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Install Windows on M.2

Install Windows on M.2
« on: August 22, 2016, 02:24:48 pm »
Hello. In a few days I will be ordering new PC parts including a M.2 drive (PCI-E x2 NVMe). Both the motherboard and M.2 SSD will be linked below. I have read that you need to do different things to make Windows installation detect the M.2 SSD and for Windows to boot properly. I plan on installing Windows 10 using a external HDD. I've already used Windows Media Creation Tool to download Windows 10 setup onto the external HDD ready but what else do I need to do to make Windows 10 install and boot correctly?

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/gigabyte-z170-gaming-k3-intel-z170-socket-1151-ddr4-atx-motherboard-mb-541-gi.html

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/samsung-sm951-512gb-m.2-pci-e-3.0-x-4-nvme-solid-state-drive-mzvpv512hdgl-00000-hd-214-sa.html
« Last Edit: August 22, 2016, 02:27:22 pm by krytern »

Re: Install Windows on M.2
« Reply #1 on: August 27, 2016, 01:13:18 am »
Hi,
I just did the same thing myself. 
First I created a bootable UEFI USB drive with Windows 10 setup.
http://winaero.com/blog/how-to-create-a-bootable-uefi-usb-drive-with-windows-10-setup/
 
Next I installed Windows 10 to an old hard drive I had laying around.  Once I had all the drivers installed and everything working I then installed the NVMe driver from Samsung. 
 http://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/ssd/download/consumer.html

After the driver was installed I rebooted and then my 950 pro drive appeared in the bios.
I have to admit I was worried I hadn’t inserted it correctly or the drive was bad until I got to this point.

After that I loaded the Samsung migration tool and cloned the old drive to the new.  Cloning took less than 5 minutes  ;D 
Shut down the system, removed the old drive & then booted up Windows 10 from my 950 pro.
You may need to change the boot order in your bios, but mine picked it automatically. 
I loaded Samsung magician and crystal disk mark and compared my speed to others online. 
Once I was positive everything was working great I activated Windows 10. 
I considered trying to slipstream the NVMe drivers into the installer, but that would have taken more time to figure out than it was worth.   


Re: Install Windows on M.2
« Reply #2 on: September 02, 2016, 03:27:44 pm »
After building the computer it turns out I didn't have to do anything. Put it into the M.2 slot like normal, used a external USB drive with Windows 10 on made by using their Media Creation Tool and it just auto detected the drive. BIOS auto detected it the first time I turned on the computer and looked in there too,