I might want to add a PCIe SSD to my new laptop in the near future but I have questions...

[James_Smith]

I didn't know what PCIe was when I ordered my new laptop (Alienware 15 R3). Fortunately, I'll have room for at least one and possibly 2 PCIe SSDs for future expansion but... I have a question for anyone who wants to chime in.

Suppose I decide to add a PCIe SSD in the future? Here's what I see as a potential problem or, if not a problem, a hurdle that must be cleared:

My OS will be on my SATA SSD. If I add a PCIe, after I turn my computer on, it's just going to see the PCIe as another drive, correct? Similar to (but not exactly the same as) plugging an external hard drive into one of the USBs. So, I'll have the much faster PCIe SSD just acting as a place for storage and the OS will be on the much slower SATA SSD. That seems inefficient and backwards.

So, my question is this: how do I get the OS from the SATA onto the PCIe? I suspect it would work like this:

1. Back up everything on an external drive.
2. Clone the SATA SSD onto the PCIe.
3. The next time I log on, it should ask if I want to boot from the SATA or the PCIe, right? It seems like it would do that and, if so, obviously I should select the PCIe.
4. After logging on, first check that everything cloned correctly and that I'm not missing anything and then wipe or repartition or whatever I need to do to get the OS off the SATA.

Then the next time I boot up it *should* boot right from the PCIe, right? Or would I have to get into the BIOS and change how it boots up? Either way, no big deal.

[Citizen229]

Unless I missed some new tech here lately, I think you may be a bit confused.

The PCIE SSDs are not the correct form factor for a laptop. They are meant for desktop cases. A PCIE slot on a laptop would be designed for the addition of a video card designed for a laptop.

Are you possibly referring to M.2 ssd?

[James_Smith]

Unless I missed some new tech here lately, I think you may be a bit confused.

The PCIE SSDs are not the correct form factor for a laptop. They are meant for desktop cases. A PCIE slot on a laptop would be designed for the addition of a video card designed for a laptop.

Are you possibly referring to M.2 ssd?

Nope. PCIe.

Here's my new laptop. I haven't received it yet.

I opted for the upgraded battery and upgraded wireless/wifi. I got the basic HDD because I have an SSD sitting right here on my desk with LM18.1 Cinnamon already installed on it. I also have 32gb RAM @ 2666 on order.

As you can see by looking at the specs, there is actually room for two PCIe SSDs and a SATA SSD. I envision maxing it out in the future for a total of 3TB SSD.

That oughta future proof it pretty well.

[Citizen229]

Ok I see what my/your confusion is.

M.2 ssd drives are considered pcie drives because they use pcie lanes from the system. When folks refer to pcie 's they are usually referring to the style that about 1/2-3/4the size of a graphics card.It is a technicality. I would be willing to bet when you get your lappy in, it will have 2-M.2 slots and not actual PCIE slots.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product. ... 4RE32A4045

In the Image the item is a PCIE card with the black area being the M.2 SSD added to it. There is a large difference in size there. And there is no way you are going to fit a card like that in a lappy.

[James_Smith]

Ok I see what my/your confusion is.

M.2 ssd drives are considered pcie drives because they use pcie lanes from the system. When folks refer to pcie 's they are usually referring to the style that about 1/2-3/4the size of a graphics card.It is a technicality. I would be willing to bet when you get your lappy in, it will have 2-M.2 slots and not actual PCIE slots.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product. ... 4RE32A4045

In the Image the item is a PCIE card with the black area being the M.2 SSD added to it. There is a large difference in size there. And there is no way you are going to fit a card like that in a lappy.

Thanks for the clarification. I love this forum.

So, are the M.2 SSDs much faster than a SATA SSD? If not, then this post is moot because I'll just install one and use it as storage.

[Citizen229]

My point of getting terminology cleared up with you is so you do not purchase the wrong products. Actual PCIE SSD's are$600 USD and up. M.2 SSD is much much cheaper. M.2 SSds are much faster than SSDs. Unless you have specific software that requires large files to be loaded constantly, you will never see the difference. Well maybe at boot or game loading screens. M.2 is the future though,so no harm in equipping yourself. If you get a M.2 drive that frees up an SSD for back up, or some other thing you might want to play around with.

there has been alot of confusion over the last year or so. These PCIE lane using drives are evolving quickly, and there were different interfaces fighting to become the standard. NVME is dying off. M.2 is winning in desktops and laptops. And the actual PCIE ssd are new and expensive shinies for desktops. thats kind of the basics It does get confusing. I would just be sure to look up what m.2 drives are supported by your lappy, much in the same way we look up supported RAM.

