Can I boot my Aspire T 780A-UR12 from a Crucial 1 GB NVMe SSD?

Jack_H_25
Jack_H_25 Member Posts: 2 New User
in Legacy Desktops

It seems I can only boot this NVMe SSD drive if I have the old SATA drive installed, and select one of two versions of Windows to boot from. The NVMe is seen in Windows, but not in BIOS. I don't see a way to enable the M.2 drive as bootable. It works fine as a storage drive. It also only works at the slow SATA speed. Thanks for any help. I've been at this for two days.

Best Answer

  • StevenGen
    StevenGen ACE Posts: 14,420 Trailblazer
    edited 3:15AM Answer ✓
    https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/725664/can-i-boot-my-aspire-t-780a-ur12-from-a-crucial-1-gb-nvme-ssd

    The Aspire TC-780A desktop only works with a SATA 3.0 M.2 SSD type drive that has a B&M type end key. The Crucial NVMe 1TB is a PCIe 3x4 lane M.2 SSD drive that is NOT compatible with the Aspire TC-780A desktop board and will not work in the M.2 slot of this desktop, hence and why you can't use the Crucial NVMe 1TB M.2 drive as a boot drive and its not showing in bios.

    Buy a SATA 3.0 type M.2 SSD like Acer recommends for the TC-780A desktop from the list below, also make sure that you have installed the last bios version R02-B2 for best performance. Good luck and hope this helps you out.

    image.png image.png image.png

    If this answers your question and solved your query please "Click on Yes" or "Click on Like" if you find my answer useful👍

Answers

  • StevenGen
    StevenGen ACE Posts: 14,420 Trailblazer
    edited 3:15AM Answer ✓
    https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/725664/can-i-boot-my-aspire-t-780a-ur12-from-a-crucial-1-gb-nvme-ssd

    The Aspire TC-780A desktop only works with a SATA 3.0 M.2 SSD type drive that has a B&M type end key. The Crucial NVMe 1TB is a PCIe 3x4 lane M.2 SSD drive that is NOT compatible with the Aspire TC-780A desktop board and will not work in the M.2 slot of this desktop, hence and why you can't use the Crucial NVMe 1TB M.2 drive as a boot drive and its not showing in bios.

    Buy a SATA 3.0 type M.2 SSD like Acer recommends for the TC-780A desktop from the list below, also make sure that you have installed the last bios version R02-B2 for best performance. Good luck and hope this helps you out.

    image.png image.png image.png

    If this answers your question and solved your query please "Click on Yes" or "Click on Like" if you find my answer useful👍

  • Jack_H_25
    Jack_H_25 Member Posts: 2 New User

    Shortly after I left my question, I came across a video showing a guy using a USB drive (like me) to install Windows 10 on a new SSD in the M2 slot. I then watched him remove the USB drive when WIndows rebooted. I tried again, removed the USB this time, and it boots perfectly! The NVMe works at SATA speed, which I understand. SATA speed for me is amazing!

  • StevenGen
    StevenGen ACE Posts: 14,420 Trailblazer
    https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1343686#Comment_1343686

    Yes, seeing that in the TC-780 service guide the main SSD specs and components are listed as a SATA 3.0 M.2 drive, your information is very helpful, as looking at the TC-780 mobo block diagram more closely (see highlighted caption on the right below) Acer does mention the NGFF KEY E and NGFF KEY F drives as being a PCIE 3.0 (which NGFF means Next Generation Form Factor drive which is the old way they referred and listed an M.2 drive) is confusing and misinformative these days.

    Also, thanks for informing the community members that the TC-780 NGFF M.2 slots woks with a PCIE 3.0 drive at SATA 3.0 speed, which is very helpful, as and if its benchmark tested with a software like CrystalDiskMark it will have a test result of a Read @ 550MB/s and Write @ 520MB/s speeds not the higher PCIe 3x 2 or x4 that start at 1700MB/s all the way for the x4 to 3500MB/s.

    image.png

    If this answers your question and solved your query please "Click on Yes" or "Click on Like" if you find my answer useful👍

Categories