My 256GB surface Pro 9 is being shipped. Bought the lowest end SDD. I ordered a 1TB and am looking forward to upgrading. I build all my desktops, have for years so being able to upgrade this tablet even if its only one part feels good. EDIT: Done upgrading. Easy. Thanks for the clear instructions.
My comment is late..but this possibility to upgrade is probably one big reason ill go for surface pro 9 instead of ipad pro. It is very nice to start at 256gb and then months later you can decide to upgrade when you have more money for 1Tb or 2Tb. With ipad pro ud have to spend like 1-2k$ extra for that much storage…
This video is right on point! You explained everything I wanted to know and was looking for... After watching several other videos and not getting all my questions answered, you did it well and in less time.
Half-year review: I highly recommend everyone to change their SSD no matter the size of their new SSD, because Microsoft asks you put the original SSD back when you sent back your broken surface for repair under the warranty. After you get your new or repaired Surface, you just change the SSD then all the data including all settings come back immediately. AWESOME!
Thanks for the informative vid. I just upgraded my SSD on my SP9. Just a comment on the difference between "Just remove files" and "clean and remove files," I found this: "They both do basically the same, except selecting Clean The Drive will write zeros to the entire drive before reinstalling...The Clean option will take a lot more time and is really not needed if you are keeping the machine." In my case, since I am keeping the PC, I selected "Just remove files." And because I'm not a dork! 😜
I’ve got a 2TB WD SN740 on order so super glad of your help here. But I’m nervous of SSD heat from experience upgrading my old SP4 to 2TB (story for another time). I’m guessing here and happy to be corrected, but… The metal cover on the original SSD makes contact with the SSD components that get hot (maybe with thermal paste in between) The square at the bottom of the SSD bay (visible at about 7:55) is heat conductive(?) Looking at photos of SP9 internals, I think this ultimately ‘connects’ to the internal heat sink in order to conduct heat away So if you eschew the metal cover, the SSD will run hotter Placing a heat transfer pad on the opposite side of the SSD as you’ve done will help… and I know some people like to run their SSDs ‘warm’, expecting better performance… But if you don’t want to reuse the metal cover, maybe applying heat transfer pads to the other side (or both sides) of the SSD would be better, if possible?
wanted to comment on the square under the ssd. It looks like a chassis ground contact area for the heat shield, that would be for RFI/EMI shielding, not heat transfer.
Great video, I just upgraded my SP9 with 2TB from AliExpress. In my case, it was a T4 screw to remove the SSD, not T3. I also used a docking instead of a simple USB adapter for the thumb drive, it worked without problem.
Thank you for your video. It explains everything contrary to many others where they didn't get into the detail (especially the recovery drive). Have a good day !
Many thanks for your video! Just a question concerning the SSDs the Surface Pro 9 can digest: can it work with Gen 3, or is it Gen4 only? I read elsewhere that it might only work with Gen4? It would be great if you could share your experience on that? Thanks again in advance :)
@Mohammad Al-Shuwaiee Hi there, I got the Pro 9. Truth is, people who buy Surface Pros don't tend to really need to do high-powered work. Usually, they have MS Office and some other apps that they use. They only tax the machine a little. If they did, there are so many different machines they could get for the price. The reason to get the Surface Pro are portability and having enough power in an excellent package to do what you need. If they were writing a novel - they would probably get a different clamshell laptop. I make this point because the SP9 is only better than the SP8 in ONE single respect, and that is in how much power it can bring to tasks. It can bring much more multicore power to tasks that require it. For single core jobs, the difference will not be earth shattering, but it will be significant for multicore because the SP8 has 4 cores and the SP9 has 10 I think. Given that most people do not do things requiring heavy workloads, they would not notice much difference if they had an SP8 or an SP9. If there was a blind test and they had the PC for a day - an average user would be hard-pressed to tell you which one they had. For that reason - if someone had the SP8 or even the SP7+ (same chip as the SP8), and they are happy with it, they should absolutely NOT upgrade to the SP9. I bought an SP8 i7 16GB 256 for just over £1k from Amazon - it was a deal that lasted only for a few days, and I did that just before they released the SP9. It came, and I set it up - it was brilliant. Then I saw the SP9 launch. I checked the pre-order deals, and it was just a few hundred to be upgraded, so I decided to upgrade. I thought the 12th gen chip would make a difference and that it would give me better battery-life, and I got the same i7 16Gb 256. I returned the SP8. I have had the SP9 now for a few weeks, and I can confidently say there is no difference for me in how I use it. If there is a difference, it is even lower battery life. This was why I really wanted the SP9 - I thought the battery would last longer than the SP8. In real life, it lasts less long or about the same but never longer. #Disappointed. Don't get me wrong - I love the SP9. The form factor and the look and feel are fantastic, and I have had a surface for so long now that I just do not see myself getting a PC that does not convert. I have 2 different types of surface devices.. However, if I could live my life again, I would NOT send the SP8 back, and I would save the few hundred £ and take my wife out for a night at a hotel. Better use of that cash. So long story long - the SP9 is NOT the PC to get. If you don't have a surface at all - get the SP8. If you have had any other surface - get the SP8 it is the best upgrade from any other surface - including the SP7+ - the extra screen is just amazing. The SP9 has no headphone jack - the SP8 does have one. Until last week when I suddenly really needed it, I have not used the headphone jack in any PC for quite a few years, and I have a dongle which gives you back a headphone jack, so I don't feel the loss. There is absolutely no reason to get the SP9 if you are the kind of person who wants a Surface and does NOT have specific apps that will make particular use of the multicore performance. For architecture and graphics students who use applications which make use of this - get the SP9 or possibly (but with less portability) get the Surface Laptop Studio. The SP9 is excellent for a student in graphics, architecture, or even medicine who has to use specific demanding apps from school. For the average user doing email and stuff like that - get an SP8. The other thing is future proofing. Get the SP9 if you want the Surface to last a few years longer. HOWEVER - I think the SP8 would last justs as long really but we cannot disregard the fact that the SP9 does, in fact, have those 10 cores which might mean that it is better for the software that we can't see yet but is just around the corner. Just my overly long opinion.
