Swapping SSD between laptops

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Lethal29

65 posts

Master Geek

#290549 19-Nov-2021 08:46

Hi All,

My youngest daughter has destroyed the screen on an Asus TUF FX505DT laptop which my wife was using for work (she commandeered it off me!), so it was plugged into an external display so she could carry on working while we got quotes for repairing it. Now, for some reason, the external display won't turn on any more. If anyone has any ideas on fixing that, I'd love to hear them.

However, in the meantime, I'd like some advice swapping the 512GB SSD over from that laptop to her old one (Acer Aspire A515), which also has a ruined screen but DOES still work with the external display.

From what I can make out, they both us M.2 NVMe SSD drives, but is it possible to just take it out of one and put it in the other?

The SSD is the boot drive in the ASUS, but it won't be in the Acer, so how does that work?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers

wellygary

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#2815570 19-Nov-2021 09:36

The drivers will be all screwed up and Windows will probably complain bitterly about changed hardware and licensing yadda yadda yadda,

But if you started in in Safe mode or basic VGA mode there is certainly the possibility you should be able to start the process of getting it to work on the other machine...

timmmay

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#2815578 19-Nov-2021 09:58

I would probably back up the data, format the disk, put the disk in the new machine, and re-install Windows fresh.

wratterus

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#2815584 19-Nov-2021 10:13

Both those notebooks would have m.2 NVMe SSDs I'd say. Both Windows Home. Ideally you want to remove all the Asus software, Windows will actually sort out most if not all of your drivers acceptably....most likely will work fine.

Installing the Acer Quick Access software will help with your function keys.

Windows 10 is very good at changing hardware without freaking out. Only issue would be if your Acer has a 'VMD Controller' enabled in the BIOS. You would most likely need to change that to AHCI mode. Bit of a trick to that as the setting is hidden. Yell out if you want a hand.

Lethal29

65 posts

Master Geek

#2815585 19-Nov-2021 10:13

wellygary:

The drivers will be all screwed up and Windows will probably complain bitterly about changed hardware and licensing yadda yadda yadda,

But if you started in in Safe mode or basic VGA mode there is certainly the possibility you should be able to start the process of getting it to work on the other machine...

Thanks for that. "Start the process of getting it to work" That doesn't fill me with a lot of confidence! 😬

I just really need to be able to access the files off it to copy some over to an external HDD and then will be putting it back into the other laptop to send away for repair. I don't need to boot off it or anything, just access the files.

Lethal29

65 posts

Master Geek

#2815605 19-Nov-2021 10:23

wratterus:

Both those notebooks would have m.2 NVMe SSDs I'd say. Both Windows Home. Ideally you want to remove all the Asus software, Windows will actually sort out most if not all of your drivers acceptably....most likely will work fine.

Installing the Acer Quick Access software will help with your function keys.

Windows 10 is very good at changing hardware without freaking out. Only issue would be if your Acer has a 'VMD Controller' enabled in the BIOS. You would most likely need to change that to AHCI mode. Bit of a trick to that as the setting is hidden. Yell out if you want a hand.

Cheers for that. I was hoping that it would just be a case of installing it and making sure the current HDD was still set to be the boot disk then I'd be able to navigate around and access all the files.

1101

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#2815610 19-Nov-2021 10:33

Lethal29:

I just really need to be able to access the files off it to copy some over to an external HDD and then will be putting it back into the other laptop to send away for repair. I don't need to boot off it or anything, just access the files.

BTW, opening the laptop to access the HD , you risk loosing any warranty .

Attatch the HD to a USB-NVMe adaptor . Plug the USB into a good PC, copy off your files.
Easiest way.

Otherwise the repair tech can copy the required files to a USB for you . Thats the best option.
opening up a Laptop isnt allways an easy task . Dont try unless you are very confident with your tech skills .

Mighty Ape

Shop now at Mighty Ape (affiliate link).

Lethal29

65 posts

Master Geek

#2815615 19-Nov-2021 10:46

1101:

Lethal29:

I just really need to be able to access the files off it to copy some over to an external HDD and then will be putting it back into the other laptop to send away for repair. I don't need to boot off it or anything, just access the files.

BTW, opening the laptop to access the HD , you risk loosing any warranty .

Attatch the HD to a USB-NVMe adaptor . Plug the USB into a good PC, copy off your files.
Easiest way.

Or use a bootable USB with Linux or some other recovery software to directly access the original files on the original laptop . That way you wont need to open the laptop.

Otherwise the repair tech can copy the required files to a USB for you . Thats the best option.
opening up a Laptop isnt allways an easy task . Dont try unless you are very confident with your tech skills .

Is there an adaptor that will allow you to connect an SSD externally then?

Something like this? https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/SEVOEM0254/OEM-USB-30-to-M2-SSD-NGFF-Converter-Adapter-with-E

Actually, that appears to not work for PCIe

1101

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#2816951 22-Nov-2021 10:24

Lethal29:

Is there an adaptor that will allow you to connect an SSD externally then?

Something like this? https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/SEVOEM0254/OEM-USB-30-to-M2-SSD-NGFF-Converter-Adapter-with-E

Actually, that appears to not work for PCIe

yes . many different types. Depends on exactly what hardware the drive is .
yes , Ive used a similar thing to that one in your link
Huh ? whats PCIe got to do with it ? its USB .

fe31nz

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#2817376 23-Nov-2021 02:19

1101:

Lethal29:

Is there an adaptor that will allow you to connect an SSD externally then?

Something like this? https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/SEVOEM0254/OEM-USB-30-to-M2-SSD-NGFF-Converter-Adapter-with-E

Actually, that appears to not work for PCIe

yes . many different types. Depends on exactly what hardware the drive is .
yes , Ive used a similar thing to that one in your link
Huh ? whats PCIe got to do with it ? its USB .

That PB Tech adapter only takes B key M.2 SSDs, so usually only SATA. An M key M.2 SSD is normally NVMe or in other words a direct PCIe bus connection. There are adaptors for M key devices, but you generally want to use a faster USB interface with them - USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbit/s) or better, and even then the SSD will be running very slowly if it is a modern PCIe 4.0 version. I have a WD SN850 rated at 7000 Mbytes/s read speed, so that would need 56 Gbit/s to run it full speed. You would need more than even a USB 4.0 port to do that.