Cannot install things on my SSD

[hastings.warren]

So this is probably very simple but for some reason I am having some trouble.

I cannot install things onto my secondary SSD hard drive, it is recognized in some places and not in others. It shows up on my "Device Manager" but not in my File Explorer under "This PC". I want to install certain programs/games onto the SSD but I never get the option to.

I am running Windows 10 Home 64-bit on an Alienware 17 R4 laptop.

I have attached an image to hopefully help anyone understand my problem, any help is appreciated thanks in advance!

 

[kanewolf]

Is it possible you have the SSD setup as a cache for the HDD? If so it wouldn't show up as a normal disk.

 

[hastings.warren]

Is it possible you have the SSD setup as a cache for the HDD? If so it wouldn't show up as a normal disk.

I'm not sure? I'm not very good with these things. Is there a way I can check that? If it is set up that way, how do I change it? Thanks for the help

 

[kanewolf]

The most likely caching method would be the Intel Smart Response -- https://www.pcworld.com/article/248828/how_to_setup_intel_smart_response_ssd_caching_technology.html There should be a control panel entry (or maybe a all programs entry)

 

[ArtPog]

Is there some reason the HGST (Hitachi) HDD is serving as your system's boot drive? It would seem to make little sense when you have that Samsung 960 M.2 SSD. You have some reason for this?

You're certain your laptop accommodates the SSD and you've properly connected it? What does Disk Management show?

 

[hastings.warren]

I can't figure out how to get the SSD to work, I would like it to be my boot drive and I would like to install most of my games/applications on it.

Adding a picture of the disk management.


Checking into the link from kanewolf re. caching stuff now...

 

[hastings.warren]

Is there some reason the HGST (Hitachi) HDD is serving as your system's boot drive? It would seem to make little sense when you have that Samsung 960 M.2 SSD. You have some reason for this?

You're certain your laptop accommodates the SSD and you've properly connected it? What does Disk Management show?

Replied already but forgot to add, yes my computer supports the SSD and I didn't have trouble installing it...I just don't think I did it with the correct settings that I want. I want it to be my boot drive and I want to put some games/apps on it....I cannot figure out how to put windows on it (I don't have a DVD drive and windows just came with the computer on the HD, I bought the SSD seperately)

Thanks for any help

 

[hastings.warren]

The most likely caching method would be the Intel Smart Response -- https://www.pcworld.com/article/248828/how_to_setup_intel_smart_response_ssd_caching_technology.html There should be a control panel entry (or maybe a all programs entry)

I think you are onto something here, I have that and it shows the SSD. I don't have time to mess with it right now but I will get to it when I can and update you.

Thank you so much for your help!

 

[kanewolf]

OK, that would have been handy to know to start. The only way to make the M.2 your BOOT drive is to do a fresh windows install. You can download the Windows 10 install from Microsoft. Create a bootable USB device with Windows 10. Use the license key that the laptop came with the laptop.

The best way to ensure the M.2 is setup as boot and the 1TB is untouched is to remove the 1TB from the laptop while you install windows.

 

[ArtPog]

My impression is your Alienware i7 R4 laptop is a fairly high-end PC and it should easily accommodate your Samsung 960 M.2 SSD. It would positively be criminal not to utilize that SSD as your boot drive. Hopefully your user manual (printed/online) contains instructions re properly connecting/configuring that device.

 

[hastings.warren]

Here is the disk management

 

[hastings.warren]

OK I think I should be able to figure it out from here. Thank you both for your help. Really appreciate it! If I run into any trouble when I try to configure it I will let you know.

 

[ArtPog]

Presumably the SSD is a 250 GB model, right?

It would seem you've properly connected it so one option would be to fresh-install the Win 10 OS onto the SSD. It probably would be best and you might consider initializing it to the GPT-partitioning scheme (rather than MBR). Note your 1 TB HDD (which will later serve as the secondary drive in the system) is GPT-partitioned.

Actually the best of all possible worlds might be to clone the contents of the 1 TB HDD to the SSD. (We're assuming the system boots & functions problem-free using the 1 TB HDD as the current boot drive.) But the problem here is the total amount of data on that HDD; roughly about 300 GB (we can get rid of the so-called Recovery Partitions). So that volume of data is considerably more than can be accommodated by the SSD. Of course if there was any practical way you could "clean up" the current C partition on the 1 TB HDD and delete and/or move about 100 GB of data to another drive (even temporarily), the disk-cloning operation might be a viable option for you. But that doesn't seem practical I guess.

So I suppose you'll fresh-install the OS onto the SSD. When you do it's a good idea to disconnect the present 1 TB boot drive from the system prior to installing the OS. It's not absolutely mandatory but it prevents future potential boot problems affecting the SSD. After you install the OS and the SSD is functioning without problems, you can reconnect the former boot drive, checking the BIOS to ensure the SSD is first in boot order priority.

 

[hastings.warren]

Presumably the SSD is a 250 GB model, right?

It would seem you've properly connected it so one option would be to fresh-install the Win 10 OS onto the SSD. It probably would be best and you might consider initializing it to the GPT-partitioning scheme (rather than MBR). Note your 1 TB HDD (which will later serve as the secondary drive in the system) is GPT-partitioned.

Actually the best of all possible worlds might be to clone the contents of the 1 TB HDD to the SSD. (We're assuming the system boots & functions problem-free using the 1 TB HDD as the current boot drive.) But the problem here is the total amount of data on that HDD; roughly about 300 GB (we can get rid of the so-called Recovery Partitions). So that volume of data is considerably more than can be accommodated by the SSD. Of course if there was any practical way you could "clean up" the current C partition on the 1 TB HDD and delete and/or move about 100 GB of data to another drive (even temporarily), the disk-cloning operation might be a viable option for you. But that doesn't seem practical I guess.

So I suppose you'll fresh-install the OS onto the SSD. When you do it's a good idea to disconnect the present 1 TB boot drive from the system prior to installing the OS. It's not absolutely mandatory but it prevents future potential boot problems affecting the SSD. After you install the OS and the SSD is functioning without problems, you can reconnect the former boot drive, checking the BIOS to ensure the SSD is first in boot order priority.

OK, so I was able to format the SSD so that it is recognized properly and I can install things onto it.....BUT I cannot install Windows onto to it to make it my boot drive.

I got the Windows setup onto a USB drive, removed my other hard drive and booted from the USB, I go through the first couple steps of Windows setup and when it comes time for me to choose where to install Windows my SSD is not even listed. I made sure its a GPT whatever....any ideas? Oh and the SSD says its NTFS Healthy (Primary Partition) in the disk management page, if that helps anything.

Thanks again for both of your help.

 

[hastings.warren]

OK, that would have been handy to know to start. The only way to make the M.2 your BOOT drive is to do a fresh windows install. You can download the Windows 10 install from Microsoft. Create a bootable USB device with Windows 10. Use the license key that the laptop came with the laptop.

The best way to ensure the M.2 is setup as boot and the 1TB is untouched is to remove the 1TB from the laptop while you install windows.

see my post above, any further help is appreciated!