Setting up warranty replaced NUC with M.2 SSD from Old NUC

[DPers1]

My old NUC7i5 is being replaced under warranty and I'm expecting a new one to arrive this coming week (problem on the NUC was no video out at all).

The Old NUC originally had a 1TB HDD and 16GB Optane( that I had replaced with a Samsung EVO Pro 970 256GB M.2 SSD that is/was in good working order with Windows 10Pro installed and upgraded from Home to Pro).

When I returned the NUC Intel asked me to reinstall the Optane and return the unit as it was originally shipped. I'm expecting an Optane bootable NUC with windows 10 Home edition back from Intel. So here is my questions

Can I install the EVO SSD on the new machine and boot up directly from my Old setup(I plan to do all driver updates on the new NUC before I do anything else) is there any reason why it would not boot?

For Windows Authentication I think my Pro edition is valid for 5 PC's so should I upgrade the New PC first with The same Pro key or should I downgrade the Windows on the M.2 SDD using the Key on the New one and then update with my Pro Key?

I had UEFI mode in BIOS on the old machine so changed nothing there when installing the EVO.

[LeonWaksman]

1. You should be able to boot from your Samsung EVO Pro 970 256GB M.2 SSD  with Windows 10 Pro in your NUC, however the activation will be not valid any more, since the new NUC (with Optane) is probably activated for Windows 10 Home addition. Follow instruction how to reactivate Windows 10 after a hardware change: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change . I also believe that if your Pro licence is valid for 5 PC's you may open Windows Settings > Update & Security > Activation and after clicking on "Change Product Key", you will be able to reactivate the new NUC with the Pro Key.
2. There is an other thing you should be aware. In addition to have UEFI mode in Bios enabled, Also the SATA mode in Bios (Advanced > Device > SATA) is set to RST in order to work with Optane Memory. Usually to work without Optane Memory , this mode is set to AHCI.
3. If in your old NUC after installing the Samsung EVO Pro 970 this mode was changed to AHCI, you should change the setting in BIOS to AHCI after removing the Optane memory and before installing the Samsung SSD, otherwise you will damage your Windows boot. If the SATA mode in the old NUC was RST, you may install the Samsung SSD without changing to AHCI mode.
4. One important thing more. Before uninstalling the Optane memory, disable Optane acceleration first. This you may do from Optane software, running in your new NUC.

Leon

[DPers1]

Leon,

Thank you for your reply.

I also was set to try the way you are describing in section 1.

I cannot remember how I set up the the OLD NUC when I uninstalled Optane I remember disabling Optane and uninstalling the Optane software and then removing the hardware but I cannot for my life remeber in I changed anything in BIOS before installing the EVO SSD. I know I did a clean install on the EVO and it resulted in three partitions two small ones and one for windows if that's any hint. A little guy sitting on my right shoulder says AHCI rings a bell...but not very loud.......

If i set it to AHCI before installing the EVO in the M.2 slot will the result be damaged boot also if it previously was installed using RST?

When you say damage windows boot do you mean that I will have to format the EVO and do a clean install?

Dennis

[DPers1]

Leon,

One more thing, I decided to create a bootable USB/ISO for a clean install should that be necessary(on a very OLD PC that I'm using while I wait for my replacement)

Im using a USB stick that I've used on my Old NUC and using RUFUS to create the image. So I've used this to do a clean install before.

RUFUS detects the following about mu USB stick.

Has GPT Partition Scheme

UEFI (non CSM) Target System

I'm not sure if this info can point you towards anything useful regarding my BIOS setting?

Dennis

[LeonWaksman]

Hi Dennis,

No, it doesn't indicate on SATA mode. It's indicates UEFI Bios.

