How To Set Up M2 Ssd

How to install an M.two (NVMe/SATA) SSD on your PC

Learn your M-fundamental from your B-cardinal, and what to practice in the BIOS

How to install an M.2 (NVMe/SATA) SSD on your PC

(Image: © Future)

It feels like only recently that SSDs landed to replace our creaking mechanical hard drives, delivering an incredible boost to loading times beyond our operating systems, software and games. But in fact, the newest and fastest class-cistron of SSD - Chiliad.two - has already been around for a fair few years itself, and tin now be bought at a pretty affordable price.

That means it'southward a good time to learn how to connect and install these atomic wafers of tech, which somehow run things faster and cooler than anything preceding them. The good news is that M.2 drives are relatively elementary to plug into your PC - not requiring whatever cables or inapplicable faff.

But adding any hardware to your PC's innards is always a sensitive task, so this guide is here to aid yous install your new M.2 bulldoze properly.

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1. Is your motherboard compatible with your M.two key?

When buying an M.2 SSD, it's of import to know whether your motherboard is compatible with it. M.2 is just the stick-like form gene of the SSD, but the actually important detail is in the fact that in that location are slower SATA 1000.2 drives and faster NVMe Thousand.2 drives, which use different 'keys'.

Even if your motherboard has an Grand.ii slot, its compatibility with your new G.2 drive will depend on whether the slot is compatible with B Key drives, M+B Central or Thou Key drives.

So it'due south worth researching your motherboard to figure out whether it's compatible with your G.2 drive before pushing on.

two. Insert the Thou.2 drive into your PC

The location of the M.2 slot on your PC motherboard varies betwixt different manufacturers and board models. The most common places to find an M.ii slot are between the GPU and CPU, or in the lower correct role of your motherboard.

Some motherboards even have a special metal plate that covers the M.2 drive and keeps it cool, so you lot may need to unscrew that first.

Equally yous can see above, our M.2 slot is rather inconveniently sandwiched between a graphics card and processor. To comfortably insert the new 1000.ii drive, we'll demand to carefully remove my GPU and ready information technology bated.

Once y'all've got all obstructing hardware out of the way, information technology's time to insert your M.2 bulldoze into the Yard.ii slot.

Showtime, unscrew the mounting screw almost the 1000.2 slot. If your 1000.ii bulldoze came with any mounts, yous should screw them in at present. This will ensure that when you lot screw downward the bulldoze it will be parallel to the motherboard rather than angled down towards it.

With the mounting screw out and the bulldoze mounts in (if provided), carefully insert your M.2 bulldoze into the M.2 slot at a thirty-degree angle from the motherboard.

In one case inserted, information technology should dangle at that thirty-caste angle up from the motherboard.

Gently press the upward-angled cease of the drive downwards towards the screw mountain, so secure information technology with the mounting screw. Don't overscrew it, but screw it in enough so that the M.2 drive isn't wobbling.

Reinsert your GPU and whatsoever other hardware yous had to remove previously, close your PC case, and plug everything back in.

3. Install your M.2 Drive in BIOS

Before y'all install your M.2 drive on Windows ten, there may be a few things you lot need to configure in your motherboard BIOS. The tweaks yous should make will depend on your motherboard'due south capabilities, merely one in particular may be essential if you desire Windows to recognise your Thou.two drive.

Get to your BIOS (usually by pressing F2 or Delete when your PC is booting).

The verbal process from here volition vary depending on your motherboard. On our ASUS Z97 Pro Gamer board, nosotros went to Advanced > Onboard Devices Configuration > 1000.2 PCIe mode and changed the dropdown to 'Enabled'. On other Asus boards, you go to Advanced, click the dropdown next to 'PCI Express X4_3 Slot Bandwidth' and change it to M.2 Mode.

Save and exit.

4. Install your M.two Drive in Windows ten

Your Yard.ii drive should now exist recognised by Windows ten. Log into Windows 10, type 'disk direction' into the Start search bar, and choose the choice to create hard disk partitions.

Here, your new Chiliad.2 bulldoze should appear in the lower one-half of the window with 'Unallocated' infinite.

What yous practise from hither depends on whether you lot want to run Windows ten from your new NVMe or whether you but desire to employ information technology as a regular drive. Nosotros have a guide on hand if yous want to motion Windows ten over to your new M.ii drive.

If you just want to use your M.2 drive as a regular drive, correct-click the bar that says 'Unallocated' next to it > New Unproblematic Book so follow the instructions to create your bulldoze. Ane of import thing to note during the sorcerer is to set the 'File system' equally NTFS. Across that, give the drive a name and most of the other options should be fine as they are.

In one case that'south done, your swift new NVMe is set up to use! Relish a level of read/write rates similar you've most certainly never experienced earlier.

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Robert Zak is a freelance writer for Official Xbox Mag, PC Gamer, TechRadar and more. He writes in print and digital publishing, specialising in video games. He has previous experience as editor and writer for tech sites/publications including AndroidPIT and ComputerActive! Magazine.