Y410p Cache Drive Question

Hey all,

If you have read some of my previous Y410p issues, I've finally got it diagnosed. Essentially, the cache drive had errors in it and it ended up screwing up the new SSD that I installed. Canada Computers was able to wipe everything and do a clean install of Windows 8 on the SSD (Samsung EVO). I just had two questions.

1) Could I replace the default cache drive with a 128 GB SSD M.2 2242 NGFF SSD? If yes, do you think I could install the OS on it and leave it as an operating system drive? Then use my Samsung 840 EVO as my main drive? If that's the case, would it show as two drives in my system and would I still be able to store things on it? (I know the cache drive originally didn't show as anything unless you opened up IRT program).

2) I've read from some other threads that it's the longer M.2 NGFF while some are showing the shorter one. Personally, I've opened mine up and it looks quite short. I'm assuming it's the 2242 NGFF vs. the 2280. Can someone verify?

I hope that you guys can help clarify some of these things for me. I'm finding that my 256 SSD is a bit lacking in space and I'm also wondering what would happen if I used the original 1 TB HD as a storage unit. Would speed decrease when accessing that drive? (ie. installing games or copying pictures/music/videos to it?)

Thanks in advance,
Alvin

 

1. Yes
2. M.2 2242

 

Thanks for the reply. Just a follow up though, regarding installing the OS on the M.2, could I dedicate half of that to the OS and then the other half for general storage?

And do you have an answer for the third part of my post?

 

Sure, you can partition it however you want.

If you're asking whether an HDD is slower than an SSD, well ofc it is.

 

I know that the SSD is faster. I just never had a system with both HDD and SSD inside the computer. Ergo, I'm unsure if it will adversely affect the system performance and if it's just better to run dual SSD on it.

In addition, for the M.2 to operate as a regular drive instead of a cache drive, is there anything I have to do differently? Or will it operate as a secondary drive regardless of whether or not it's in the M.2 slot.

 

Data on the HDD will be accessed slower that's all. Just install OS on the SSD.

You have to format and partition it. If you're installing Windows on it that will be done automatically.

 

So I can format it to be a regular drive. If I install Windows, it'll automatically partition that portion and the other part of the drive will be used like a regular one. Gotcha.

 

I'm not sure what you're asking. The way you word your questions confuses the hell out of me.

 

Nevermind. I'm just confused because the M.2 is supposed to be a cache drive but because I'm still new to this stuff, I'm not sure if it can be used as a regular drive instead of a cache one.

 

You shouldn't be using the cache drive to install Windows on though. 24GB after formatting is only 22.4 GB in Windows which is not enough for the OS installation and all the updates. Not to mention a tiny drive like that is slow as fuark for an SSD. I thought you were getting a 128GB M.2. See this is why I get confused.

 

I'm purchasing a 128GB M.2 and I want to install the OS on that drive. In addition, since there will be excess space, I want to see if the other half can be used as a regular drive.

 

Ofc it can be. Your programs and data will go in the Program Files folders and user libraries (which default to the OS partition) just like on your 840 EVO. Although ideally you should be installing OS on your fastest drive which is the 840. Then use the remaining space on that and the M.2 for programs and data.

 

That might make sense. So you're suggesting to just leave the OS on the 840 EVO and then just use the M.2 as a secondary drive for programs. Makes sense.

 

Yeah, and it'll save you some work too. If the new M.2 doesn't show up in Explorer after popping it in the laptop, it's a 128GB block of unallocated space and needs to be partitioned and formatted as NTFS.

 

Sounds good. Thanks for your help!

 

So I've plugged it in and it doesn't show up. How do I partition/format?

 

1. Open the Start Menu, type diskpart, press Enter
2. Type list disk, press Enter
3. Type select disk X (where X is the number your drive shows up as), press Enter
4. Type clean, press Enter
5. Type create partition primary, press Enter
6. Type format fs=ntfs quick, press Enter
7. Type assign, press Enter
8. Type exit, press Enter

 

Thanks. Just clarifying that it'll be the disk with 0 free space correct?

 

Idk, look at the size of the disk to figure out which one it is.

Uninstall ExpressCache too if you haven't done so.

 

hahah that's my problem. They're both the same size.

 

Nevermind. Plugged my external and some flash drives and figure it out. It was the one that had full free space

Thanks! Got myself a second drive!