Leon

[LeonWaksman]

1. First off all, do not forget to disable Optane in the new NUC (before removing the Optane module). you will get with Optane installed and enabled.
2. There is possibility to clean Windows installation in SATA RST mode, however the AHCI is the preferred mode. The disk partitions looks the same.
3. If you will boot your SSD with Windows installed in RST mode and BIOS set to AHCI you will loose your installation.
4. However, the Windows will not be damaged as result of SATA mode change if you boot once in SAFA mode. Follow my instruction how to do this.
5. After removing the Optane module (and before installing the Samsung SSD), boot into Bios settings.
6. Press F9 followed by "Y", to set Bios default settings.
7. Open Advanced > Devices> SATA and verify or set SATA mode to AHCI. Press F10 confirmed by "Y" to save settings and exit from Bios.
8. Now install your SSD and power ON your NUC. Repeatably press on F8, you should enter Windows Recovery Environment (Advanced Menu).
9. Click on Troubleshoot and then on Advanced Option.
10. Now click on Command Prompt.
11. At Command Prompt write command: bcdedit /set {default} safeboot minimal and press enter to execute this command
12. Close the Command Prompt window by clicking the X in the upper right corner of the Command Prompt window.
13. Select Continue and sign in to Windows (disregard warning)
14. While in Windows, press Windows key + r. Run msconfig
15. Chose Boot tab and uncheck Safe boot. Reboot your system. 

Leon

[DPers1]

Thank you Leon for those detailed instructions. I will follow them to a tee.

Now I will wait for the NUC, hopefully here by midweek.

Will update when all is done and dusted.

Again Thanks a lot for your time and effort.

Dennis

[LeonWaksman]

You may exercise this procedure on your old PC>

Leon

[DPers1]

Leon

I'm not sure if we have a misunderstanding here my SSD is an Samsung EVO 970 Pro M.2 SSD its not a SATA ssd.

It goes into the same slot as the Optane memory.

I do not have an M.2 slot on my old computer............

Dennis

[LeonWaksman]

Hi Dennis,

1. I know, Samsung EVO 970 Pro M.2 SSD its not a SATA drive, it is NVMe drive installed in NUC M.2 slot.
2. When I wrote "You may exercise this procedure on your old PC", I meant that you may exercise (if you wish) how to boot into SAFE mode after entering command in Command Prompt (i.e. after reaching Advanced Menu by pressing F8, you may execute paragraphs 9 trough 15 from my post above).

Leon

[DPers1]

Leon,

Got you, the misunderstanding was mine :o)

Dennis

[DPers1]

OK i got my NUC back, I tried to boot it but it came up with a green screen. Checked Bios and SATA was set to AHCI(maybe they did that over at intel because they new about my SSD and figured I would put it back?

Anyhow removed Optane and installed Samsung EVO and it booted up in my windows!!!

Had to reactivate my windows(new Hardware) and also reset my PIN.

I Formatted the 1GB HDD so there is nothing on it.

Now I have one irritating thing left and that is, I cannot remove Any device from the UEFI and legacy BOOT Priority list and sometime depending on what I'M doing (boot from USB for example) it switches the UEFI priority devices

I have the Samsung on top and I guess its the 1TB drive below but when the 1TB drive ends up on top I get green screen(you cant boot from an empty device)

How can I remove the device in BIOS?

[LeonWaksman]

1. The Legacy boot is disabled if Secure Boot in bios is enabled. Disable the Secure Boot and you will be able to boot from legacy USB.
2. I'm not following you what you mean by saying "How can I remove the device in BIOS?". To change boot priority in bios, you may drag the devices up and down.
3. If you have in boot menu some device that is not yours, that probably because this NUC you get was refurbished and you see some old non existent items. See this video showing how you can clean them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=255ltqk7xDM&app=desktop

Leon

[DPers1]

Leon,

I fixed it, the 1TB HDD still had a Boot partition on it so I used AOMEI Partition Manager(they also have a great backup/restore solution, both have a free version) to remove it and with that the drive disappeared from boot options in UEFI.

Thank you for all your help

From a happily up and running

Dennis