Question Windows won't boot after replacing Intel Optane with an M.2 SSD ?

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fishindamarket

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Feb 24, 2021
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I disabled/removed the Intel Optane and replaced it with M.2 SSD - now Windows won't boot.

I am trying to replace intel optane in the M.2 slot with an m2 SSD.
I have a Z370-A Pro motherboard
Intel Optane in the M.2 slot (only the 1x M2 slot which is why i have to replace it).
1x 2tb seagate external HDD.

i disabled intel optane using the intel optane app. Then restarted my computer and it restarted into windows fine, just very slow. I then shutdown my computer and replaced the intel optane with the SSD in the m.2 slot. tried to restart and the computer never loads windows just endless load up loops.

I went into Bios - Settings --> Integrated peripherals and changed SATA MODEL to "AHCI MODE" and kept "M2/Optane Genie" Disabled.

Same thing - endless bootups and never goes to windows. I then tried changing in that same settings area of Bios "M2/Optane Genie" to ENABLED and that didn't work either.

So now I have replaced my new SSD with the Intel Optane again, and rebooted windows and am now back in windows. I will ENABLE the Intel Optane on the intel app now and go back to my regular configuration so the computer is usable.

Any ideas how to get this to work replacing my intel optane with the SSD and what I may have done wrong?
 
fishindamarket said:
Any ideas how to get this to work replacing my intel optane with the SSD and what I may have done wrong?
Click to expand...
You need to physically remove the Optane module, remove any references to "RAID" in the BIOS, and install a fresh OS on the new SSD.

Windows 10, 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 forums.tomshardware.com

Windows 11, this:

How To - Windows 11 clean install tutorial

Windows 11 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows 11, version 23H2 or newer but can be equally applied to earlier versions which may have some basic differences in the screens you see but will largely remain similar in...
forums.tomshardware.com forums.tomshardware.com
 
fishindamarket said:
There’s no way to copy over the HDD to the SSD so I don’t have to load windows fresh and wipe all my files and data?
Click to expand...
Well, thats a whole different question and pathway.

First off, your personal files should NEVER be at the mercy of a single configuration. Currently, the Optane+HDD pseudoRAID.

If you put the system back together, does it run? If so, copy your personal data off to some other storage location.
This includes documenting your username/passwords, serial numbers for any software, etc, etc.

Secondly, I'm not sure a Clone or Image from that Optane RAID would work, moving to a single SSD.
It would carry some of the pseudoRAID config.
It might work, but I've never tried it.
 
SkyNetRising said:
You should have gone with SATA 2.5" SSD instead.

To use NVME drive you'll also have to get M.2 PCIE adapter. Since your board has only a single M.2 slot
and it is occupied by Optane drive.

What model M.2 drive is it BTW?
Click to expand...
Intel 660p series m.2 2280 1tb pcie NVMe 3.0 x4 3D2 - 1TB

I can still return and buy a sata drive instead. Sounds a lot easier
 
Now that I disabled intel optane originally i want to now enable it again to go back to my original setup to get through this week.
BUT when I go back into the Intel memory and storage management app, it says it will erase all data when I enable it.

So how can I find this drive in order to back up the data to a separate HDD before I enable again?
 
Try this:
1. Disable Optane in storage management app.
Disable hibernation in windows. Execute in elevated command prompt.
powercfg -h off
2. Shutdown and remove Optane drive.
Make sure fast boot is disabled in BIOS
Do not change any other settings in BIOS.
Do not connect Intel 660p M.2 drive.
3. Try to boot into windows.
 
SkyNetRising said:
Try this:
1. Disable Optane in storage management app.
Disable hibernation in windows. Execute in elevated command prompt.
powercfg -h off
2. Shutdown and remove Optane drive.
Make sure fast boot is disabled in BIOS
Do not change any other settings in BIOS.
Do not connect Intel 660p M.2 drive.
3. Try to boot into windows.
Click to expand...
That didn’t work. Now I get an error message “ m2 genie error “
 
To change sata controller mode to AHCI you have to do following:
1. Run msconfig,
switch to boot tab,​
enable safe boot (set checkbox) and click apply.​
2. Boot into BIOS and change sata controller to AHCI.
3. Boot into windows and turn off safe boot (similar to how it was enabled).
Run msconfig,​
switch to boot tab,​
disable safe boot (clear checkbox) and click apply.​
4. Reboot.
 
