Latitude 5590 SSD Upgrade

Question

I will be helping a friend replace the SSD in his Latitude 5590, Service Tag <To protect you, your private information was removed from public view. All private data was saved to your private Case. DELL-Admin>, and running Windows 11.  The laptop originally shipped with a 256,80S3,HYNIX,SC311 drive, but currently has a SanDisk SD7SN65-256G-1006 installed, both of which are, from my research, M.2 SATA SSDs.  My research also indicates that this laptop also supports NVMe drives.  I do not have the laptop with me, as it is currently out of country, and will be until it is brought to me for the SSD replacement.  I would like to get everything ready for the replacement before the laptop arrives.  So, here are my questions:  What drives does this laptop actually support?  Would I be better off sticking with an M.2 SATA SSD or switching to an NVMe SSD?  If it is feasible to switch to an NVMe drive, would the laptop need to be switched from RAID to AHCI in the BIOS, as some have suggested.  I have read that installing additional drivers may also be required.  I have looked at available M.2 SATAs and have found a Samsung 850 evo at a good price.  On the NVMe side,I have found older PM981 and SM961 drives available plus of course lots of newer SSDs.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Tesla1856 · Answer

Yeah, this question used to come-up quite a bit when upgrading drives. Especially after NVMe-SSDs started appearing (but using the same 2280 form-factor and same M.2 looking slot). Lots of talk about M.2 keying. There was often a discrepancy between the old/installed SSDs, and what the Dell manuals say (used to buy the new one).

Hopefully, you have some "test-spare-parts" M.2 SSDs of each type (SATA and NVMe) you can play with before buying his new one. I certainly would not buy anything without the machine in front of me,

Let me say it like this and then you can decide to proceed. In all my years, I've never seen a laptop (or desktop for that matter) with a M.2 SSD slot that handles both a SATA-SSD AND-ALSO a NVMe-SSD. In fact, if you think about it, it doesn't even make any sense (like why?).

So, when I hear of computers that can "run either from a M.2 slot" the only thing I can image is two separate slots.

Hope that helps. Let us know how it goes.

Tim_xyz · Answer

For what it's worth, I still have a couple of Lat 5300 2 in 1, so same 8th gen Intel based, and these run NVMe drives just fine, the spec did say they supported both though, so a combo slot, I presume.

You may want to check the storage spec for your Lat 5590, to see if both are listed as supported, but I agree with the previous comment that it's best to open it up when you have it back and check the slot type and just test it with a spare NVMe drive before committing to buy a new one, especially at current storage prices...

Tim_xyz · Answer

I see yours is a 7th gen Intel based, but the manual seems to imply both drive types https://dl.dell.com/content/manual60663934-latitude-5590-owners-manual.pdf?language=en-us, as in page 73: "Device Information: Displays Primary Hard Drive, M.2 SATA2, M.2 SATA, M.2 PCIe SSD-0"

Amusingly, specs list NVMe only on page 64, but you clearly run SATA based on the models you posted - got to love modern documentation....

petermuss · Answer

@Tallman69

switch to NVMe M.2 will be give you the best result.
Grab a NVMe to USB case and use Macrium Reflect X to clone the existing W11 installation to the NVMe.
Prepare a Macrium Reflect Rescue USB media from Macrium Reflect X.
Install the cloned NVMe to the 5590 and boot the laptop up. If you are running into a BSOD (Blue Screen of death)
boot from the USB rescue media and select "fix windows boot errors". Let the rescue media finish the job. Rebbot and have fun with a real fast 5590!

HTH

Peter

Tesla1856 · Answer

Well, even though I've never seen one in real-life, if I'm reading this right, it looks like dual-purpose M.2 slots (with appropriate keying) do exist.

Here is a link to an interesting recently-published article:

https://www.atpinc.com/blog/what-is-m.2-M-B-BM-key-socket-3

Notice the various conditions and limitations.

Tallman69 · Answer

This thread explains the process of switching from M.2 SATA to M.2 NVMe on a Latitude E7470.‎

E7470 SATA SSD M.2 VS M.2 NVMe | DELL Technologies

I was hoping I could find some more current information regarding the 5590, but it may be the same.

I just found this thread this morning.

‎Latitude E5470 didn't boot after an SSD replacement(Sorry if my english isn't that good) | DELL Technologies

petermuss · Answer

@Tallman69​  I gave you all Infos to switch from SATA to NVMe. Did you miss my post? https://www.dell.com/community/en/conversations/latitude/latitude-5590-ssd-upgrade/69952f0fb471f50d2f44f8f4?commentId=6995b73eb471f50d2f54c822

Tallman69 · Answer

@petermuss​  Thank you, Peter!  It will be several months before my friend is back in the States with his laptop, but I will be sure to update this thread and let you all know how it went.

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Latitude 5590 SSD Upgrade

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