[SOLVED] Regarding NVMe M.2 installation

[xddhgze]

Hello everybody !
Tomorrow, I'll receive my 970 EVO Plus to replace my actual SATA SSD.
I'd like to know the process, and here's why :
-I saw many different things regarding boot and stuff, some say you don't need to touch anything, some say you have to change UEFI + Legacy to UEFI and CSM to UEFI, some say you need to disable secure boot, some say you need to disconnect all others storage devices and I'm a bit lost in what I should do.

So far, I created a windows 10 ISO using Media creation tool, then I used Rufus to set my 8GB USB drive as a booter, I set files as FAT32 (because onece again people say that blabla NVMe only FAT32 boot install stuff) in GPT (because, same, UEFI = GPT stuff).
But now I'm wondering about the next steps, my MOBO is a B450 T. Max under the last non-beta update.

I have many tutorials in front of my eyes but I don't know which one I should follow.
Should I disconnect all my devices but the NVMe ? should I just set the boot priority to my bootable USB to then install windows on the NVMe ? should I disable CSM and put UEFI only ? should I disable secure boot ?
I'm a bit lost with all those tutorials telling different stuff, because I don't want to be stuck tomorrow and need to test many different things to get it to work.

Thanks !

 

[geofelt]

I have done that process.
It can be really simple.

It sounds like you already have a running pc with windows already installed.
If you simply want to move your windows C drive to the ssd, here is what you do.

1. Download and install the samsung nvme driver.
Here is the link:

Tool & Software Download | Samsung Semiconductor Global

Download various software related to your product, including Samsung Magician, designed for use with Samsung's memory products, and find related information.

www.samsung.com

You can also download and install the samsung ssd migration app and instructions.

2. When you get your m.2 device, install it.

3. Run the ssd migration app to move your C drive to the m.2.

4. Disconnect the sata cable to the old ssd and boot.
That will verify that the move was successful.

When you reconnect the old ssd, pay attention to the boot order in the bios so you keep booting to the m.2. You can reformat the ssd and reuse it for whatever you want.

This is largely a fool proof and simple process that I like to recommend so long as there are no underlying issues with the existing windows install.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
In the event that you want to do a new clean windows install, the key is to disconnect the old ssd and any other drives before booting from the usb install stick and proceeding.
If you have any other drives connected windows will put hidden recovery partitions on it making it impossible to boot without the second drive connected.

Also realize that a clean install will require you to install any apps that use the registry, and that will be virtually everything.

Normally, you want uefi and not legacy in the bios, primarily so a modern graphics card will be recognized.

Secure boot will not let you boot windows to any device other than what windows was initially installed on. To boot from a USB stick to do a clean install, I think secure boot needs to be turned off.

 

[jojesa]

Hello everybody !
Tomorrow, I'll receive my 970 EVO Plus to replace my actual SATA SSD.
I'd like to know the process, and here's why :
-I saw many different things regarding boot and stuff, some say you don't need to touch anything, some say you have to change UEFI + Legacy to UEFI and CSM to UEFI, some say you need to disable secure boot, some say you need to disconnect all others storage devices and I'm a bit lost in what I should do.

So far, I created a windows 10 ISO using Media creation tool, then I used Rufus to set my 8GB USB drive as a booter, I set files as FAT32 (because onece again people say that blabla NVMe only FAT32 boot install stuff) in GPT (because, same, UEFI = GPT stuff).
But now I'm wondering about the next steps, my MOBO is a B450 T. Max under the last non-beta update.

I have many tutorials in front of my eyes but I don't know which one I should follow.
Should I disconnect all my devices but the NVMe ? should I just set the boot priority to my bootable USB to then install windows on the NVMe ? should I disable CSM and put UEFI only ? should I disable secure boot ?
I'm a bit lost with all those tutorials telling different stuff, because I don't want to be stuck tomorrow and need to test many different things to get it to work.

Thanks !

It looks like you are planning on a Windows 10 clean installation.
You could also clone the old SATA SSD into the new NVMe SSD and keep all your data as is.