[Citizen229]

Ok I see what my/your confusion is.

M.2 ssd drives are considered pcie drives because they use pcie lanes from the system. When folks refer to pcie 's they are usually referring to the style that about 1/2-3/4the size of a graphics card.It is a technicality. I would be willing to bet when you get your lappy in, it will have 2-M.2 slots and not actual PCIE slots.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product. ... 4RE32A4045

In the Image the item is a PCIE card with the black area being the M.2 SSD added to it. There is a large difference in size there. And there is no way you are going to fit a card like that in a lappy.

Thanks for the clarification. I love this forum.

So, are the M.2 SSDs much faster than a SATA SSD? If not, then this post is moot because I'll just install one and use it as storage.

For yiou https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItMY3WHHowQ

[James_Smith]

My point of getting terminology cleared up with you is so you do not purchase the wrong products. Actual PCIE SSD's are$600 USD and up. M.2 SSD is much much cheaper. M.2 SSds are much faster than SSDs. Unless you have specific software that requires large files to be loaded constantly, you will never see the difference. Well maybe at boot or game loading screens. M.2 is the future though,so no harm in equipping yourself. If you get a M.2 drive that frees up an SSD for back up, or some other thing you might want to play around with.

there has been alot of confusion over the last year or so. These PCIE lane using drives are evolving quickly, and there were different interfaces fighting to become the standard. NVME is dying off. M.2 is winning in desktops and laptops. And the actual PCIE ssd are new and expensive shinies for desktops. thats kind of the basics It does get confusing. I would just be sure to look up what m.2 drives are supported by your lappy, much in the same way we look up supported RAM.

I watched this video (and a few others) and ascertained (correctly, I believe) that the Samsung MZ-V6E1T0BW (or equivalent) is the one I need. Do you agree?

However, note at 1:35 when the guys says "In fact, there's a little slot here as well for a uh... another drive. That's the smaller SATA drive."

What is he talking about? What smaller SATA drive? Is he talking about mSATA? What would fit there and how much more capacity would I have? So far I'm envisioning a 3TB all SSD monster. Could I make it 3.5TB or 4TB by utilizing that slot?

[Citizen229]

http://www.dell.com/support/manuals/us/ ... &lang=en-u

After browsing your manual i would have to say yes that is the correct one. If any doubts though contact Dell. You are paying for their service, so you might as well use it.

[James_Smith]

http://www.dell.com/support/manuals/us/ ... &lang=en-u

After browsing your manual i would have to say yes that is the correct one. If any doubts though contact Dell. You are paying for their service, so you might as well use it.

How about the "smaller SATA drive" the guy in the youtube video mentions at 1:35? Will the VisionTek 480GB mSATA SATAIII Internal Solid State Drive fit there?

If so, I'm looking at a future upgrade that will give me 3.48TB of SSD storage. That's bloody amazing!

[James_Smith]

http://www.dell.com/support/manuals/us/ ... &lang=en-u

After browsing your manual i would have to say yes that is the correct one. If any doubts though contact Dell. You are paying for their service, so you might as well use it.

Here's what the innards look like...

[Click to enlarge]

[z31fanatic]

If so, I'm looking at a future upgrade that will give me 3.48TB of SSD storage. That's bloody amazing!

That's more than all of Linux users SSds combined!

I am willing to bet that one of the m.2 SSD slots is NVMe (correct term for the faster SSDs )and the other is regular Sata 3.
Are you confused yet?

[z31fanatic]

How about the "smaller SATA drive" the guy in the youtube video mentions at 1:35? Will the VisionTek 480GB mSATA SATAIII Internal Solid State Drive fit there?

I doubt that slot is for mSata SSD. Dell has done away with mSata on their newer machines. While it has an mSata interface it probably is a WWAN slot.

Did I confuse you some more?