The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Envy 17 3200 mSata capacity restriction?

    Discussion in 'HP' started by LTBonham, Jul 11, 2012.

  1. LTBonham

    LTBonham Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    182
    Messages:
    347
    Likes Received:
    52
    Trophy Points:
    41
    Hey guys,

    I have the HP Envy 17 3200 and want to add an msata drive. I noticed that HP only lists compatibility with a 80 or 128 gb msata drive.

    I assume that I could put a larger one in, but am not sure. I would like to buy something like this one on newegg.

    Anyone try putting in a larger msata yet?

    Thanks!
     
    LTBonham, Jul 11, 2012
    #1
  2. AU4U

    AU4U Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    85
    Messages:
    377
    Likes Received:
    47
    Trophy Points:
    41

    You can put any size you want into the slot (I'm a girl, no pun intended), it supports SATA III and is backwards compatible with SATA II.
    Generally, the mSATA slot is used as the boot drive by HP configuration.
    Intel products will give you the Data Migration Tool, it makes the setup as easy as possible. They also have the SSD Toolbox, this is highly recommended.

    Intel has a host of free tools available: Utility Tools

    I will caution you on Firmware Updates, Intel is the ONLY one that you do not have to BU, wipe, update and reinstall your OS, if a firmware update becomes available.
     
    AU4U, Jul 11, 2012
    #2
  3. shrike4242

    shrike4242 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    66
    Messages:
    166
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    So, the mSATA can only be used as a boot drive and never a cache drive?

    I know the DV7-7000 seems to behave differently to have the mSATA work as a cache drive, though I wanted to use a 60GB mSATA drive as cache for a 1TB 2.5" HDD and a 256GB 2.5" SSD as boot.
     
    shrike4242, Jul 11, 2012
    #3
  4. AU4U

    AU4U Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    85
    Messages:
    377
    Likes Received:
    47
    Trophy Points:
    41
    DV7 has a different Bios/mobo that allows for the caching, if you want to load the DV7 Bios into your Envy 17,,,,,good luck..........
     
    AU4U, Jul 11, 2012
    #4
  5. shrike4242

    shrike4242 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    66
    Messages:
    166
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Wasn't going to take that step of course, though I wanted to make sure I did hear that correctly before putting it off the table as option.

    Not sure if they'll fix it going forward, though I'm not too worried about it for the moment.
     
    shrike4242, Jul 11, 2012
    #5
  6. LTBonham

    LTBonham Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    182
    Messages:
    347
    Likes Received:
    52
    Trophy Points:
    41
    Thanks for the help. I am pretty excited to put a drive like that in the msata (large enough for my games), and still have room for 2 x 1tb drives to use as storage for work.
     
    LTBonham, Jul 12, 2012
    #6
  7. AU4U

    AU4U Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    85
    Messages:
    377
    Likes Received:
    47
    Trophy Points:
    41
    AU4U, Jul 12, 2012
    #7
  8. LTBonham

    LTBonham Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    182
    Messages:
    347
    Likes Received:
    52
    Trophy Points:
    41
    Not that I know of. Interesting though.

    I was just hoping to have a good sized SSD for myself, along with massive storage on the 2 other drives for work/backup stuff.
     
    LTBonham, Jul 12, 2012
    #8