Using NVMe SSD from MBP as a second drive

kaij on 05/01/2023 - 01:34

Not sure if this is a stupid question, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. Fairly clueless about these things.

I have a 2015 MBP and swapped out my OEM 128GB SSD with a WD SN550 1TB a while ago. I'm finally getting around to building a PC and would like to use it as extra storage as a second NVME drive on my motherboard, rather than leave it in my MBP.

I plan to get a Crucial P5 Plus as the main drive but I have no way of clearing MacOS and any of my files on it before I load the SN550 onto the motherboard. Will that interfere with the build process/loading windows? Should I just be able to plug it into the second slot, boot it up, and reformat it through Disk Management?

Parts i'm planning to use
- ASUS B550I
- Ryzen 5 5600x

Computing Computer Component SSD

Comments

  • lachhelix on 05/01/2023 - 02:01

    You'd like to take the SN550 out of your Macbook and use it on Windows?

    Sure, will work just fine. You'll need to reformat it (I'm sure you know this but better to be safe than sorry - it'll delete all your files haha) as you mentioned, until then it won't be mounted/interfere with loading anything :)
    Not a stupid question at all

    • kaij on 05/01/2023 - 10:59
      +1

      Thanks for your reply (and being extra cautious that I understand what you’re saying)! Yes I want to take it out of my MacBook and use it as extra storage, just wasn’t sure the files on it would’ve interfered with anything

  • samyall on 05/01/2023 - 08:45

    You can format the drive before you take it out of the macbook if you want (use something like GParted). But if it is a secondary drive it should be no issue to just format it once you install windows.

    I'm curious though, why you don't want to leave it in your MBP? I am typing this from my 2015 MBP and it's still chugging along happily.

    • kaij on 05/01/2023 - 11:02
      +1

      Oh nice, I did not know you could do that whilst it’s still running the laptop itself. It’ll be a secondary drive so I might still just format it on windows.

      No particular reason! I don’t require portability/mobility for my files as much anymore, therefore leaving the 1tb in there would be more of a waste. And also I’ll be going back to its stock configuration for selling if I ever wanted to :) thanks for the help

  • cimrak on 05/01/2023 - 11:31

    I thought macbooks used a non-standard SSD (drive controller on the motherboard, not integrated into the drive itself)?

    I've seen plenty of "adapters" mentioned for people trying to go the other way of standard SSD into a MacBook.

    • WookieMonster on 05/01/2023 - 12:00

      You’re correct, the SSDs originally shipped in the 2015 MBP is a non-standard SSD.

      OP was not talking about using the 2015 MBP OEM SSD in their new rig, but instead talking about taking out their replacement SSD from their 2015 MBP (WN SN550, which is a standard NVMe M.2 SSD) and putting it in their new rig. Their question was whether anyone could think of any concerns about them doing this, and I cannot think of any.

      • kaij on 05/01/2023 - 14:54

        Yep! Exactly what WookieMonster said :)

  • WookieMonster on 05/01/2023 - 12:02

    I have no way of clearing MacOS and any of my files on it before I load the SN550 onto the motherboard.

    You should be able to boot into Recovery Mode on your MBP (hold down Command + R upon start-up) and then use Disk Utility to wipe and reformat the WD SN550. Have a look at this help article.

    • kaij on 05/01/2023 - 14:47
      +1

      Oh perfect, thank you for the link :) I might do this first then

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