Larger System Storage drive

[Teddy amok77]

Hello, I hope you are well and thanks in advance for the help.

I got given a Medion Eraser x86003 MD34496 a while back. Just got it set up and realised the system storage capacity is pritty pathetic (117g). My brother gave me the pc so cant complain but I will need to add or replace (I dont know which is best).

I dont even know where to begin. How do I identify what hdd or sata drive i need? Im so out of the loop i dont even know what the hot box swap **** thing is on the front?

I know its a gaming pc but i would be looking to use it for vfx -video editing-after effects-3dsmax modelling so unsure if need extra ram or if pc is even up to it?

any help is greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Teddy

 

[Teddy amok77]

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

If the specs haven't been altered/upgraded from
What's shown
You have a 120gb m2 solid state drive for windows
A 1tb mechanical drive for storage
8gb ram which definitely would want upgraded
You could add up to another 3 x sata ssds/solid state
Or a larger m2 to replace the 120gb

Cpu and gpu are reasonably decent
No idea what you mean by
Hot box swap on the front?
Looks like there's a flash card reader
Other than that don't know what you're referring to

 

[Teddy amok77]

If the specs haven't been altered/upgraded from
What's shown
You have a 120gb m2 solid state drive for windows
A 1tb mechanical drive for storage
8gb ram which definitely would want upgraded
You could add up to another 3 x sata ssds/solid state
Or a larger m2 to replace the 120gb

Cpu and gpu are reasonably decent
No idea what you mean by
Hot box swap on the front?
Looks like there's a flash card reader
Other than that don't know what you're referring to

Exactly,cant find much info on it either.I think as its a gaming pc the hot box of **** thing means theres like a vertical latch directly below the dvd drive which can be opened and drive can be swapped out whilst the computer is on. Fu@k knows what that actually means. too confusing.

Specs 100% the same. Ive no idea how to identify what ram i need. As i get older i get thicker and less patient.

larger m2 would have been better but cba with the admin of it. having to reinstall everything etc. Think another ssd best for me so thanks for that advice.

Teddy

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

Ah OK
Hot swap is usually used for hard drives
Not really sure why would be useful for dvd drive
Unless there actually is a hard drive bay there too

You can get the exact model number of the ram
With cpuz free software
Same speed would probably be fine anyway
But identical stuff as original always a better chance
Will work with no issues

 

[Teddy amok77]

Ah OK
Hot swap is usually used for hard drives
Not really sure why would be useful for dvd drive
Unless there actually is a hard drive bay there too

You can get the exact model number of the ram
With cpuz free software
Same speed would probably be fine anyway
But identical stuff as original always a better chance
Will work with no issues

Cheers for that. Really appreciated. Was a bit lost an ill tempered with the hole thing. Think its just cause it made me feel so old ffs. Least I can go and look for a decent ssd and ram to buy now.
Teddy

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

Cheers for that. Really appreciated. Was a bit lost an ill tempered with the hole thing. Think its just cause it made me feel so old ffs. Least I can go and look for a decent ssd and ram to buy now.
Teddy

The ram you may find not much 2666mhz 2 x 16gb
Around new anymore
Probably second hand would be a good bet
Or get 3000mhz,3200mhz, 3600mhz
It should downclock to 2666mhz in theory
Though as usual with computers in theory is one thing
And in practice is another

And don't worry I am also old lol
They actually gave a lot more detailed specs than most
Prebuilt do for a change

 

[Teddy amok77]

Thank you for that Mcnumpty (should be my username.wife calls me that a lot). Those little pieces of detail save me hours of stress and my pc is not safe from my claw hammer if it starts messing me about
Teddy

 

[Teddy amok77]

The ram you may find not much 2666mhz 2 x 16gb
Around new anymore
Probably second hand would be a good bet
Or get 3000mhz,3200mhz, 3600mhz
It should downclock to 2666mhz in theory
Though as usual with computers in theory is one thing
And in practice is another

And don't worry I am also old lol
They actually gave a lot more detailed specs than most
Prebuilt do for a change

Sorry chum. Forgot to ask. If I was to get a larger capacity m2 ssd does that mean having to reinstall windows all all programs?
Teddy

