Question Best SSD for Motherboard help pls

Feb 10, 2025
14
0
10
Hi there

I've reached my PC and Google knowledge with finding the best way to increase my sons ssd storage and need your help

He has the Asrock b450m r4.0 motherboard currently with a 256gb SSD and 1tb HDD. His ssd is always full and after running wiztree app there's lots there were not sure if to delete so thought best to upgrade him to a 1tb ssd, only the pcle, m2, gen 3 or 4 info on as rock website is a step too far for me to understand.

I currently have the crucial p3 plus m2 nvme pcle gen4 in amazon basket but then read that nvme may not be best and get sata (I don't know the difference 😞 ) and may not be able to use gen4?

Also are they easy to install?

Any guidance is fully appreciated
 
Verify this is your motherboard:
https://www.asrock.com/mb/AMD/B450M-HDV R4.0/index.asp#Specification

If so, PCIe 3.0 is all you need.
The mentioned Crucial will be limited to Gen 3.0.


What is this system used for? Games?

It seems the real limiting factor is capacity, with the existing 256GB drive.

A 1 or 2TB NVMe, or even SATA III, will do wonders.
Yes that's the one thx

Yes he's a gamer and wants to put rust launcher on the ssd as takes ages to load from hdd
 
Wherever is legit, amazon probably unless I'm told they are in an awkward place to fit
Teis is your motherboard, and the M.2 goes in the space outlined in red
cRCzd5b.png
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mum2teens
Yes, that should work for Win 11.

What I might suggest is to migrate the current Win 10 to the new drive, then do an inplace Upgrade to Win 11.
If that still does not let the xBox app work, then you consider a fresh OS install.
What's the benefits to doing an in place upgrade than just installing 11 fesh on new ssd
 
I don't know it doenst say when I do system settings to see spec , I'll try find original receipts it's the one part I've not upgraded over the years
 
I don't know it doenst say when I do system settings to see spec , I'll try find original receipts it's the one part I've not upgraded over the years
CrystalDiskInfo may discover the make and part number.
 
Patriot wildfire?
So, a 2.5" SATA III SSD?

If so, you do NOT need to get some external enclosure.
You can migrate directly from the Patriot to whatever new M.2 drive you get.

Thusly:

-----------------------------
Specific steps for a successful clone operation:
-----------------------------
Verify the actual used space on the current drive is significantly below the size of the new SSD
Both drives must be the same partitioning scheme, either MBR or GPT
Download and install Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Magician (which includes Data Migration), if a Samsung target SSD)
If you are cloning from a SATA drive to PCIe/NVMe, you may need to install the relevant driver for this new NVMe/PCIe drive.
Power off
Disconnect ALL drives except the current C and the new SSD
Power up

Verify the system boots with ONLY the current "C drive" connected.
If not, we have to fix that first.

Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)
Select ALL the partitions on the existing C drive

[Ignore this section if using the SDM. It does this automatically]
If you are going from a smaller drive to a larger, by default, the target partition size will be the same as the Source. You probably don't want that
You can manipulate the size of the partitions on the target (larger)drive
Click on "Cloned Partition Properties", and you can specify the resulting partition size, to even include the whole thing
[/end ignore]

Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD. This is not optional.
This is to allow the system to try to boot from ONLY the SSD


(swapping cables is irrelevant with NVMe drives, but DO disconnect the old drive for this next part)
Swap the SATA cables around so that the new drive is connected to the same SATA port as the old drive
Power up, and verify the BIOS boot order
If good, continue the power up

It should boot from the new drive, just like the old drive.
Maybe reboot a time or two, just to make sure.

If it works, and it should, all is good.

Later, reconnect the old drive and wipe all partitions on it.
This will probably require the commandline diskpart function, and the clean command.

Ask questions if anything is unclear.
-----------------------------
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mum2teens