[SOLVED] SSD Maximum capacity

[xzifi452]

Hello.

I got an Acer Aspire A315-41-R28F (2018) with the following specifications:

Ryzen 5 2500U
8GB DDR4 RAM
1TB HDD

It also has a hidden M.2 SATA slot where I want to install a SSD. Reading through some comments in Acer forum and also some YouTube videos, some people comment that the max capacity is 256GB for that M.2 SSD slot. Does that make sense? Why would there be a maximum capacity? Can the BIOS limit the maximum capacity for extra drives? Is there a way to check what is the maximum capacity so I can be sure if I can install a bigger capacity, like 512GB?

Just to make it clear, I don't want to replace my HDD with the SSD, just add a SSD in the new slot, so I can have 512GB SSD storage + 1TB HDD storage.

Thanks in advance

 

[USAFRet]

It may have been listed as 250/256GB originally, because that was what was available at the time.

Buy a compatible 1TB from somewhere with a strong return policy.
Put it in.
If it fails, return the drive.

 

[xzifi452]

It may have been listed as 250/256GB originally, because that was what was available at the time.

Buy a compatible 1TB from somewhere with a strong return policy.
Put it in.
If it fails, return the drive.

Thanks for the quick reply. I'm planning to order from abroad (way cheaper and different models to pick from compared to my country) so I can't really return it if it isn't recognized or something, that's why I want to minimize the risk by making sure it will be recognized.

Do you think a bigger drive should work? I've seen the same laptop listed with a 256GB OEM SSD, but not bigger, so I'm not sure.

 

[USAFRet]

Thanks for the quick reply. I'm planning to order from abroad (way cheaper and different models to pick from compared to my country) so I can't really return it if it isn't recognized or something, that's why I don't want to minimize risk by making sure it will be recognized.

I can't imagine a hard drive size limit.

If nothing else, get a 1TB SATA III SSD, and replace the 1TB HDD.
(I know you stated that is not what you wanted to do, but that IS an option)

 

[xzifi452]

I can't imagine a hard drive size limit.

If nothing else, get a 1TB SATA III SSD, and replace the 1TB HDD.
(I know you stated that is not what you wanted to do, but that IS an option)

That's something I can consider. I guess in that case it should be a SATA 2.5 inch SSD, right? How would the installation process be in that case to copy the files over the SSD? Thanks again

 

[USAFRet]

A 2.5" SATA III SSD wil be a direct replacement for your current HDD.
And be much much faster than your existing HDD.

Moving things to the new drive is NOT a simple copy/paste.
Cloning or Imaging...we can go into details if that is what you want to do.

 

[xzifi452]

A 2.5" SATA III SSD wil be a direct replacement for your current HDD.
And be much much faster than your existing HDD.

Moving things to the new drive is NOT a simple copy/paste.
Cloning or Imaging...we can go into details if that is what you want to do.

Yes, I know it's not a simple copy/paste, I was refering to the cloning process, I suppose I would need to connect the SSD somehow (?), clone it, and then replace my HDD. Do I need some extra tools to connect the SSD to clone it?

 

[USAFRet]

Yes, I know it's not a simple copy/paste, I was refering to the cloning process, I suppose I would need to connect the SSD somehow (?), clone it, and then replace my HDD. Do I need some extra tools to connect the SSD to clone it?

You can do this with an Image, and some external drive with sufficient free space to hold the contents of your current C drive.

Basically, this:
Assuming you have another drive with sufficient free space to hold the entirety of your current m.2 drive:

1. Download and install Macrium Reflect
2. Run that, and create a Rescue CD or USB (you'll use this later). "Other Tasks"
3. In the Macrium client, create an Image to some other drive. External USB HDD, maybe. Select all partitions. This results in a file of xxxx.mrimage
4. When done, power OFF.
5. Swap the 2 drives
6. Boot up from the Rescue USB you created earlier.
7. Recover, and tell it where the Image is that you created in step 3, and which drive to apply it to...the new m.2
8. Go, and wait until it finishes.
9. That's all...this should work.

 

[xzifi452]

You can do this with an Image, and some external drive with sufficient free space to hold the contents of your current C drive.

Basically, this:
Assuming you have another drive with sufficient free space to hold the entirety of your current m.2 drive:

1. Download and install Macrium Reflect
2. Run that, and create a Rescue CD or USB (you'll use this later). "Other Tasks"
3. In the Macrium client, create an Image to some other drive. External USB HDD, maybe. Select all partitions. This results in a file of xxxx.mrimage
4. When done, power OFF.
5. Swap the 2 drives
6. Boot up from the Rescue USB you created earlier.
7. Recover, and tell it where the Image is that you created in step 3, and which drive to apply it to...the new m.2
8. Go, and wait until it finishes.
9. That's all...this should work.

Mmm I don't really have an external HDD, so I guess this option is definitely not the best for me right now.

Checking this page it only seems to list 256GB maximum, why do you think that is?

 

[USAFRet]

Mmm I don't really have an external HDD, so I guess this option is definitely not the best for me right now.

Checking this page it only seems to list 256GB maximum, why do you think that is?

UserBenchmark does not count. At all.
That is not overall 'compatibility', but just what users have in their system.

What counts is from the manufacturer. And then, what you see from then simply was the drive size when the system was released, and then the text never updated.