Windows running without HDD

[Kameleon]

Hi all,

I bought an HP desktop, Pavilion 570-p009nl, and I wanted to change the HDD to an SSD. I bought the SSD, removed the HDD, plugged in the SSD and… Windows is running normally…

I am literally at a loss for words: How can Windows run if there is no Windows installation?!

I am looking inside the PC right now, HDD (with the initial Windows installation on it) on my desk, disconnected, and (seemingly) no hard drive connected to the motherboard. Yet I am typing this message to you now on the same computer with no hard drive… What is going on?!

I am looking intently at the inside of the computer and see the normal Mobo, memory, gpu, DVD drive, power, and nothing else.

Any ideas?

[veeg]

Hello

So the SSD is new?

@Bruce @phillpower2

[Kameleon]

Hi,

Yes, new, but that isn’t the issue at all, it’s the removal of the HDD and Windows still running.

Anyway, it turns out I have an M2 SSD drive on the motherboard storing C drive with Windows, but I cannot see it… Apparantly it is there, so explains the running of Windows.

Thank you.

[Bruce]

The thing you have labelled hard drive in that photo, I can see through it, so there is no drive there.
Show a picture of the motherboard and we’ll tell you where the m.2 NVMe drive is.
Normally it is right below the CPU.
Or it’s a PCIx card type.

[jmarket]

As per Bruces comment you may have a M2 in the form of an add in card, or sometimes the M2 drives are on top of the board, or to make things difficult UNDER the motherboard. It will be there somewhere.

[phillpower2]

Pic of the MB here

[phillpower2]

Any update for us?

[phillpower2]

Thread closed due to lack of feedback from the OP.