Question Installing new M.2 SSD drive in older system.

[doug_c]

I have an older Dell Optiplex with an i7 6700 CPU and currently a Samsung 512 GB SATA SSD as the system disk and I want to install a WD Black SN770 M.2 2280 1 TB SSD and have that as the system disk with the SATA drive as backup. Is the newer SSD compatible with my system and how do I make the new WD drive my system disk with the OS installed on it?

 

[Lutfij]

I have an older Dell Optiplex
Can you please pass on the model/SKU to your OptiPlex?

 

[SkyNetRising]

I have an older Dell Optiplex with an i7 6700 CPU and I want to install a WD Black SN770 M.2 2280 1 TB SSD.
Is the newer SSD compatible with my system?

What model Dell Optiplex ?

Generally - if a system doesn't have native support for NVME drives, then it is not worth trying to force NVME in there.
1. Most likely boot from NVME will not be available. This requires BIOS support.
2. You'll need a free PCIE 3.0 x4 (or x16) slot for PCIE M.2 adapter.
3. If there is no free PCIE slot, then you'll have to sacrifice graphics card PCIE slot.

 

[thestryker]

Assuming it's a 7040 you should be able to just install the M.2 drive (slot should be near the DIMM slots) and go. It will run PCIe 3.0 mode and I'm assuming it's x4, but in classic OEM fashion it's not stated. If you need to clone the SATA SSD over to the M.2 so you maintain the system as is then you have a ton of options for cloning. Personally I've used drive makers software each time (Samsung, SK Hynix and Intel), but I'm not sure how good/bad the WD software may be.

 

[USAFRet]

I have an older Dell Optiplex with an i7 6700 CPU and currently a Samsung 512 GB SATA SSD as the system disk and I want to install a WD Black SN770 M.2 2280 1 TB SSD and have that as the system disk with the SATA drive as backup. Is the newer SSD compatible with my system and how do I make the new WD drive my system disk with the OS installed on it?

Details, please.

Does this system have an actual M.2 port?

 

[mdd1963]

We need to research if it has an M.2 NVME-compatible slot...(if it had a 6700-series CPU, it *likely* might have, but, check Dell specs *exactly on your specific model/SKU* to be sure...)

 

[doug_c]

I have an older Dell Optiplex
Can you please pass on the model/SKU to your OptiPlex?

I couldn't find it. It's second hand and it doesn't say in system information in BIOS the model and an online search with the service tag doesn't return anything. either

It does say it was built in 2018.

All I can say is it's a Dell Optiplex 7050 Tower with an i7 6700 CPU, 16 GB memory, 512 SATA SSD and made in 2018. It does have an M.2 PCIe slot, I made sure of that when I installed the GPU.

 

[doug_c]

We need to research if it has an M.2 NVME-compatible slot...(if it had a 6700-series CPU, it *likely* might have, but, check Dell specs *exactly on your specific model/SKU* to be sure...)

Any tips on how to find the model/SKU. I looked in System information in BIOS and it didn't say there. I also ran a search using the Service Tag and that didn't return anything either.

When I opened it up to install a GPU I did check to make sure it has an M.2 slot, I'm just not sure if the latest SSDs are compatible with this system.

 

[doug_c]

Details, please.

Does this system have an actual M.2 port?

Yes, I visually confirmed it has an M2 port when I opened the system to install a GPU. I just wanted to know if a new WD SSD is backwards compatible with my five year old system.

And I just realized the confusion here, I forgot to state in the OP it is a 7050 Tower, sorry about that.

 

[USAFRet]

Yes, I visually confirmed it has an M2 port when I opened the system to install a GPU. I just wanted to know if a new WD SSD is backwards compatible with my five year old system.

And I just realized the confusion here, I forgot to state in the OP it is a 7050 Tower, sorry about that.

M.2 drives are generally forward and backward compatible.

The specified SN770 will almost certainly work. Whether it will be allowed to reach its full potential is unknown.

 

[Bob.B]

Any tips on how to find the model/SKU. I looked in System information in BIOS and it didn't say there. I also ran a search using the Service Tag and that didn't return anything either.

When I opened it up to install a GPU I did check to make sure it has an M.2 slot, I'm just not sure if the latest SSDs are compatible with this system.

Yes you can plug in the wd black in the m.2 slot.
It might be a good idea to update the bios and mobo drivers before the install.

 

[doug_c]

Good stuff, the SSD is on the way.

The current drive seems a little wonky, Windows isn't that stable, it started crashing after the last Windows update. I had to spend yesterday getting it working again.

Hopefully a new SSD as system disk will resolve the issue.