Upgrading to a Samsung M.2 SSD on a Lenovo

[McWho113]

Hey I just wanted to post this on here in case someone runs into the same problems I did so to make it easier when they do a Google search to hopefully find this forum in this thread.

 

I have a Lenovo y700 and wanted to upgrade to a SSD.

 

Step one Putting the SSD in the computer Was really easy there's actually some good YouTube videos. But when I turned on the computer right clicked on the start menu and went to "disk management" and it was not listed..

 

So then I had to go into the "bios" here is a easy explanation at this link.

 

https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Lenovo-P-Y-and-Z-series/Y700-enter-BIOS-bootmanager/td-p/2273743..

 

Once in the "bios" screen it still wasn't displayed so you have to go over to the boot tab and changed the type to "Legacy" and then the one under it to "Legacy First". Then go back to the info screen and it's there!? After that go back and turn off Legacy (like it was before) but save changes and boot it up... Boom ssd is available! Weird.

 

Next Boot into Windows, go to "Disk Management", create & format (GPT).

 

This is where I ran into more issues... Was with the Data Migration Software, which will do all the work for you, even making the M.2 the boot drive.

 

What DIDNT WORK! The free program from Samsung didn't work it migrated but the computer would NOT boot from the new SSD and I had a repeating blue screen where I had to go back into "bios" and switch start up BACK to the older "HHD"

 

WHAT WORKED!! I purchased to $20 "paragon software"

 

https://www.paragon-software.com/technologies/components/migrate-OS-to-SSD/.

 

Make sure you read the instructions and the trouble shooting guide. Once installed I thought it froze because it displayed 0% for a few hours but after about 4 hours it worked. And did an amazing job! It actually named the new SSD as the "C" drive (so then no "steam" migration or anything was needed!) and renamed the HHD as the "E" drive.

 

I hope this helps anyone who finds it! It took me hours of searching all over the web.