How to Install an NVMe SSD in a Laptop | HDD to M.2 Upgrade

You have an old Laptop and it’s is working slow, well remove your Laptop Hard Drive (HDD) and install an NVMe SSD because it’s an easy way to speed up your laptop. In this step-by-step guide, you will learn how to install an NVMe SSD in a Laptop and if your laptop does not have an m.2 slot then you need to upgrade your laptop’s HDD to NVMe SSD.

A new NVMe SSD will enhance your laptop performance by making it work more faster then it use to when a traditional HDD drive was installed on the laptop. This is why peoples these days wants to purchase an SSD included laptop but if you have an old laptop with no NVMe SSD slot, don’t worry with the help of the guide you can still install NVMe SSD in place of HDD using an m.2 SSD to 2.5inch SATA Adapter and if you do not want to remove your HDD drive then you can use an SSD 2nd HDD caddy.

Why an NVMe SSD? why not a traditional SSD

Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) uses the optimized protocol which supersedes AHCI and compliments PCIe technology. It’s a layer connecting the device driver and the PCIe device, systematizing the rules with emphasis on low latency scalability and security. NVMe m.2 SSD has a different form factor then an SSD and it connects to a different slot than the regular SSD.
NVme SSDs are more faster than a traditional SSD in terms of reading and copying data and it is the latest and improved version of SSD which is made for enhanced performance while consuming less space.

An NVme SSD has no comparison to a traditional HDD because SSDs have no moving mechanical parts and it can carry data 10x faster than an HDD.

How to Install an NVMe SSD in a Laptop (with m.2 slot)

Installing an NVMe SSD in laptops becomes hassle free when there is an M.2 slot already available in the laptop. To Install NVMe in a laptop which already have m.2 slot in it, you just need to open the back-cover of the laptop and insert the NVMe SSD in the m.2 slot after that close the back-cover and insert the battery if it is removed and start the laptop.

You will see that NVMe device is working correctly and if you do not have an NVMe M.2 slot in your laptop, don’t worry, I have written step by step process below.

How to Upgrade Laptop HDD to NVMe M.2 SSD

This is the most recommended method, but the only problem in this method is that you won’t be able to use the HDD because in this method you will have to replace your HDD with NVMe SSD. Basically these step will do an HDD to M.2 SSD Upgrade in the laptop.

If your laptop has an internal m.2 SSD slot then you need to confirm that your m.2 SSD slot is the PCIe NVMe interface supported otherwise the NVMe m.2 SSD will not provide the actual performance that it should, to confirm this you need to download HWiNFO Sofware from https://www.hwinfo.com/download

Open the HWiNFO Sofware and Navigate to Bus inside your PC name and navigate to the PCI bus and select PCI express Root. Now check for PCI express version if it is 3.0 or higher than it’s great and Maximum Link Width is 2x or higher than you are good to go with the installation of the NVMe SSD or else you should try to install an NVMe SSD in a laptop using an m.2 Caddy method.

To install NVMe using m.2 adaptor method, you need to follow these steps:-

• Purchase an NVMe m.2 SSD drive of your choice and an m.2 adaptor from any offline or online store here is the recommended one name “StarTech m.2 SSD to 2.5inch SATA Adapter” that you can go for.
• Unbox the NVMe m.2 SSD drive and the m.2 adaptor.
• Now Fit the NVme m.2 SSD into the m.2 adaptor and tight the cover nicely.
• Turn off your Laptop.
• Remove the battery and open the back cover of your laptop in order to access your HDD.
• Disconnect and remove your laptop’s Hard Drive.
• Now insert and connect your NVme m.2 SSD.
• Close the back cover and insert the battery into your laptop.

Start the laptop and install an operating system into your laptop, maybe you would like to install windows 10 from USB drive on the laptop.
After installing an operating system, load all the programs which you had in the previous operating system Open them and see the difference in loading time and performance.

How to install an NVMe SSD in a laptop using an M.2 NVMe SSD Caddy

This my favorite method because with this method you can use your old HDD and the new NVMe m.2 drive at the same time, you can set the NVme drive to the primary drive and also install the operating system on it.
To install NVMe using m.2 caddy method, you need to follow these steps:-

• Purchase an NVMe m.2 SSD drive and an m.2 caddy.
• Unbox NVMe m.2 SSD drive and an m.2 caddy.
• Now Fit the NVme m.2 SSD into the m.2 caddy and close the cover.
• Shutdown the Laptop.
• Remove the battery and back cover from the laptop.
• Open the DVD drive and insert the m.2 Caddy and tight all the screws properly.
• Close the back cover of your laptop, put the battery inside the laptop and start it.

Start your laptop and open Computer Management in Windows 10, navigate to Storage and double click on Disk Management to open it, there you will see your new M.2 NVMe Device. Now you can format it, set as primary boot device and install operating system on it for faster performance of your laptop.