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

Sorry chum. Forgot to ask. If I was to get a larger capacity m2 ssd does that mean having to reinstall windows all all programs?
Teddy

You have 1 x pcie nvme m2 slot
Original 120gb should be in that one
The other m2 slot is only sata m2
So can't shove original m2 in second slot
And bigger one in first slot and just clone everything

You could make an image of the original m2
Store the image on the 1tb mechanical drive (slow to do)
Then restore the image to a new bigger m2
Or add a 2.5 sata ssd first
Store the image to that or clone to that
Then install a larger m2
And restore the image or clone back to it

Bit of faffing around
But is an option if you don't want to reinstall everything
As some of the software may have license keys

 

[Teddy amok77]

You have 1 x pcie nvme m2 slot
Original 120gb should be in that one
The other m2 slot is only sata m2
So can't shove original m2 in second slot
And bigger one in first slot and just clone everything

You could make an image of the original m2
Store the image on the 1tb mechanical drive (slow to do)
Then restore the image to a new bigger m2
Or add a 2.5 sata ssd first
Store the image to that or clone to that
Then install a larger m2
And restore the image or clone back to it

Bit of faffing around
But is an option if you don't want to reinstall everything
As some of the software may have license keys

You sir are a mclegend and far from a mcnumpty. You have confirmed that i only have the temprament and patience to install a new sata ssd for any further windows apps I install.​

Thank you for your help. I would love to know why tf I have a picture of a wifey as a profile pic
Cheers,
Teddy

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

You sir are a mclegend and far from a mcnumpty. You have confirmed that i only have the temprament and patience to install a new sata ssd for any further windows apps I install.​

Thank you for your help. I would love to know why tf I have a picture of a wifey as a profile pic
Cheers,
Teddy

You're very welcome
You can also move installed apps
To a new sata ssd if you wanted to
Windows can create hard links or symbolic links
Or however it's referred to

Don't actually remember when "wifey" became
The profile icon for associates
But it will change once you reach a certain amount
Of posts/replies to posts
The profile pictures have some correlation to i think
Gangsters
Possibly from a movie or something
So pretty sure they were all male at one point
I guess your profile picture is a gangsters moll or something
Which at least sounds more important than a wifey

 

[darael]

I know you're against reinstalling, but it would probably be better in the long run, as you'll have a clean install without garbage and bloat. For longevity, install Windows 11 and customise as required with third party tools if you don't like the UI.

But as above, you could create an image of the M.2 drive to the hard drive with a free version of Macrium Reflect.

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

Yeah if i knew
They had any keys/license required for any software
That might be installed would say
Clean install
Windows is probably oem so tied to motherboard
Most likely
So should be OK with Windows
Just whether there's any other software
And whether they might have to find any drivers too
Particularly ones required for initial Internet access

But easiest method for the op
Just add sata 2.5 ssds
And install future software and data to those
That involves none of the time consuming
And sometimes frustrating stuff
Such as images,cloning,clean install
All of which should work
But at some time or other all have been a PITA for me
And didn't work as expected

 

[Teddy amok77]

I'm back and I'm so sorry for being a pita. Can I go for sata 2.5 and sata 3.5?

Wasn't sure as I saw form factor is micro atx

Cheers again folks
Teddy

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

I'm back and I'm so sorry for being a pita. Can I go for sata 2.5 and sata 3.5?

Wasn't sure as I saw form factor is micro atx

Cheers again folks
Teddy

Yes as long as got 3.5 bay/bays
Though 3.5 will be mechanical drive so
Will be slower
2.5 Ssd doesn't really matter if got drive bays or not
No moving parts so can cram those in anywhere

Edit
You may need to get sata data cable/cables
Probably none installed on the unused sata ports
And double check the psu has extra
Sata power connector/connectors
It probably will have as don't think its modular psu
So usually couple extra/unused

 

[darael]

I'm certain the existing hard drive is 3.5", so I'm guessing you're looking at replacing that too?

There's no reason you shouldn't go for a SATA SSD, unless it's cheaper than the same capacity M.2 drive.

Myself I'd remove the current hard drive and M.2 drive, then replace them with a new M.2 drive and hard drive.