Can I replace hard drive?

[TJure]

Hi, I'm running Intel Optane Memory 16GB with MSI B250 PRO-VDH. Can I replace (and how) my hard drive? What I should do?

[idata]

Hi tomtj,

If I understood you correctly, you would like to replace your current HDD with your Intel® Optane™ memory, right?

If that's the case, then I have to tell you that the purpose of the Intel® Optane™ memory is to accelerate a SATA drive rather than replace it. This means that you will keep using the HDD, but you will use the Intel® Optane™ memory to accelerate that drive by concatenating the module with the SATA drive.

I searched for your motherboard's model and I found (actually I found the model MSI B250M PRO-VDH, so I'm not sure if you missed the M when writing the post), from the manufacturer's website: https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/B250M-PRO-VDH.html Overview for B250M PRO-VDH | Motherboard - The world leader in motherboard design | MSI Global , that it's compatible with the Intel® Optane™ memory so I recommend you to check the following guide and video to know how to setup your Intel® Optane™ memory in your system:

• https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000023989/memory-and-storage/intel-optane-memory.html User Guide for Intel® Optane™ Memory
• https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000023884/memory-and-storage/intel-optane-memory.html Visual Resources for Intel® Optane™ Memory

I hope this information clarifies your concern, but if you still have questions, please feel free to post them here. I'll be more than happy to help you.

Have a nice day.

Regards,

Diego V.

[TJure]

Hi Diego,

My mistake, of course my motherboard's model is MSI B250M PRO-VDH. Everything works perfectly at the moment. I'm using Intel® Optane™ memory with my HDD. What I mean is if I need to replace my current HDD (SATA) for the new one, what I should do? Should I disable my Intel® Optane™ accelerate with application, reboot and replace HDD? I know that I will probably loss all my data. But I want to make sure is it all I need to do? Maybe I should also use Secure Erase+ in my BIOS or clear the cache of Intel® Optane™ memory somehow?

Please guide me what I need to do in case of replacing my HDD (SATA)?

Regards,

Tom

[idata]

I see, thanks for the clarification.

If that's the case then you have to disable the Intel® Optane™ memory from the application, restart the system and then replace the HDD with the new one, just as you mentioned. You can do this using the Intel® Rapid Storage Technology (Intel® RST) application or the Intel® Optane™ Memory application, use the one that you used before to enable the Intel® Optane™ memory when you set it up the first time.

In case you need them, these applications are available in the following sites:

• https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/27400/Intel-Rapid-Storage-Technology-Intel-RST-?product=99745 Download Intel® Rapid Storage Technology (Intel® RST) https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/27401/Intel-Optane-Memory?product=99745 https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/27401/Intel-Optane-Memory?product=99745
• https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/27401/Intel-Optane-Memory?product=99745 Download Intel® Optane™ Memory

Your data should be safe after disabling the Intel® Optane™ memory. The files in the HDD will remain there. When you disable the Intel® Optane™ memory, you are resetting the module but the HDD should remain intact as if you wouldn't have used the Intel® Optane™ memory at all.

Please try it and let me know if you have issues during the process. There is no need to perform any task from BIOS unless any other issue appears, but don't worry about this yet.

Have a nice day.

Regards,

Diego V.