I'm new to upgrading PCs and I'm currently in the process of changing out my M.2 storage. I initially thought my motherboard had two M.2 slots, but it turns out there's only one. I'm planning to install a new M.2 drive that has double the capacity, but I don't have any other storage installed. I'm unsure about the proper steps to take before and after the installation, and I want to make sure I'm backing up the right data. Here are my main questions:
1. What data should I backup before I install the new drive?
2. What steps should I follow before swapping the drives?
3. After installing the new drive, what do I need to download or set up?
4. I also plan to reuse the old storage once I get a new motherboard, so do I need to prepare it in any way, like wiping it before removal?
4 Answers
Since your new drive is empty, you'll need to do a fresh installation of Windows, along with any drivers, games, and programs you want. To back up your important personal files, consider using an M.2 to USB adapter or enclosure to transfer files from your old drive. It's always a good idea to have a backup of anything you can't afford to lose, as hardware can fail or mistakes can happen. If you don't have another PC, make a Windows installation media using the Media Creation Tool, which will be necessary for the fresh install. Alternatively, you can clone your old drive to the new one, so you won't have to reinstall everything from scratch.
Backup all the data you care about and don't want to lose. After swapping the drives, you will need to reinstall Windows and all the software you use. Can you share what motherboard you have?
You might consider returning the M.2 drive and opting for a 2.5" SATA SSD instead. This would allow you to have both drives in your PC at the same time right away, which could be really convenient for you.
Do you have an open PCIe slot available? You can use a PCIe adapter to connect the M.2 drive instead, if that suits your setup better.
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