New Dell XPS 9550 Need Help!

Hell I am new to the forum. After all day talking to Dell I need some help. It would be much appreciated.
Please forgive any technical errors I am somewhat tech savvy but not a pro.

I purchased my Dell xps 9550 as a certified refurbished. I received it this morning via Fedex.

It is the i5 32GB SSD + 1TB HD version.

First I transferred the warranty into my name. Then I proceeded to download all the updates from the Dell website and nvdia.
-Applications
-Firmware
-Bios
Etc.

I went to move files from my old computer which were stored on a usb to my new XPS. I got the message "not enough space". I figure I just moved everything to the wrong spot. Not so.....

I was confused and began to investigate. Apparently the dell people or the previous owner installed the OS (windows 10) onto the 32gb SSD and not onto the 1TB hard drive. Current my C: says "OS" and 1.64 gb remaining of 28.7gb and D: Is "DataPart1" with 923gb remaining out of 931gb.

I called Dell and they remote controlled my computer to download the Windows media tool installer in order to do a fresh install of windows 10 onto the HDD instead of the SSD. After selecting windows 10 for a different PC It begins detecting to check for space. Now Media Installer thinks there is not enough space. It would not even let me choose USB as an option. Dell guy sounded confused.

Dell proceeded to take my address in order to ship me the W10 file loaded onto a usb drive. Sounded good to me but I have work to do and need my computer asap.

I don't have time to wait a week to wait so I fire up my old laptop with busted screen and hook the HDMI cable up to the TV so I can download the Windows 10 ISO for USB onto my flash drive I have (16gb). Get it installed and ready to go.

I take the USB and plug it into the new XPS and try to install a fresh Windows 10. It lets me choose the D: drive during the install but still says I need 3+ gbs of space on the C: drive to install. STUCK AGAIN! Wont let me continue. Tells me to free up space on C:?

Now I am ready to tear my hair out.

What do I DO? These are my questions.....

1. I am assuming I will have to load a fresh windows from the boot up by pressing F12 and load from the usb from there?

2. Will the bootloader still be detecting C: which is the SSD as the primary drive and want more space? Will the SSD be set as primary for future installs of software?

2a. Can I fix this by formatting the drives and reassigning which is seen first?

3. Will I end up with two windows 10 on two drives? Is that bad?

4. Will any of this affect my XPS ability to use the 32gb SSD as a cache as it is intended to do?

5. Should I just buy a 250gb Samsung 850 Evo SSD and do this http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...windows-10-after-m-2-nvme-ssd-upgrade.787420/ ?

6. Please help. I know some of this maybe irrelevant or not technically correct but like I said I am not a pro.

Thank you in advance

Joe

 

If you need an immediate solution ASAP to get work done, remove the 32gb SSD and do a clean windows install on the 1tb HDD. It will be slow, but if you absolutely need a working computer ASAP, this is the fastest way to get you one without the additional complexity of dealing with enabling SSD caching.

If you want a long-term solution, buy a 256gb or 512gb Samsung 850 EVO M.2 SSD. Put it in place of your 32GB SSD, and do a clean windows install on that.

Using your 32GB SSD as a cache for your 1TB drive isn't really worth it. It isn't going to be much faster than a straight mechanical HDD. The only reason that SSD caching made sense in the past was because true high capacity SSDs were relatively expensive. Now, you can easily find fast SSDs for $0.30/GB or cheaper, so there really isn't any reason to NOT just use a true SSD.

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

 

https://www.dell.com/support/article/au/en/audhs1/SLN147923/en

 

Kent-

Thank you for the reply

It is not life or death to get work done but it would help.

If I go pick up a 850 EVO M.2 SSD tomorrow I could have it up and running pretty quick. Cache info was informative thank you.

Is the 850 EVO m.2 SSD all one size?

WIll the link to the guide I posted be sufficient to get the job done?
http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...windows-10-after-m-2-nvme-ssd-upgrade.787420/

Thank you very much

 

Is that link for if and when I install windows 10 fresh on the HDD? Will the OS still remain on the SSD?

 

I think I will just pick up a 850 evo m.2 and start fresh and faster. Is this the thread for me??
http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/xps15-9550-4945-32gb-cache-ssd-upgrade.787418/

 

No this is how you are meant to add a cache drive apparently, never tried it myself.

Best idea you had all day
See my other reply about using my ISO.

 

Gonzo
The iso part is where I get a little lost. Is it a custom w10 installation file? Like has all the drivers included?
I know this must be annoying for you guys since I am kinda a newb but I really appreciate the help.

Should I just follow the instructions on page 5 of that thread above?

Thanks
Joe

 

Yes that is the thread to use. Use the info I posted on Post #3 of that thread.

To get to your other question... The Samsung 850 EVO M.2 drive comes in multiple capacities. You will want 256GB or 512GB capacity. 256GB will be more than enough for you for the lifetime of that laptop. But if you're a heavy gamer, and do a lot of game installs, then a 512GB drive makes more sense.

When you do the Windows re-inatall, pay special attention to the part in my guide where I advise you to remove the mechanical HDD (and leave only the SSD in the syatem) during the Windows re-inatall process.


Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

 

Gonzo
I see the custom iso reply now thanks.

 

Ken
Later on in that install guide thread someone does this with an 850 evo m.2. But I am confused as to what is different in the process between using a 850 evo m.2 and a SSD with nvme like the original install guide is meant for.

 

Very little difference.

You probably will not need to do the step where you put Intel storage drivers on a flash drive to use during the Windows installation process. But beyond that, the steps are pretty much just plain-vanilla windows reinstall steps that would work for just about any laptop.

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

 

Don't need to do that with my ISO, it's already integrated so it won't even ask for it.

 

Thanks again guys

Heading to micro center to pick up the 850 evo. Hopefully they will do a price match.

Gonzo I will use your XPS Home ISO thank you I can figure out how to download it! haha

One last thing, Gonzo, does your iso use the newest 1.1.19 Bios update?

If not and I update to that new BIOS will it mess anything up with the AHCI setting?

 

BIOS updates nothing to do with windows m8, install that before you do the drive swap!

 

I did the BIOS update yesterday when all this came to light so I should be good right?

I am downloading the Iso on mega through my browser

Once it is done downloading I just move it over to the USB right and it is bootable?

 

Update-
After a little reading it appears I use the ISO to create a bootable USB. I downloaded rufus to do this...?

newb here . really have no clue how to use this iso. media creation tool? rufus ?
Update-

I have rufus running, Iso downloaded, usb drive in.

What settings do the rufus drop down tabs have to be set to?

Partition
File System
Cluster

would love to use your iso gonzo just need a little guidance to get it on the usb

 

Leave all of those settings in place. They all look fine for what you are trying to do.

MBR partition
FAT32 file system
Default cluster size.


Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

 

To make sure it uses EFI and secure boot select GPT partition scheme, otherwise those settings look fine.

 

Something is wrong. I did the Kent guide way and it didnt work would not load the ISO. Did Gonzos way from page 5 of the original thread (legacy off secure on hdd plugged in) It is not recognizing the SSD. It sees the SSD but says it is unusable. "the selected disk has a MBR partition table. On EFI systems Windows can only be installed onto GPT disks". It is listed as "drive 0"

I was only able to get the windows install to start after I left legacy off (it was greyed out anyway and could not select?) and secure on thats when my only option was to install onto the hdd not the ssd.

I am going to redo the iso again with rufus onto the usb

Any thoughts?

 

trying rufus with mbr for uefi setting instead of gpr

 

is it possible to put the ssd in upside down ?
the samsung manual had the Samsung label facing up for installation ?

 

Use Legacy BIOS mode (and not UEFI).
Turn Secure Boot OFF.

 

Delete the partitions 1st. Sorry I never thought to suggest this.
Also if it doesn't show the drive you may need to reset the BIOS to default, I had this myself on this 4th laptop, the other 3 were fine.

 

Well I think it is fixed. I hope
Kent
I could not get Legacy on it was "greyed" out and not selectable

Secure boot was on and HD was plugged in.

I put the SSD in the other way (samsung label down) and redid the rufus iso. I set the rufus to "MBR for uefi" and put gonzos iso back on the usb after a quick format. Windows is now installed and on the new SSD and working. I can see both drives and they are working. New programs are being installed onto the ssd.

Everything is very fast and seems to be working.

Is there anything I need to check to make sure that everything is good and installed or set the way it should be?

I did get one message during the installation process

"Alert! The AC adapter wattage and type cannot be determined. The battery may not charge. The system will adjust performance to match the power available. Note: This warning can be disabled in BIOS setup."

The only thing that seems strange is that the fan seems like it is running a lot? Almost like it is not even turning off? Is this bad?

You guys have been a great help you saved me..... I hope

 

If it works, it works. Nice job getting through this!

As for the fan... not unexpected for it to be on a lot during the initial installation process of Windows. After the install, your computer is going to be busy doing a lot of "stuff"... such as installation of programs, automatically downloading / applying patches, etc. Just let everything settle down for a day, make sure you have the latest drivers downloaded and installed off of Dell's support page, and you should be ok.

 

why the fkin hell did samsung make a m.2 drive that can be installed upside down!

at least the ones I saw (NVMe) are keyed on one side only!

 

So guys, is it MBR or GPT? What type should I use? On the other hand, Joe, did you set AHCI/RAID ?

 

Maybe my case is different, I just have one SSD 512GB

 

GPT for a true EFI install.

 

i set to ahci.

fan has slowed down since everything is done.

mbr option on rufus was two choices. one said for efi.

laptop is lightning fast right now. everything seems good.

thanks for everyone's help

sorry about the lower case.... damn ipad air

 

we prefer it to caps, and even on the Dell the shift key means using my little finger!

 

Hi Kent and Gonzo, Thanks for all of your help. I just ordered M.2 850 EVO 512GB and I plan to install a 512Gb SSD together on my Dell XPS. I will follow all of your steps here but I want to raid both the drives. No cache. I just want to see one drive on my system. Will I have to do anything different? Sorry for posting so much but I just want help too

 

You can't raid them. Simple as.