Alienware Area-51M - Working SSD Configurations List

Calling All Area-51m Owners - It would appear that Alienware - AKA Dell - Is sticking to a hard line regarding the capacity Limitations of both the M.2 Slots and the 2.5inch Slot for SSD/HDD support - That capacity limitations can be seen in the attached snip (below) Specification Manual. It is best explained by J.P a Dell Support Technician, who emailed me the following response: "the maximum capacity of the SSDs that you can have in your Area 51-m is 1TB each, meaning your system can handle up to 2TB total divided in two 1TB M.2 SSDs. Additionally, please be aware that Samsung EVO and Samsung PRO SSDs are not supported by any Alienware systems." (J.P. Dell Support, 08/08/2019) - Who said that this was a Desktop Replacement? With all the upgrade possibilities of a desktop? This is Not unusual for a manufacturer to put somewhat arbitrary limits like this into the documentation as a way to limit the support provided to heavily modified devices. It means that it gives Alienware/Dell a place where they could legally deny service or repairs. Without first putting the system back to original shipping specifications. Word to the Wise - Save any hardware that you remove/replace on your Alienware Area-51m - You may need it if you need to create a support service request with Dell and they refuse support because of the specification breach.



As a solution - I was hoping to get as many as possible Out of Spec SSD Configurations Documented in a single location - (This Posting) -
If you are running a 2TB or larger Storage Device on any slot M.2 slot or the 2.5 SATA slot. Would you please take a minute and post the following information.
Manufacture and Model of each of the 2+TB Devices Currently Working in your Area-51m.
A short description of Boot Order
A short description of any issues and solutions encountered during the upgrade process
Any other pertinent Information you wish to provide.
If You Prefer, send a PM and I'll be happy to take the info and get it up.

If the list already exist Please reply with a link to the list - I did not find one during my research.
I will maintain this post and I will compile a list (below) of "working" SSD M.2 and 2.5 SATA storage devices with 2TB or more Storage Space. Thank you for your consideration and your response!! Even if it's just a list of 3 or for devices - at least we're providing hope to owners that they will be able to upgrade when the time comes.

Trav...

Updated 08/16/19 & 09/07/2019
Thanks To All Those Who Have Listed Their Known Working Devices -
09/07 - Did a scan through only a few of the 1500+ Postings in the Area-51m Lounge
Added Any SSD Devices Mentioned in Signature -
************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Devices working in Members Laptops
1. @Diziet

• HP 2TB TLC PCIe 3x4 NVMe M.2 Solid State Drive

2. @VoodooChild

• HP 2TB TLC PCIe 3x4 NVMe M.2 Solid State Drive
• Intel® SSD 660p Series 2.0TB, M.2 80mm PCIe 3.0 x4, 3D2, QLC
• Crucial P1 1TB 3D NAND NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD (External Enclosure)

3. @S.K

• Samsung SSD 970 EVO NVMe M.2 1TB Slot 1
• Samsung SSD 960 PRO NVMe M.2 2TB Slot 2
• Samsung SSD 860 EVO 2.5" SATA III 4TB 2.5in Slot

4. @DeeX

• Samsung 1TB SSD 970 PRO
• Unknown 1TB SSD

5. @ssj92

• Samsung 1TB 970 Evo Plus

6. @Travelor

• Toshiba 256GB NVMe SSD
• Intel 2TB 660p NVMe SSD
• Seagate 1TB SSHD

7. @DaMafiaGamer

• Intel 2TB 660p NVMe SSD

8. @Ultra Male

• 2x SK Hynix 512GB SSD NVMe (RAID0)
• Samsung 4TB 860 EVO

9. @iunlock

• Samsung 1TB 970 Pro

10. @Fire Tiger

• 2x Unknown 1TB NVMe (unknown raid)
• Unknown 1TB SSD

11. @PLANTONE

• 2x Unknown 512GB NVMe (RAID0)
• Seagate 1TB SSHD

12. @nkc

• 2x Samsung 1TB Samsung 970 EVO Plus

 

Dell doesn't offer 2TB drives so of course they will say it's limited to 1TB. This isn't the 90s when we had to worry about drive size limitations due to addressable areas. There are people running 2TB drives in their 51M.

 

I'm sure there are a few who are running 4TB drives in the SATA slot, @Ultra Male and @S.K are two I can think of off the bat.

 

@custom90gt

You make a correct and valid point. It is even more likely to make my posting mute when the DELL Brand stickers are applied to the 2TB devices and shipped from the OEM straight to the Dell Customer Owners door.
Since DELL has specifically stated some devices do NOT work, it is concern enough to want to know which devices actually work.
I also thought that it would a great have a list of successful SSD/HDD/SSHD/MIC/KEY/MOU/SE configurations. (jokes)

If there were a way to search the NBR Member Signatures - I'd be happy to compile the list myself - I didn't see that detailed of a search available to my user level. If you think this post is a waste, then by all means it can go away - But if there is a way to find out from members who populate their signature with pertinate data then we can leave it at that. I'm happy to do the work..

****unnecessary babble of human connection below Read If wanted ***
For over 13 years I worked for the Inventor of the laptop. I worked in both the QA and the TEST departments and I am currently unemployed and and hungry for work. Honestly I miss getting my Geek on - Thus another reason for the post was to hopefully help anyone who might want to know the successful SSD/HDD/NVME/SSD/M.2 configurations The purchase of the Area-51m has afforded me the opportunity to get my Geek on once again - It keeps me entertained while I hope and pray the job that I am qualified for comes my way. Cause apparently it's better to hire a techy right out of tech school and give them the room and space they will take up while they make the mistakes they are going to make. Rather than hire a seasoned profession who will make no mistakes. Who will hit the ground running with nearly no training except for company specifics. A loyal employee who will pull out all stops to make whomever I come in contact satisfied and happy with the work and their experience. - Sorry just slightly off topic a little slight poke at the freshman's in the techy workforce. A comment of the bassackwards thinking of HR. - Not to mention the shameless plug on my tech abilities and my need for work.. Not that an HR person would be reading and if they were they might have issue with me. - Jokes People - Jokes - Just Jokes.

Not another day - Friday!!!!
Trav...

 

The HP EX950 M.2 2TB works great in my Area-51M.

 

I'm using HP EX950 2TB as my boot drive, Intel 660p 2TB as my secondary drive and a 860evo 2TB as my SSD. So, total of 6TB without any issues whatsoever.

I am also using a 1TB Crucial P1 in an nvme enclosure to experiment with Hackintosh and Linux builds and it's working flawless as well.

Sent from a Galaxy S9+

 

Samsung 970 Pro 1TB in NVMe slot 1
Samsung 960 Pro 2TB in NVMe slot 2
Samsung 860 Evo 4TB in Sata slot