How to install windows in M.2

[Dave8798]

I'm thinking of buying a M.2 SSD (WD Green or Blue) and want to install the windows there. So how to install the windows? I mean its nothing like that do i have to unplug the HDD (which i will be later on along with the SSD)? I never dealt with m.2 so I know it's a silly question. Just wanted a guide for the installation because I heard that sometimes t m.2 is not recognized by the pc. 

If anyone can help me that would be great.

Thanks, tho.

[RozRocks]

When you use the windows installation media, it will ask for a drive to install on. Select the M.2 drive.

[Dave8798]

40 minutes ago, VegetableStu said:

• making sure the M.2 stick is compatible with your motherboard
  • check the m.2 sockets of your motherboard in the manual or the spec page. some can accept both NVMe and SATA m.2 sticks. some only accepts NVMe sticks. older boards may additionally deal with AHCI sticks, but that's almost completely irrelevant today
  • make sure you buy the correct kind of m.2 SSD. don't go by how it looks, go by what it says on the spec page or the item listing in amazon. see if they're SATA m.2 or NVMe m.2
  • if you're going for a SATA m.2 stick, check if the motherboard switches lanes with an existing SATA port. if there's a disk plugged in the affected shared port the motherboard will only recognise one of them
  • sanity check on both the type of m.2 connection the socket (you're wanting to use) supports, and the type of m.2 SSD you're going to use. if both are compatible, that will make troubleshooting much clearer when you ask for help (for when you get issues like motherboard not recognising SSD).
• installing windows
  • unplug all unnecessary disks just in case before powering up. if you know what you're doing you can leave them connected, but be aware it's not bone obvious which disk corresponds to which stick (it's usually the unformatted disk with a size close to the size of the new stick if you want to leave everything in)
  • also the installer will ask which disk do you want to install windows in, so don't worry.

im having msi b350m mortar, and tbh i am not getting that which type of socket does it use. and ic an see only one pin or hole in the m.2 socket. 

 

[Dave8798]

5 minutes ago, VegetableStu said:

you should do fine with the WD green or blue, the m.2 slot supports both with no caveats of note

(MSI's spec page is a bit unideal in terms of webpage layout ._.)

https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?topic=284673.0

 

just found this link and someone said its KEY M supported as well as B+M. so i guess im good to go with the m.2 sata one. and someone is saying that i need to remove the pins ;__;

[Dave8798]

1 hour ago, VegetableStu said:

it's much safer to look for lines like these:

NVMe is basically PCIe, and SATA is SATA

 

going off m.2 keying isn't a good indicator because there are SSDs like this:

  Hide contents

It's a B+M key but it's NOT a SATA stick

 

so what should i do now? i mean which one to buy?

[Dave8798]

2 hours ago, VegetableStu said:

you're already there with finding out the moartar does SATA ._. my comment is just to say you shouldn't just see how the stick looks like and to see what the stick actually functions in

 

bottom line: the WD sticks you're looking to will work.

Okay. Thanks mate. ;__;