Reformat m.2 drive

PCaddict9

Member
Apr 30, 2017
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I upgraded my boot drive and now want to use the old m.2 drive as a backup. How do I get the computer to boot to the new drive so I can reformat the old boot drive as it keeps booting to the old drive even though I changed the boot record in the BIOS.
 

Ketchup

Elite Member
Sep 1, 2002
14,559
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106
Remove the old drive first and make sure it boots on just the new one. Once the machine confirms that, plug the old drive back in, re-confirm boot order in the bios, and see if it boots properly now.
 

aleader

Senior member
Oct 28, 2013
502
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116
Remove the old drive first and make sure it boots on just the new one. Once the machine confirms that, plug the old drive back in, re-confirm boot order in the bios, and see if it boots properly now.

This. I learned the hard way to only have one drive installed when putting the OS on...
 

UsandThem

Elite Member
May 4, 2000
16,068
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If the above way doesn't work, you could clone the OS to the new drive, shut PC down and remove new drive. Boot off of a Windows ISO, format old drive, shut down. Then put your new drive where your old drive was, and move the old one to a new M.2 slot.

Just make sure all your important stuff is backed up in case the clone is corrupted.
 

PCaddict9

Member
Apr 30, 2017
32
0
6
I have successfully cloned my drive. It works great. I now wish to use the old boot drive but even after changing the boot sequence and removing the old boot drive from the list, Everytime I use the old boot disk the system boots to the old boot drive and so I can't reformat it. Any suggestions? The Mobo is a ASUD Hero IX .
 

UsandThem

Elite Member
May 4, 2000
16,068
7,383
146
I have successfully cloned my drive. It works great. I now wish to use the old boot drive but even after changing the boot sequence and removing the old boot drive from the list, Everytime I use the old boot disk the system boots to the old boot drive and so I can't reformat it. Any suggestions? The Mobo is a ASUD Hero IX .

You are going to use a boot repair disk like I mentioned in my previous post, and format or delete partitions.