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Intel Optane RST - Inspiron 3670
I have an Inspiron 3670 that has the Intel Optane RST installed. I want to upgrade the 128 GB M.2 2280 SSD with a 512 GB M.2 SSD. I have disabled the Optane RST but wasn’t sure with which one of the two drives (128 GB SSD or 1 TB HDD) the Optane RST was associated. Looking at the Disk Drives under Device Manager, should I see some type of notation / identification that the Optane RST is associated with either drive. Is it safe to assume that if there isn’t any identifying information that it would be safe to remove the 128 GB SSD and replace it with the new SSD? I recognize that I will have to do a clean install / setup of Win 10 on to the new SSD. I am just concerned that the Intel Optane RST is stored in the BIOS and even with a new SSD and clean install of Win 10 that if the Optane RST is in the BIOS, it will search for it on the new SSD and never find it, causing a BSOD.
RoHe
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June 10th, 2021 18:00
The Optane drive is the 128 GB drive.
If you disabled the Optane cache and the PC still boots properly, you shouldn't have any problems installing a large SSD in the M.2 slot.
If you haven't already done it, you should first change the BIOS SATA Operation setting from RAID to AHCI. You just have to do that the right way:
bcdedit /set {current} safeboot minimal
bcdedit /deletevalue {current} safeboot
Now install the new SSD and you can clone the HDD onto the new SSD if you don't want to reinstall everything. You can use software like Macrium Reflect (free) or another one of your choice.
NOTES:
1. Dell has only validated this PC model with up to a 512 GB NVME SSD. Doesn't mean a larger one won't work, but Dell can't guarantee that it will. So look around this forum to see if anyone has installed a larger SSD in this PC model, if you want something larger than 512 GB.
2. Since your HDD is 1T, if you install a smaller M.2 SSD, you will have to resize the C: partition when you clone all the partitions that are on the HDD onto the new SSD, otherwise everything won't fit on the SSD. Macrium will allow you to reduce the size of the C: partition, but read/follow the instructions carefully.
Once the cloning is done, reboot the PC and tap F12 to open the boot menu. Select the option to boot from the SSD. Otherwise, PC will always boot from the HDD. Once you're sure the PC boots via F12 from the new SSD and runs correctly, you can open Disk Management in Win 10 and initialize the HDD (ALL FILES DELETED!). Then reboot normally and PC should now boot directly from the SSD and you can use the HDD (now your D drive) for routine storage.
And it's a good idea to configure Win 10 to move default folders onto the HDD to save space on the SSD.
73MS
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June 13th, 2021 15:00
Thank you. That's what I thought but as the saying goes -- better to be safe than sorry
73MS
redxps630
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June 9th, 2021 20:00
Re: I am just concerned that the Intel Optane RST is stored in the BIOS and even with a new SSD and clean install of Win 10 that if the Optane RST is in the BIOS, it will search for it on the new SSD and never find it, causing a BSOD.
do not know much of optane RST, but if Dell uses this tech similar to small ssd as a cache drive in RAID mode, when you install a new drive to replace the old one, it will ask you to enter the RAID set up page when you power up the pc, there inside the RAID config screen it will tell you which drive is RAID enabled.
73MS
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June 11th, 2021 09:00
Thanks. This is the type of information I was looking for. Again, many thanks!
RoHe
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June 11th, 2021 17:00
@73MS You're welcome.
Post back and let us know how the upgrade goes...
73MS
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June 12th, 2021 10:00
RoHe -
I meant to ask you this question. In the two commands (bcdedit /set {current} safeboot minimal or bcdedit /set {current} safeboot minimal) does "current" mean something else or is the command as provided "current" is a command for Windows 10. Just type in the command prompt these commands as provided and execute them.
Sorry for the late question.
73MS
RoHe
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June 12th, 2021 12:00
Enter those commands exactly as I posted them, including using the { } .
You can copy/paste them directly from this thread into the CMD prompt window. Or, save the commands in a Notepad file before you run the first one. That way you can copy/paste the second one into the CMD window from the Notepad file when Windows reboots in Safe Mode, since your internet connection might not work in Safe Mode.