Done, thanks for the tips

hi guy,

just bought yoga 2 13, wondering where to find window license product key? 

Complete newb here who never opens computers. So here's my take for any other tech phobes.

There are two parts. (1) is the bit where you actually open up the computer and fit the SSD. This is really easy. (2) is getting all your data across to the new SSD and making your computer run from it. This is the bit that needs a little more thought but by no means is it difficult if you have a little patience.

(1)

I updated the firmware first from the Lenovo website to the latest version-- because I've read that it works better at recognising the SSD -- then opened the back. 11 screws need to be removed with a Torx 5 screwdriver. I bought this set which I can say is very well made for the price and the magnetic end actually works: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jackly-Professional-Precision-Screwdriver-Mainternance/dp/B00HNMLBT2/ref=sr_1_1?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1414236203&sr=1-1&keywords=jackly+45+in+1+precision

I bought the M550 M.2 Crucial 256gb.

After you remove the screws and pull the cover off, the SSD simply slots in like lego in the available M.2 slot. Look at the excellent pictures on Page 18 by RichardTheKing to see where. It doesn't require too much force. 

Regarding the spare screw needed to hold down the SSD, I bought some hard drive and caddy screws from ebay but none fitted :( I noticed the screw from the back panel of the Lenovo fitted so I decided to use one of those for now. The Hardware Maintenance Manual states the screws required for the back are:

M2 × 6 mm, flat-head, nylok-coated

(11) Lower to Upper

I think a 3mm length is sufficient to secure the SSD (same size screw but shorter length) and I'll be swapping the screws back later. You can get them on ebay or from a hardware/computer store, or steal it from an old laptop or mobile phone.

(2)

I watched a couple of Youtube videos to get familiar with Windows Disk Management and Macrium Reflect interfaces. There’s nothing more overwhelming that an interface you’ve never seen before.

This was a good overview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWM79HCzdDA

and his newer video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0PyZIqecII

Loads of others, but this guy is useful too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTl3NbyO6cM

After installing the SSD, I started the computer and went in to Computer Management > Disk Drive Management but still no SSD appearing to initialise it (Windows auto prompts when you launch Disk Management).

So i restarted in to the BIOS: Settings > PC Settings > Update and Recovery > Recovery > Advanced Startup, Restart Now > Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > UEFI Firmware settings

As per RichardTheKing’s screenshots on page 18, my information tab was showing the Crucial SSD this time and I hadn’t made any changes. So I exited and started Windows again as normal. This time I went in to Disk Management and it popped up asking me to initialise it. I chose GPT (not master boot) because I noticed the existing drive is GPT. So that’s it, finally the drive is there.

Next I downloaded and installed Macrium Reflect Free. Launched it and selected clone this disk option, then Copy Selected Paritions and selected all 7 partitions – why on earth are there 7?! I don’t know why more than two are needed, but I want a full ‘as is’ copy so I didn’t investigate. You can remove partitions later anyway.

This is where you hit a glitch. Macrium will say there is not enough space even though there is. The existing drive is 500gb and even though only a fraction is in use – well under 256gb which is available on my SSD – the way the partitions are ‘spread’ out means that some of the partitions begin on a disk location above the 256gb. So what you actually need to do is copy all the drives up to and including the Windows partition. Then you need to resize the Windows partition because it’s taking up all the space. On the Destination disk, select the Windows partition then something like Partition properties. The remaining two drives (Lenovo D and PBR_DRV) need 19gb + 4gb space, so reduce the size of the Windows Parition by 23gb. Then simply drag the Lenovo D and PBR_V drives on to the destination disk in the space you just made and they will fit perfectly

Then I just ran it and Macrium cloned everything over in 54 minutes.

Finally, enter BIOS again, this time go across to the Boot up tab (as per screenshots on page 18) then change the order so that it boots from the Crucial SSD. That’s it. Done. Everything worked fine for me and it booted up really quickly.

The only thing I need to decide now is when I will wipe the HDD to use it as storage. I want to make a backup image using Macrium too. Wiping it and reformatting is really easy if you watched those videos.

By the way guys, What are the two wires, one is black i think, going in to the thing next to the SSD slot. I think it might be the processor. My black wire broke off, I sort of pushed it back on but it didn't seem too secure. The laptop is working fine though. Why is it so flimsy if it's important.

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wrote:

 

Regarding the spare screw needed to hold down the SSD, I bought some hard drive and caddy screws from ebay but none fitted :( I noticed the screw from the back panel of the Lenovo fitted so I decided to use one of those for now. 