It is recommended to leave connected only the drive where Windows is installed, to prevent Windows setup from writing to any other connected drive.

Create a Windows 10 installation media on a USB flash drive from Microsoft Website.
Boot from the Windows 10 USB flash drive.
Select Language, Time and Keyboard...click the Next button.
On the "Windows Setup," click the Next button.
If an Activation window appears, click I don't have a product key option click Next.
Click the Install now button.
Select Windows 10 version (Education, Home, Pro, etc.) that matches your license...click the Next button.
Agree to license...click the Next button.
Click on the Custom: Install Windows only (Advanced) option.
Select the disk (Drive 0 Unallocated Space), click the Next button.
The setup will proceed with a fresh installation of Windows 10.

After you are done with Windows setup you could connect any other drive.
What's the B450 motherboard model?

 

[xddhgze]

Thanks for your answers, I am actually planning to do a clean install of W10, wether it's a coincidence or not, I got my fiber optic 2 days ago and my NVMe will come a week earlier for some reason, so to avoid any problem I'll clean install.

Alright so, when you tell "It is recommended to leave connected only the drive where Windows is installed " do you actually mean only the future NVMe (+ the USB) or I can leave the actual SSD I'm actually on ? I guess I'll just disconnect them all anyway.
How's the boot processed ? will the MOBO boot automatically on the USB once I disconnected all the drives or should I go through boot menu (F11 I guess ?) / Boot order in the Bios ?
Should I change anything regarding UEFI and secure boot and CSM and whatever are these things or disabling secure boot will be enough ?

My MOBO is a B450 Tomahawk max ATX with AM4, nothing custom, just the basic one, BIOS updated to latest update with MSI click BIOS 5, so is windows 10.

 

[hotaru.hino]

Alright so, when you tell "It is recommended to leave connected only the drive where Windows is installed " do you actually mean only the future NVMe (+ the USB) or I can leave the actual SSD I'm actually on ? I guess I'll just disconnect them all anyway.

It's for one of two things:

• So you don't have to guess which drive is the drive you intend to install Windows on. Drives in Windows installs are labeled as "Drive 0", "Drive 1", etc.
• If you have another drive with Windows installed connected and you install Windows on a new drive, the bootloader information will go to the drive with Windows already installed on it. So if you reformat the original drive completely, you no longer can boot into Windows until you make another bootloader.

How's the boot processed ? will the MOBO boot automatically on the USB once I disconnected all the drives or should I go through boot menu (F11 I guess ?) / Boot order in the Bios ?

If you disconnect all of the drives except the one you intend to install Windows on with the USB installer plugged in, the computer should boot to the USB installer when it realizes there's no OS on the storage drives.

Should I change anything regarding UEFI and secure boot and CSM and whatever are these things or disabling secure boot will be enough ?

It depends on your needs, but you can't switch after installing (I think, I haven't played around with this option in forever)

 

[USAFRet]

Fresh install, this:

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

For a migration from old to new, this:

-----------------------------
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
Download and install Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration, if a Samsung SSD)
If you are cloning from a SATA drive to PCIe/NVMe, 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
Run the Macrium Reflect (or Samsung Data Migration)
Select ALL the partitions on the existing C drive

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 specifiy the resulting partition size, to even include the whole thing

Click the 'Clone' button
Wait until it is done
When it finishes, power off
Disconnect ALL drives except for the new SSD
This is to allow the system to try to boot from ONLY the SSD
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.
-----------------------------

 

[xddhgze]

It depends on your needs, but you can't switch after installing (I think, I haven't played around with this option in forever)

I don't quite understand all this gibberish anyway, if I can get it to work without disabling stuff then it works for me, especially since there doesn't seem to be a secure boot disabler in click bios 5, unless it has another name or unless it's function is not to disable something but to replace something with another.
I'll go with a classic install without disabling stuff, if it doesn't work, well I'll try to change all this crap I don't understand a byte about.

Thanks all !

 

[xddhgze]

Got my NVMe, installed it without changing anything in the BIOS, it was recognized directly in windows installation wizard.
Thanks !