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SSD upgrade for the GL552VW - Please help !

2Leonard2
Level 7
Hi everyone !

Thanks in advance for your help. So i bought a GL552VW-DH71, and i want to upgrade with an SSD as my main OS drive, but i can't seem to find definitive information on the type of SSD that will work... I'm hesitating between two models :

NVME : http://www.amazon.ca/Samsung-SM951-128GB-Solid-MZVPV128HDGM-00000/dp/B014FYUPVU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&q...

AHCI : http://www.amazon.ca/Samsung-SM951-128GB-AHCI-MZHPV128HDGM-00000/dp/B00VELD5D8/ref=pd_sim_147_5?ie=U...

One last quick question : After doing a clean windows install of the OS on the SSD (or a OS migration), i understand that i will need to remove the HDD to be able to boot from the newly installed SSD. Does this mean that i will need to format the HHD with an external hub in order to reinstall it in the laptop and use it as mass storage ? Thank you everyone so much for your help !
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Bootes
Level 7
I bought a GL552VW-DH71 a couple weeks ago and put a SATA m.2 Samsung 850 EVO in it and it works.

What I find confusing is the Asus store page for the the SSD model says "Ultra-fast m.2 PCIe SSD and 1TB HDD". Maybe someone else here knows what's going on with that.

I'm not sure about how to format it, but maybe booting to USB would do it. Before you format the old drive, search for your .icm files and save them because the current splendid files Asus has didn't have the the right ICC profiles and it won't install.

One last thing, the laptop didn't come with a screw for the m.2 ssd, but I found one that fit in a laptop screw kit.

I just read the m.2 ssd thread for GL752 and someone wrote that Canadian GL752 are pcie and U.S. models are sata III. Even though we have GL552's this is getting confusing. I now wonder if the GL552VW has two types of m.2 for different countries.

The conector type of sata 3 and PCI-E are different. I have a new GL552VW bought in Spain and i have a PCi-E x4 conector but the SSD i'm trying to boot is a SM951 NMVe and mi it doesn't show on the boot selection when i install windows10 x64.

Hello again ! Just to clarify, i want to add an ssd in the PCIe slot, not replace the HDD with a 2.5" SSD.

Surri76, so you're saying this model :
"http://www.amazon.ca/Samsung-SM951-256GB-Solid-MZVPV256HDGL-00000/dp/B015CWQY4Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450363048&sr=8-1&keywords=samsung+pcie+m.2"
Does not get recognized by the Bios ? In this case, i may try the AHCI model.

I just wish we had more information from those who successfully added an SSD in the PCIe slot of their GL552VW. Returning products is an assle and i'd love to buy the right SSD the first time.

Also, any suggestion on how to go about migrating the OS ? I'v seen multiple times people mentionning the need to make a clean install. Can i simply boot from HDD, copy my HDD partition to my SSD, then reboot from SSD and format the HDD ?

Finally, what are .icm files ?

Thanks a bunch !

cl-Albert
US Customer Loyalty Agent
Bootes wrote:
I just read the m.2 ssd thread for GL752 and someone wrote that Canadian GL752 are pcie and U.S. models are sata III. Even though we have GL552's this is getting confusing. I now wonder if the GL552VW has two types of m.2 for different countries.


Yes, I show the GL552VW can also use different motherboards to support either PCIE M.2 SSDs or SATA3 M.2 SSDs (but not both at the same time), so something that should be checked first.
Only seeing the GL552VW supporting SATA3 M.2 SSDs in the U.S. and Canada right now, but better to double-check the full GL552VW-xxxx model name to be sure in case I missed anything, or something changes later.
Thanks and sorry this couldn't be easier.

cl-Albert wrote:
Yes, I show the GL552VW can also use different motherboards to support either PCIE M.2 SSDs or SATA3 M.2 SSDs (but not both at the same time), so something that should be checked first.
Only seeing the GL552VW supporting SATA3 M.2 SSDs in the U.S. and Canada right now, but better to double-check the full GL552VW-xxxx model name to be sure in case I missed anything, or something changes later.
Thanks and sorry this couldn't be easier.


Hello Cl-Albert ! I opened up the GL552VW-DH71 that i have, and the connector looked like it was a PCIe connector : There was only one indentation.

According to what i saw, in this image (http://www.hwtools.net/jpg/Compatibility%20M.2%20SSD_M2P4A_1.png), the right connector would be the right one, so PCIe. That does not tell me if NVME or AHCI would work, tho.

I find it extremely disapointing and baffling that ASUS customer service can't even tell me what type of M.2 SSD my laptop is compatible with. I filled a ticket online (through e-mail) AND on the phone (through escalation), and, 3 days later, NO ONE replied.

cl-Albert
US Customer Loyalty Agent
2Leonard2 wrote:
Hello Cl-Albert ! I opened up the GL552VW-DH71 that i have, and the connector looked like it was a PCIe connector : There was only one indentation.

According to what i saw, in this image (http://www.hwtools.net/jpg/Compatibility%20M.2%20SSD_M2P4A_1.png), the right connector would be the right one, so PCIe. That does not tell me if NVME or AHCI would work, tho.

I find it extremely disapointing and baffling that ASUS customer service can't even tell me what type of M.2 SSD my laptop is compatible with. I filled a ticket online (through e-mail) AND on the phone (through escalation), and, 3 days later, NO ONE replied.


Hi 2Leonard2, fyi. Can't explain the M.2 connector that you have right now, but my information shows the GL552VW-DH71 is using SATA3 M.2 SSDs if it matters and Bootes reported installing a SATA M.2 SSD on your same model, so not sure if we can ask them or others who are using SATA3 M.2 SSDs on the GL552VW-DH71 to confirm the type of connector they have or provide a picture (unfortunately, don't have GL552VW units around to check right now)

Bootes wrote:
I bought a GL552VW-DH71 a couple weeks ago and put a SATA m.2 Samsung 850 EVO in it and it works.

cl-Albert wrote:
Hi 2Leonard2, fyi. Can't explain the M.2 connector that you have right now, but my information shows the GL552VW-DH71 is using SATA3 M.2 SSDs if it matters and Bootes reported installing a SATA M.2 SSD on your same model, so not sure if we can ask them or others who are using SATA3 M.2 SSDs on the GL552VW-DH71 to confirm the type of connector they have or provide a picture (unfortunately, don't have GL552VW units around to check right now)


But would'nt the SSD connectors have two indentations if it was a SATA m.2 connection ? Maybe Bootes could tell me. I bought the laptop from Newegg.ca, maybe the canadian models have PCIe connectors. Please clarify this for me : do PCIe slot have one or two identations ?

Bootes wrote:
I bought a GL552VW-DH71 a couple weeks ago and put a SATA m.2 Samsung 850 EVO in it and it works.


Hi Bootes ! Did you need any kind of kit to upgrade to the 850 EVO ? Like screws and cage and stuff like that ? Also, i assume you used an external hub to copy your HDD to the SSD before switching, right ?

Thanks !