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Crucial MX300 m.2 windows install

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klear

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2002
I'm trying to help my friend install windows 10 on an M.2 Crucial MX300. The bios sees the drive, but windows 10 installation does not. Crucials support site doesn't have the MX300 on it yet. Anyone have any ideas on how to get windows setup to detect the m.2 drive?

Tried the stuff in this thread: http://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1236&title=how-to-install-windows-on-a-pcie-ssd
Setting CSM to Disabled causes the drive to not be seen in the bios or windows setup
Setting CSM to Enabled and Legacy OpROM to UEFI Only the drive is seen in the bios but not windows setup

This drive:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820156153

This motherboard:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157634
 
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Tried lots of stuff, crucials compatibility thing doesn't show their m.2 drives for this motherboard and asrocks storage compatibility list doesn't list this SSD. I didn't know there were compatibility concerns with m.2 drives. It just bugs me that it is detected properly in the bios but not by windows setup.
 
Yeah, booting from UEFI USB. The motherboard says it supports m.2 SATA and PCI-E drives, but not specifically the MX300.
 
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Taking a look at the parts I think the drive and board are incompatible. Look at the connection on the drive. and then look at these two off the list .http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...gclid=CNbKy_Pk5s8CFQmUaQod0AEN1A&gclsrc=aw.ds http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...gclid=CIKc86Tl5s8CFQuLaQod5SwAGQ&gclsrc=aw.ds
These two drives are called "M" connection, which I found is important when selecting drives. I tried the same type as you in my board initially and it wouldn't work swapped it for the sammy 950 (M type) pro and lit right up.

560px-M2_Edge_Connector_Keying.svg.png
 
Interesting... I wonder why, if it isn't compatible, it recognizes it in the BIOS. Is that the same behavior your system displayed Johan?

What does the manual say the board accepts key wise?
 
Mine and I think most sockets accept all three. I don't recall if I could see it in the BIOS or not. I spent a lot of time messing with it( Samsung 950 evo) . Returned it and got the PRO which was on the compatibility list and it worked without a problem. One thing though my manual did specify it only accepted the "M" type. This was the Giga X99 Champ
 
Just took a closer look at the slot on his board and it's the "M" type.
 
As far as I read (from my link above), the only difference is the amount of PCIe lanes. It fits in the slot and should be compatible. I am not sure what the problem is exactly, but, it should work. B and M mixed is specifically for compatibility reasons. ;)

I vote for the dude to update his BIOS and see if that helps for whatever reason.

That is also a SATA based M.2 drive...(look at its rated speeds)
 
I understand that but it could just be a limit in the board/card. The B type use different busses than the M type. If the card is rated to run through USB/sata and the board runs through PCIe then...........
My board disables the sata capability on some headers if an M.2 is present but it runs through PCIe I'm assuming it disables them to open up the bandwidth on PCIe
 
M.2 slot on the board runs both SATA and PCIe so it should work. Its intent was for compatibility reasons... though that doesn't mean it still can't be compatible either, LOL!

Some boards disable physical sata ports (not SATA mode on the m.2) for the M.2 to have full bandwidth, yes.

Also, the slot pinout...(green circles are not mine): ngffpinout.png
 
Just found this here
The B+M keys on an M.2 SSD allow for cross-compatibility on various motherboards as long as the appropriate SSDs protocol is supported (SATA or PCIe). Some motherboard host connectors may be designed only to accommodate M-key SSDs, while others may only accommodate B-key SSD. The B+M keys SSD was designed to address this issue; however, plugging in an M.2 SSD into a socket will not guarantee it will work, as that will depend on having a shared protocol between the M.2 SSD and the motherboard.
 
Like I said as soon as I swapped my M+B for an M type it lit right up. my board only supported PCIe.
With luck a new BIOS will work but I wouldn't count on it.
 
Shouldn't need any driver for Win10, I only encounter that on Win7
 
on my extreme 9 board I had to format the m2 in the sata, m2 socket then move it to the other socket for the install, win 10 went right on.
 
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