Question 1 TB M.2 Drive shows as 1MB in Windows Install, can't install.

Sep 7, 2020
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Hello:

I have a Dell G7 7588. It comes with a Hynix 256 M.2 drive, where the OS is installed and an empty SATA 2.5 port.

I wanted more space and more speed, so I bought a Crucial BX500 2.5 Inch SATA SSD to use the empty slot, and a Gigabyte m.2 2280 SSD (Model name: GP-GSM2NE3100TNTD) to replace the original Hynix. I checked for compatibility and it should work, as far as I can tell.

I thought it was better to have the OS separate from the storage, so I decided to clone my OS from the Hynix to the Crucial SATA, hoping to then install the Gigabyte for storage. The cloning worked fine, and Windows had no trouble booting from the SATA.

Unfortunately, as soon as I put the Gigabyte in the now empty M.2 slot, trouble started. Windows won't launch with the Crucial SATA and the Gigabyte. It stays stuck at the Dell Logo, or if I go into BIOS to make sure its booting from the right place, it goes to black and doesn't launch after choosing the Crucial SATA as the boot.

My next step was to try and do a fresh install on the Gigabyte. I created an Windows Install on a USB. I insert the Gigabyte by itself, and go into Boot Settings. It shows up under "devices", and it shows up in setup, as a Disk that is connected. However, when I go into Windows install, it either doesn't detect it, or more often shows it as a 1MB drive it cant install on.

I've tried a few things, such as changing RAID to AHCI, turing Secure Boot off, and downloading some drivers from Intel to use when installing. No matter what I try, I can't get it to either detect the Gigabyte when booting from the Crucial SATA, or to detect it by itself to install Windows from fresh.

Someone somewhere suggested that I have to somehow clear the Boot Driver because it's looking for the original M.2 drive, which causes conflict. I have no idea if this is correct, or how to solve it.

Please help!
 

Lutfij

Titan
Moderator
Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

Your first mistake was to clone the initial drive. You were better off reinstalling the OS onto the SSD you intended to have the OS on. Your licence key would be on the motherboard's BIOS.

You might want to make sure that you're on the latest BIOS update for your laptop. How did you create the bootable installer on your USB drive?
 
Sep 7, 2020
2
0
10
Hello, thank you for the welcome!

When I did the clone, I hadn't updated my BIOS, though now I have.

I created the bootable installer with the Media Creation Tool once, and then another time with Rufus. Neither one worked, though I actually hadn't updated my BIOS when I tried with Rufus. All my latest attempts have been with the Media Creation Tool version.