Is there a list of "supported" SSD to install as an upgrade to my Nitro 5?

I installed a new Crucial MX500 1TB SSD in the provided bay and my Nitro 5 hangs the laptop on power-up when installed on Acer supplied SATA cable. Power comes on but the Acer logo never comes on the screen so it never gets configured in BIOS.

I reinserted both ends of the SATA cable several times with no change. I installed the drive in another system and it worked with no problem.

Acer support only suggested the drive may not be "compatible" and wanted me to send in my laptop without the new add-on drive so they could test it.

I asked how they could "test it" if they won't allow me to supply the drive that would not work when installed. They said that they are not allowed to handle or install 3rd party devices nor are they allowed to perform an upgrade/install 'for me'.

This is a "catch 22".

So, my question is, what 1TB SSD's are supported by Acer? Otherwise everything I might try is a shot in the dark.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/6l/1nlihhidt8xg.jpg

Accepted answers

AnhEZ28

@BigRich then try to go to the BIOS, main tab, press CTRL+S, and disable the VMD controller. After that try to install the SSD again/

Commodore_1995#

No need to reinstall windows! Do the following:
a) turn off the computer and then disconnect the lithium battery and the ssd, in that order!
b) then enable vmd controller again so you can access windows.
c) in windows, press windows+r, type msconfig, go to system startup and enable safe boot.
d) also disable fast startup in power options and restart windows.
e) access bios, go main tab, press ctrl+s and disable vmd controller.
f) windows will boot in safe mode and no blue screen will occur.
g) now turn off your computer, unplug the lition battery, plug in the mx500 ssd, plug in the lition battery, in that order and be happy with your new ssd.

All comments

AnhEZ28

@BigRich try to disconnect the battery and the CMOS battery. Then open the SATA cable tab and try to push the cable in.

Leostat

Which nitro 5? There is an "offical" support list but any drive should work will grab it after we get the tag for you

If you have naother laptop, does the drive work in that and is it formatted? It could not be liking a raw drive for some reason

BigRich

AnhEZ28 said:

@BigRich try to disconnect the battery and the CMOS battery. Then open the SATA cable tab and try to push the cable in.

Thank you AnhEZ28 but I have already disconnected both ends of the SATA cable several times and reinserted them and the symptom remains. I will try it again with the CMOS battery disconnected but I don't suspect that will fix my problem. I will be sure to note it here if it does.

BigRich

Leostat said:

Which nitro 5? There is an "offical" support list but any drive should work will grab it after we get the tag for you

If you have naother laptop, does the drive work in that and is it formatted? It could not be liking a raw drive for some reason

Leostat: My specific Nitro 5 model is "Model #: N20C2 - AN517-54-77KG".

I tried the drive in another PC and it was listed under device manager but not in Windows Explorer until I partitioned it. I moved a file to it and then tried it again in the Acer Nitro 5 laptop and the symptom remained the same.

Please provide that list of supported SSD drives or a link to them if you can. Thank you.

BigRich

AnhEZ28 said:

@BigRich try to disconnect the battery and the CMOS battery. Then open the SATA cable tab and try to push the cable in.

Hi AnhEZ28, I disconnected the CMOS battery for a minute, installed the drive and reconnected the battery. It still just hung on power-up.

I disconnected the Crucial drive and it rebooted with no problem. The system either does not work with that drive or that port of the SATA interface is not working.

AnhEZ28

@BigRich then try to go to the BIOS, main tab, press CTRL+S, and disable the VMD controller. After that try to install the SSD again/

BigRich

@AnhEZ28

I disabled the VMD controller and attempted to boot windows and it went into an automatic repair sequence (Inaccessible boot device).

I installed the new drive and it did not hang as before (before it was with no video, not even the Acer logo).

I removed the drive and returned the VMD controller to 'enabled' and was able to boot my OS. (I also tried the new drive again hoping it would work once it configured the new drive with the VMD change and change back but it went back to hanging on power up)

I changed the setting to 'disable' the VMD controller again and reinstalled the new drive.

I was able to bring up BIOS and see the new drive. My boot drive is Drive Zero, the new drive is Drive Two but I am stuck in the Windows auto repair loop.

Any thoughts on a fix for the loop or do I need to reinstall the OS? I assume restoring the image from a backup won't work because something is wrong with the boot path enumeration.

If I decide to reinstall Windows from scratch, what am I losing by staying with the VMD controller disabled (if you know)?

Commodore_1995#

No need to reinstall windows! Do the following:
a) turn off the computer and then disconnect the lithium battery and the ssd, in that order!
b) then enable vmd controller again so you can access windows.
c) in windows, press windows+r, type msconfig, go to system startup and enable safe boot.
d) also disable fast startup in power options and restart windows.
e) access bios, go main tab, press ctrl+s and disable vmd controller.
f) windows will boot in safe mode and no blue screen will occur.
g) now turn off your computer, unplug the lition battery, plug in the mx500 ssd, plug in the lition battery, in that order and be happy with your new ssd.

BigRich

egydiocoelho said:

d) also disable fast startup in power options and restart windows.

@egydiocoelho and @AnhEZ28

Thank you both.

Note: to egydiocoelho, in your step d) - my msconfig window did not have a "power options" section and I could not find a method to "disable fast startup" but I continued anyway and it worked just fine without that step.

So, my last two questions are: What am I giving up by disabling the VMD controller?

I am still running Win10 on that machine, will that affect my ability to update to Win11?

Commodore_1995#

d) also disable fast startup in power options and restart windows:

Turn On or Off Fast Startup in Windows 10 Tutorials

So, my last two questions are: What am I giving up by disabling the VMD controller? https://www.intel.com.br/content/www/br/pt/support/articles/000057865/server-products/sasraid.html and https://www.intel.com.br/content/www/br/pt/architecture-and-technology/intel-volume-management-device-overview.html

I am still running Win10 on that machine, will that affect my ability to update to Win11? This will not affect windows 11!

BigRich

egydiocoelho said:

d) also disable fast startup in power options and restart windows.

@egydiocoelho and @AnhEZ28

Thank you both.

Note: to egydiocoelho, in your step d) - my msconfig window did not have a "power options" section and I could not find a method to "disable fast startup" but I continued anyway and it worked just fine without that step.