According to the service manual, you need a Torx Plus IP3 driver for the SSD drive screw, not a standard Torx 3. As I found out when I tried to remove the existing drive with a Torx 3.
This might come in handy for me at work. We just got two of these in and it has windows 11 home edition. I am just hoping that I can plug in a windows 11 pro product key in and it will upgrade
You mentioned recreating the partitions, meaning the ones Windows creates. Out of curiosity, do you further partition your drive? And, if so, how big do you make each of them on a 2TB drive? (I know many people say there's no point in partitioning an SSD, but I will keep doing it for organization.) TIA
hi this is super random but any idea where I can get the SSD mounting screw? I messed up my installation and the screw is damaged.. so I am trying to find a replacement one
works perfect got a 2tb and used a samsung 128gb flash drive to reinstall windows. moral of the story. buy a 256gb model and upgrade it yourself to save big bucks
I’ve keep having same issue install2.swm doesn’t transfer to the usb I made. I tried even putting in on my pc first. But it gives me error 0x8000x4005. But I tried several things but still not working.
I’m having the same problem with install3.swm. My brother in law says it’s an issue with the files that came from Microsoft. We’ve tried to download from multiple different computers and drives of all sizes. The error comes up each time we try to copy the files from the zip folder to any USB or external hard drive.
@@ebanbeltran983that’s weird that you have it with install3.swm. I’ve downloaded it now on 3 separate laptops including the surface pro 9. But always install2.swm that’s the issue.
Let me know if you figure it out. I tried downloading a recovery image for a slightly different Surface Pro 9 but when I power it up I only see the options to Troubleshoot or to Turn off your PC.
@@ebanbeltran983 I’m trying the option now that when I make a recovery drive with the “back up system files to the recovery drive”. Maybe it will work with that only. Without needing the download from Microsoft website.
Oh you’re trying it with that box checked instead of unchecked like he said in the video? I downloaded the recovery image for a i7/16GB/256GB, but it didn’t detect it when I powered up. Copying those files from a NTFS hard drive to a FAT32 formatted USB to see if that makes a difference.
Nice step through video. I just purchased a SP8 with 265GB. I was thinking of upgrading to 1TB but my computer minded friend that is a Surface fan said to just use cloud storage (you get 1TB with MS 360 Family). I'm use to everything on my physical machine but the cloud may be the way to go especially I since use two and sometimes three different computers. Wondering your thought on this? - Thanks
I definitely think 2tb is overkill for most. I use onedrive as well; which works great for office documents; but if you do photo/video editing, it is not sufficient, the apps will crash sometimes when trying to use cloud assets that haven't downloaded yet; and it just slows you down quite a bit. So really it depends on your workflows. Some people don't need the space; some do.
@@cbutters well, I found a 1TB drive packaged like the OEM drives for a reasonable price and installation went smoothly following your video. It only took about 15-20 minutes. Thanks for sharing the entire process for us!