All steps completed, i installed the 660 M.2 SSD drive and it booted up fine.
Do i now enabled FAST BOOTING again? it is still disabled.

i do now see the 2nd drive under DISK MANAGEMENT "Disk 1" and it shows "Online".
How would i go about transferring my windows files and all other CPU files to the SSD drive so that it can now boot up from the SSD and not the HDD?
 
fishindamarket said:
All steps completed, i installed the 660 M.2 SSD drive and it booted up fine.
Do i now enabled FAST BOOTING again? it is still disabled.

i do now see the 2nd drive under DISK MANAGEMENT "Disk 1" and it shows "Online".
How would i go about transferring my windows files and all other CPU files to the SSD drive so that it can now boot up from the SSD and not the HDD?
Click to expand...
Does this boot with ONLY the HDD connected?
If so, we can maybe do a clone operation.

Again, you really really need to have an offline copy of your personal critical files during this process.
 
Only the HDD was showing. I went into disk management and formatted the new SSD drive which was greyed out. It now shows here and also under THIS PC - Devices and Drives.
I am in the process of cloning my old HDD (C:) to the new SSD (D:) using Macrium Reflect.

Once this is done - is the next step to go into Bios and change Startup drive to be M.2?
 
fishindamarket said:
Only the HDD was showing. I went into disk management and formatted the new SSD drive which was greyed out. It now shows here and also under THIS PC - Devices and Drives.
I am in the process of cloning my old HDD (C:) to the new SSD (D:) using Macrium Reflect.

Once this is done - is the next step to go into Bios and change Startup drive to be M.2?
Click to expand...
When the clone operation completes, power OFF.

Physically disconnect the old HDD. This is not optional.

Boot up, change the BIOS boot order if needed, and let the system boot from only the new SSD.
 
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Reactions: Jamesb8488
If I reached the OP in time... you don't have to do a fresh Install you can clone your current bootable hard drive ssd etc to anything.. with easeOS or whatever I spent about $40 for a code to clone my laptops failing original hard drive to a 2 tb nvme drive. I had zero issues and it was so hassle free no drivers etc were needed I just took out my old HD and turned on my laptop and it worked better faster
 
Jamesb8488 said:
If I reached the OP in time... you don't have to do a fresh Install you can clone your current bootable hard drive ssd etc to anything.. with easeOS or whatever I spent about $40 for a code to clone my laptops failing original hard drive to a 2 tb nvme drive. I had zero issues and it was so hassle free no drivers etc were needed I just took out my old HD and turned on my laptop and it worked better faster
Click to expand...
well, as this is coming from an Optane+HDD pseudoRAID, a clone may or may not be a viable solution.
Lets see what happens.
 
Jamesb8488 said:
don't
Click to expand...

USAFRet said:
well, as this is coming from an Optane+HDD pseudoRAID, a clone may or may not be a viable solution.
Lets see what happens.
Click to expand...
if this ends up working and booting up fine once HDD removed... should i enable FAST BOOTING again in bios?
USAFRet said:
well, as this is coming from an Optane+HDD pseudoRAID, a clone may or may not be a viable solution.
Lets see what happens.
Click to expand...
ok. Clone completed. Shut down.
Unplugged sata hdd completely and tried to restart.

Got error message “ reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device and press a key”
 
fishindamarket said:
if this ends up working and booting up fine once HDD removed... should i enable FAST BOOTING again in bios?

ok. Clone completed. Shut down.
Unplugged sata hdd completely and tried to restart.

Got error message “ reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device and press a key”
Click to expand...
Not sure there’s a way to even get to bios this is the first screen that pops up just black screen with this message.
 
fishindamarket said:
Not sure there’s a way to even get to bios this is the first screen that pops up just black screen with this message.
Click to expand...
I get that screen all the time I just manually keep pressing the power button and restart my pc until it boots 😅😅 you should be able to boot bios even if there isn't a OS on your drive.. just keep pressing the DEL key to boot into bios
 
Jamesb8488 said:
I get that screen all the time I just manually keep pressing the power button and restart my pc until it boots 😅😅 you should be able to boot bios even if there isn't a OS on your drive.. just keep pressing the DEL key to boot into bios
Click to expand...
I’ve been trying that using the leaky and I’ve tried using the F2 key and neither one works. It goes straight to the screen every time
 
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