Need to upgrade the boot drive on a MSI MS-16JB laptop (few years old). It uses a Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG5 ssd. It appears that this is a M2 2280 ssd. Are there different variations of this specification or should any one without a heatsink work? I'm planning on getting a 1TB if I can find a compatible ssd in that size.

Do any of these come with migration/cloning software? Plan is to put the new drive in an external case and migrate/clone the boot drive to the new drive. Once complete, I will install the new drive into the laptop.

Yes. That is a SATA drive, so you need a replacement SATA.

IIRC, the "M2 2280" refers to the physical format (and maybe the connector pins?). The connection protocol can be SATA, AHCI, or NVME. You need one that is SATA, and not one which is AHCI or NVME. Here's an example:

[www.amazon.com]

Quote
macphanatic
Do any of these come with migration/cloning software?

Sabrent models come with cloning software, but buyer beware, a lot of the reviews complain that it only works with official Sabrent external cases, which is another cost, especially if you already have a case.

M.2 is the connector style.
2280 is the width x length (22mm wide, 80mm long)

There are three standards for socket layout: B, M, B&M. The one you have appears to be B&M key which is more compatible but slower 2x PCIe and SATA.

Drives with the M key only are usually NVMe and use 4x PCIe.

---

In tha 360. MRF User Map

Thanks all. The Crucial seems reasonable. Any recommendations for a case and cloning software?

Quote
macphanatic
Need to upgrade the boot drive on a MSI MS-16JB laptop (few years old). It uses a Kingston RBU-SNS8152S3256GG5 ssd. It appears that this is a M2 2280 ssd. Are there different variations of this specification or should any one without a heatsink work? I'm planning on getting a 1TB if I can find a compatible ssd in that size.

Do any of these come with migration/cloning software? Plan is to put the new drive in an external case and migrate/clone the boot drive to the new drive. Once complete, I will install the new drive into the laptop.

Doesn't 3rd party MS software exist to solve your problem?

---

Ed (modelamac)

I think I will just put an OUT OF ORDER
sticker on my head and call it a day.

Macrium Reflect's free version is very useful for cloning an old drive to a new bootable one.

The Crucial SSD comes with Acronis True Image software which should do everything you need.

And here’s an inexpensive ($12) case that should work [www.amazon.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/11/2020 09:22AM by PeterW.

Quote
PeterW
The Crucial SSD comes with Acronis True Image software which should do everything you need.

And here’s an inexpensive ($12) case that should work [www.amazon.com]

Thanks.

Turns out that there may be bigger issues than just lack of hard drive space. There's all kinds of wonky behavior going on with the laptop. I think that I'm going to back up critical data and wipe it clean before looking at a new drive.