SSD adpater that you can try it on Type-C or USB 3.0 ports, or try the SSD with another machine?

    What I can think of is poor connection, dirty or faulty m.2 slot , SSD already DOA.
  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 33,439 Trailblazer
    Yes, I'd be leaning toward a DOA SSD... You shouldn't have to jump through any hoops to get the SSD active. BTW, don't initialize it as brummyfan2 suggests, you are instead going to want to clone the current system disk to it, which will replace any partitions you have created.
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • JeffSPDX
    JeffSPDX Member Posts: 4 New User
    @billsey
    @ttttt
    @brummyfan2

    Thanks for all the feedback!

    Well, I opened the machine up, removed the SSD and then reinstalled it in the M2_2 port.  Rebooted and went into BIOS.  This time it was recognized and I was able to initialize it (I chose GPT over MBR).  I guess I just didn't have the SSD seated all the way in the port (although I was able to screw the SSD down the first time, so would have thought it was inserted correctly).  Anyway.....

    I tried to install the Samsung driver for the SSD and an error that the Samsung NVM Express Device is not connected.

    I also thought it was odd when I checked in the BIOS the SSD doesn't show up as installed in the NVMe1 Port 1, but instead show up under Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology.

    I guess I need to spend some more time researching.













  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 33,439 Trailblazer
    Answer ✓
    Yup, that is all correct. IRST is the default mode for storage, allowing the option of building a RAID system. You are set in non-RAID mode right now which gives you the two drives as separate devices. Your next step is to clone the HDD over to the SSD, allowing only the C: partition to shrink to fit. Once that clone is done you will be able to use the F12 boot menu to boot from the SSD. Once you are comfortable that everything is working fine off the SSD use Disk Management to remove all four partitions off the HDD and create a single big storage partition. No need for the Samsung software...
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • JeffSPDX
    JeffSPDX Member Posts: 4 New User
    @billsey

    Thanks for the information!

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