Changing SSD on HP gaming laptop

gash2024 · 29 Jan 2022 at 19:02

I just want to start by saying that I bought a HP 15-ec2018na last year and its a great little laptop if you're looking for a lower priced gaming laptop.
I've increased the RAM and now I'm looking to swap the SSD for a larger one, I'm looking to install at least a 512gb drive an I'm unsure of how i will transfer the data over.
Does anyone have any ideas on a good drive and how to get my data transferred?
I was thinking of something like this
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/cruc...3d-nand-nvme-solid-state-drive-hd-074-cr.html

Snapshot · 2 Feb 2022 at 15:43

That's a PCIe 4.0 drive which I don't think your laptop will benefit from. You'll save money by buying a PCIe 3.0 drive.
The easiest way to get the new drive ready is to put it in a USB case then use some cloning software to copy the existing drive to it. Then you can do the physical swap.

However, if the YouTube video I've just looked at is correct, your laptop should take a 2.5" SSD as well as the M.2. Depending on how you're using the laptop it may be easier to leave the 256GB drive in place and just install a second one for new 'stuff'.

Wing-Man · 2 Feb 2022 at 19:32

you need to buy a m.2 usb caddy, then just use cloning soft wear like macrium reflect

gash2024 · 4 Feb 2022 at 19:12

Snapshot said:
That's a PCIe 4.0 drive which I don't think your laptop will benefit from. You'll save money by buying a PCIe 3.0 drive.
The easiest way to get the new drive ready is to put it in a USB case then use some cloning software to copy the existing drive to it. Then you can do the physical swap.

However, if the YouTube video I've just looked at is correct, your laptop should take a 2.5" SSD as well as the M.2. Depending on how you're using the laptop it may be easier to leave the 256GB drive in place and just install a second one for new 'stuff'.

Thanks for that, i never new it had another slot for an additional SSD.
Is there anyway of finding out for sure that it has?

I use it for gaming mostly as well as the usual type of home based things.

Wing-Man · 4 Feb 2022 at 21:21

gash2024 said:
Is there anyway of finding out for sure that it has?

remove the base plate. the only way to be 100% is to open it up and look.
did you buy it new? my laptop came with a little cable in the accessories pack, it was the cable needed at add and extra 2.5" HDD

Snapshot · 6 Feb 2022 at 07:53

As Wing-Man says, take its bottom off!

gash2024 · 12 Mar 2022 at 15:41

I was planning on taking the bottom off this evening but I thought I would check what the HP manual says and from what I can tell it says it has an M2 slot?
https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c07905783

Snapshot · 13 Mar 2022 at 07:04

That's not a manual, only a spec sheet. You can download the hardware manual here and you'll see it has both M.2 and 2.5" SATA slots.

gash2024 · 13 Mar 2022 at 09:13

Excellent, thanks for that.
Would you be able to make any suggestions for a decent line of 2.5 SSD's? It will be for games as well as files so I'm assuming read/write speeds will play there part.
£100 gets something like this https://www.overclockers.co.uk/seag...-q1-2.5-sata-solid-state-drive-hd-3cw-se.html

Wing-Man · 13 Mar 2022 at 09:16

gash2024 said:
Excellent, thanks for that.
Would you be able to make any suggestions for a decent line of 2.5 SSD's? It will be for games as well as files so I'm assuming read/write speeds will play there part.
£100 gets something like this https://www.overclockers.co.uk/seag...-q1-2.5-sata-solid-state-drive-hd-3cw-se.html

the reply doesn’t say you have both m.2 and 2.5 it says the manual shows both options.
As said a few times you need to open it.
My laptop takes both m.2 and 2.5 but I have to buy a cable to use the 2.5 bay

chroniclard · 13 Mar 2022 at 09:18

Upload it online?

gash2024 · 13 Mar 2022 at 09:43

Sorry I have opened it and it does have a black false drive in the slot

Wing-Man · 13 Mar 2022 at 09:43

So you have a unused m.2 and or 2.5?

mid the drive is just for games and files just buy what’s cheap.

gash2024 · 13 Mar 2022 at 10:00

It looks like a 2.5 drive as it's quite large and it has a cable attached like I've seen on YouTube videos of HP gaming laptops.
Is there any way on this site to upload a file or do I have to post a link

Wing-Man · 13 Mar 2022 at 10:50

gash2024 said:
It looks like a 2.5 drive as it's quite large and it has a cable attached like I've seen on YouTube videos of HP gaming laptops.
Is there any way on this site to upload a file or do I have to post a link

Use imgBB to upload one then drop a link here

gash2024 · 13 Mar 2022 at 16:18

I went ahead and installed a Samsung 1TB SSD, the cable that was fitted to the dummy drive worked with the new drive and all i had to do was setup the drive as a new volume.
Working perfectly now so thanks for the help everyone