 

 

The only thing I need to decide now is when I will wipe the HDD to use it as storage.

 

 

By the way guys, What are the two wires, one is black i think, going in to the thing next to the SSD slot. I think it might be the processor. My black wire broke off, I sort of pushed it back on but it didn't seem too secure. The laptop is working fine though. Why is it so flimsy if it's important. 

 

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You can use 1 of the screws that holds the HDD frame.

Make a backup of the SSD image to the HDD and remove it if you don't need so much storage, leave the (system restore) partitions intact.

Then you can always recover your system if it is broken and power consumption is less: longer battery life.

The black and white wires are the antennas of the Wifi and Bluetooth combo card.

Black is the MAIN antenna.

If this is broken, your Wifi and Bt reception might suffer.

As do most Lenovo wireless cards, even with the antennas correctly attached ...

When you are able to order the Intel 7260AC combo card (with 5GHz), order a new antenna with it ...

16    FRU :   ZIVY0 Antenna         FRU no : 90205130 

Thanks Emmerx.

In so you would recommend clearing the HDD windows partition to free it up, then put my image back up on there? I want to keep the HDD to store videos. It saves me carrying an USB hard drive around.

Why are there 7 partitions by the way and which ones can we get rid of (on the HDD).

I pushed the black end back on. I didn't realize this pops off by design to replace the wifi card. Wifi has always been a bit spotty on this laptop. Sometimes it has full bars but not internet, and other times it will say my network is unavailable even when my smartphone is happily connected.

There seem to be a lot of wifi threads with an overload of information. Will this card actually resolve the issue? A brief glance shows conflicting views. Wifi is generally fine but the drop outs and reconnects can be annoying for a relatively high end laptop.

The only other criticism of this laptop is that the touchpad is a little erratic and 'sticky.' The cursor stops moving for no reason every now and then and I have to move it via the touchscreen. It's not the best touchpad I've used. Considering the IBM Thinkpad DNA in Lenovo, I expected more.

The other thing I've noticed is that Windows search doesn't find the correct locations of files and apps anymore. If I type defrag it will find the defragmenter but it will try to open the one on the E drive, but my OS is running from the C drive. It;s the same when i search a lot of other terms-- it keeps looking for items on the E drive rather than C then throwing up an error.

I updated the drivers on the Lenovo site and my Wifi and issues seem to have been resolved. The mouse/trackpad isn't sticking so much nor is the cursor disappearing. It's actually working perfectly atm. Weird.

The SSD is seriously fast. Has anyone switched off the Windows 8 indexing service? I haven't made any changes but perhaps Windows has because when I search for terms it doesn't seem to find them (defrag brings up nothing). Ideas?

Hello again guys, I've been holding out for a 128gb m.2 ssd on sale but I've just read about this bad boy: http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/6630/samsung-xp941-256gb-ultra-m-2-pcie-ssd-review/index.html

I don't care about the price because it is the first m.2 ssd with over 1GB/S read speed! I just want to know if our lenovo motherboard's will take the full benefit of it since I am not technically adept with this stuff. The review said something about being "PCIe based SSD"?

Let me know guys, thanks

Back on pages 13, 14 and 15, there is some discussion that a PCIe type M.2 SSD drive won't work, based on a report from chemat that his machine didn't recognize a Plextor pcie m.2 2280 ssd (model: px-g128m6e).

However if you look back at other messages posted in this thread since then, you'll see that other people had trouble getting their machines to see even the recommended Crucial M550 SSD at first. Sometimes it takes a couple of reboots, and possibly disabling Secure Boot in the BIOS, before the newly installed SSD drive shows up, so I'm not so sure a PCIe type SSD is incompatible unless someone can point to a spec saying it's not. 

My understanding is that the M.2 interface supports both PCIe and SATA type devices by design, but maybe I'm wrong. Until someone here reports a successful test with that new Samsung model, you might want to buy it from a vendor with a good return policy.

Well upon seeing the samsung upclose its notches are different than the M550 ssd BUT with this http://www.miniinthebox.com/mini-pci-e-m-2-b-m-key-to-sata-m-2-ngff-connector-adapter-interposer-card-free-shipping_p1580972.html

It should transpose into the 1-pin notch that the samsung has, time to ask the notebook review guys as they are also looking for a solution this!

Thanks

You do not need any adapter, as the Yoga 2 13 onboard m.2 slot only has only 1 notch.

If all pins are connected to support both SATA and PCIe and what the BIOS white list will allow we can only guess....