Add an additional SSD to Windows PC

[Ruko]

I have a Windows 10 PC with an internal 128 GIG SSD. It has an empty plug in slot for another SSD right next to it. I would like to add a 512 GIG SSD. Can I just plug the new drive into the slot like plugging in a thumb drive and will the computer recognize it? Or do I have to prepare the computer somehow?
Thanks

 

[davehc]

I am far from being an expert on the subject, but, that is all I have needed to do on several different models.

 

[Wolfie]

Hi Ruko,

assuming that AHCI is up and running (should be because you have already an SSD on board), it will see the drive and add a drive letter to it!. Double check in BIOS/UEFI if your computer didn't originally come with an SSD but an older IDE drive!. Switch ACHI on if it isn't already.

 

[davehc]

Learning experience for me. Would those xtra steps (AHCI etc) be necessary, as he apparently already has one SSD installed already?
I honestly don't recall , of recent years, ever having a case of mixing HDs with SSDs, so, possibly because of that, I have never had to change any settings??

 

[Wolfie]

Learning experience for me. Would those xtra steps (AHCI etc) be necessary, as he apparently already has one SSD installed already?

Hi Dave,

if it was originally an IDE drive and he didn't switch it on (AHCI) in BIOS/UEFI, he will have problems later like slowness and/or; response times will lag!. Further, it will deplete the life of the SSD!.

 

[davehc]

Ok. He says it already has an SSD.

 

[Wolfie]

I forgot to mention, if the drive isn't showing in My PC, open Disk Management and see if the drive is unformatted (unallocated space), if it is, format the drive and then it should work!.

 

[Tim Locke]

As Dave says, should be just about plug and play and I think that Wolfie's step with disk management is all that is required. If the PC already has an SSD it will be a SATA machine. Plug it in, reboot and off to disk management.

 

[Rich-M]

Do what post # 7 states and it will work perfectly Ruko.

 

[AdrianG001]

I have a Windows 10 PC with an internal 128 GIG SSD. It has an empty plug in slot for another SSD right next to it. I would like to add a 512 GIG SSD. Can I just plug the new drive into the slot like plugging in a thumb drive and will the computer recognize it? Or do I have to prepare the computer somehow?
Thanks

You must format the drive (it ships blank without any file system on it). Does the drive show up in the Disk Management console? Right-click Computer, select Manage and to to "Disk Management" in the window that comes up. Look for an un-formatted drive and right-click, then select "new simple volume," follow the wizard to format the drive.

Adrian Gates
Sr. Cloud Expert - Apps4Rent

 

[StevenG]

I have a Windows 10 PC with an internal 128 GIG SSD. It has an empty plug in slot for another SSD right next to it. I would like to add a 512 GIG SSD. Can I just plug the new drive into the slot like plugging in a thumb drive and will the computer recognize it? Or do I have to prepare the computer somehow?
Thanks

What I would suggest, as an alternative to the other suggestions here is, that you copy the content of your 128GB SSD boot drive onto your new 512GB SSD drive and make it your boot drive. You can do this very easily with free data transfer software that will copy your 128GB SSD boot drive to your new 512GB SSD. If your new SSD drive is a Samsung you will be supplied with their ‘Data Migration’ software that only works on Samsung SSD drives or if you buy a ‘Crucial’ it will come with the ‘AcronisTrueImage2018’ (which is an excellent data transfer software for all SSD's) you will also need a ‘USB 3.0 to SATA Adapter Cable 22Pin’.

After you have copied your boot drive to your new 512GB SSD, install the 512GB drive (as the main drive c:\) or ‘basic’ drive then install the 128GB drive as your ‘Dynamic’ drive into the empty plug and reboot.

Once Windows 10 reboots > Go to Windows 10 logo (left side of task bar) Right Click > Disk Management > you will see that the 512GB SSD is your ‘Disk 0’ and your 218GB SSD is your ‘Disk 1’. Right click on ‘Disk 1’ and select ‘Format’ choose ‘Volume label’ and type in a desired name / ‘File system’ NTFS and ‘Allocation unit size’ default. That’s it, you’re done and now you have a larger boot drive and a slave SSD drive for your storage.

 

[Tim Locke]

A caveat here.
"After you have copied your boot drive to your new 512GB SSD, install the 512GB drive (as the main drive c:\) or ‘basic’ drive -----reboot the PC, shut down and-------then install the 128GB drive as your ‘Dynamic’ drive into the empty plug and reboot again"

I have seen PCs get very confused unless you do that extra boot step.

 

[StevenG]

A caveat here.
"After you have copied your boot drive to your new 512GB SSD, install the 512GB drive (as the main drive c:\) or ‘basic’ drive -----reboot the PC, shut down and-------then install the 128GB drive as your ‘Dynamic’ drive into the empty plug and reboot again"

I have seen PCs get very confused unless you do that extra boot step.

Yes, that could be the case but, if you reboot the OP with only the copied and new SSD drive (which I've done in my case) with an SSD 'Samsung EVO 850' and after that I installed my Hitachi 5200rpm (which was the original boot drive) as a slave, there wasn't any problems. In this case, the 'slave' drive (the 128 SSD) which should be formatted (as I've stated above) afterwards, should be ok and up and running with no problems.