Do You Need to Change the BIOS Settings for an SSD?

Jerry updated on Oct 29, 2024 to Data Backup Questions Answered | How-to Articles

I want to install an SSD on my Windows 10 computer. But do I need to change BIOS settings for SSD? Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Generally speaking, you do not have to change the BIOS settings for an SSD. The SSD will be recognized the same as a mechanical HDD.

However, if the SSD is NVMe and SATA was previously used, the BIOS may deactivate the NVMe (M.2) connector. For the BIOS to identify the SSD in this situation, it must be activated.

You might need to change the BIOS settings for an SSD in some situations, such as turning on AHCI mode or turning off legacy boot options. The following are some situations where you might need to adjust the BIOS settings for your SSD:

  • SATA Mode. You might need to adjust the SATA Mode setting in the BIOS if you're installing an SSD on an older system previously set up for a conventional hard drive. When linked using AHCI (Advanced Host Controller Interface) mode instead of IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) mode, SSDs often perform better. The documentation for your motherboard should have information on how to change the SATA mode.
  • Boot Order. You might need to change the boot order in the BIOS if you're installing the SSD as your main boot disk. To make the computer boot from the SSD, ensure to specify the SSD as the first boot device.
  • Secure Erase. You can delete the drive using a secure erase feature on some SSDs. A BIOS setting or a specific key combination must be pressed to activate this feature during bootup. To access and utilize this feature, refer to the documentation provided by the maker of your SSD.

Users of SSD benefit from faster reading and writing rates and other features like dependability and longevity. Once your data is on the SSD, you must be concerned about its security. For the majority of SSD brands, there hasn't been any official SSD backup software released. Under such circumstances, you can utilize professional backup and recovery software, like EaseUS Todo Backup.

It is a multifunctional backup and restore program for Windows and Mac computers. It can help you back up multiple hard drives at once, and it lets you automatically back up systems, files, computer apps, etc. In addition, it lets you do full, incremental, and differential backups and save the backups in locations like local and external drives, NAS, Security Zone, and Cloud.