Thank you for your vids as you answer diffcult/unique questions I and many others have. You and tablet pro are best reviewers for surface-like devices. I have an in-depth question I'm sure many are also curious to have answers about as you have gone through a very similar process. My current "dilema": I need to upgrade my portable setup. Have custom dekstop with 9900k, 64 gigs and 3090, ipad pro 2018 1 tb and fold 3 phone . I game moderately but intensely when I do and need 100+ frames for most titles and some vr. Game at 4k 120 oled at home or vr. On the comp wether home or mobile I do mostly office work, music production, some video editing so obviously dedicated graphics and greater than 16 gigs ram preferred here. I would also like to do more hand wrtten note taking/art on this device like I can on my iPad pro or fold 3. I am not interested in x13 or z13 due to terrible screens by comparison, 16 gig limitations and worse battery on z13. If there were to be an x14 or a new x13 ryzen machine with 32 or more gigs, nebula mini led display or an oled, I would choose that with xg mobile and would call it a day lol. Options: 1. I'm looking hard at x16 with 3070ti and awaiting an upgraded xg mobile (4080). I will max the ram and storage. About 4.5lbs 2. Wait for surface studio laptop 2 but deal with weaker gpu that will be in it for when it comes to games. Carry weight about 4.5 lbs 3. surface 9 i7 32 gig with egpu but deal with bulk and nuisance of this setup. Total weight like 2 lbs for surface and up to 13lbs+ for egpu for when I need to take it. Long road trips etc not a problem. Airlines and needing to use it at a coffee shop for any kind of 3d work needs might become an issue and nullify mobility of surface device. 4. Weaker/cheaper surface like an 8 i5 with lte 16 gigs for SUPERIOR than x16 drawing and for some light mobile work; then grab x16 or similar for gaming laptop/desktop replacement. Downside is 2 devices but no real disadvantage other than that. Total weight would be like 6.5lbs. 5. X16 and keep my iPad pro for that in between tablet and better note taking/art experience. *Special Notes And Considerations: I am also considering going "second screen" with surface device to my upgradable windows desktop if I can get low enough latency and good color/res. Then use one of the surface options above for mobile use. I'm not sure if asus x16 can connect like surface devices can to a windows desktop, but I would assume not as it isn’t a microsoft device nor is it a samsung tab which were the only ones approved for this feature right? I haven't seen anyone talk about this windows feature in a while. I am also using my fold 3 successfully like a tablet and almost never use my iPad pro as it is already due to closed/annoying mobile system and limitations. This is one of the reasons I want to get rid of it unless I need a superior inking/note taking experience with larger screen. Other option is x16 for mobile and stick to iPad pro to maybe use as light tablet and second screen with digitizer for desktop via screen duet or similar software. Questions: Would you consider surface 9 AND light egpu set up? When I add the weight up of gpu and enclosure it's like 12+ lbs vs option 4 and more bulky. I watched all your surface 8 and laptop studio vids. I'm aware of the aurous 1070 case you used for 3060. You mentioned 3060ti is possible to fit but it appears to me nothing larger (3070+) will. Is there another lightweight case you would suggest that is also long enough for 3070-4080 cards? I'm starting to explore custom enclosure options/diy to get weight and bulk down but allow a 3080-4080 card. In any case they still seem to be quite heavy still, well over 6 lbs. Heavy gpu and psu is hard to overcome. Should I just avoid the difficulty and cons of creating and dealing with this egpu in mobile setup and go with option 1, 2, 4 or 5 instead? I know you have done a mix of everything I said so you are the perfect person to ask. Thank you for your awesome videos and the time you put in to answer the hard questions we all have.
Those are all valid options... and ones I have explored myself. I think for me the route I'll go personally is your Option #2 waiting for surface laptop studio 2, (which I'm optimistic will be a pretty big jump in performance) while until it is released doing your option 3 (Surface Pro 9 w/ eGPU. I'd recommend SP9 over SP8 for eGPU as I'm finding the Pro 9 does much better with it! (I DID find a 3060 ti that fits in my aorus gaming box and it is pretty compact! Videos on this eGPU w/ Surface Pro 9 to come very soon.) For you though... depending on how tolerant of the weight of the X16 as a tablet... The X16 could be the best bet. I actually really love the X16; It is a beast in every way; its just way to heavy for my liking as a tablet. Otherwise I would still be using it. So those are my thoughts, I know they aren't definitive... but it really is so personal. Keep an eye out for SP9 w/ egpu videos soon though.
As much as I like the easy SSD upgradability, I'm not sure about having the OS installed in that one SSD. I don't mind having a soldered SSD for the OS and leave the rear slot empty for additional self upgrade.
only 2TB exist in the right size (2230), but in the future there might be some 4TB models in a 2230 size, and they will be compatible; but they don't quite exist yet.
From old habits I normally install the OPSYS on a separate drive, like a C: drive then all my programs on a d: drive. My data files go on one of my QNAP NAS boxes so I have access to everything wherever I am. Is this possible if I install a 2 TB drive? Thanks for the video BTW. I currently use a Surface Pro 5 (Windows 10)and am looking to upgrade and even have an older Surface Pro 2 which still works well! Final quickie can I install MS Office 2019 on the Surface Pro 9 (Windows 11)?
Hi there. Thanks for the video. Well appreciated. I got a question do. I just bought a new surface and I was wondering if I need to open it one time, let it do its updates and my account first? Then I do the upgrade, or It will wipe everything out, and I'll do a new sign in and account? Thanks in advance.... if I got an answer before tomorrow. 😁
Thanks. Do you have to use the Surface recovery image? Can you reinstall using the download from the Media Creation Tool? I want to reinstall it with Win 11 Pro (I have a new license key).
This is helpful. Thanks. Also, it might be worth mentioning up front that you need a 16 GB flash drive. I had used an 8 GB and had to start over again.
Does it matter which windows you have on the pc you make your usb drive with? Say i have an older version on my pc than i do on my surface and set up my usb drive on my pc with the older windows, will it give me the older version that i have on my pc and put it on my surface pro?
Can someone help. I've been looking at reimaging my Surface Pro 9, but the option says Surface Pro9 Demo - Windows 11 Pro Version 22H2 Anyone know what this means?
Hello, I have a Surface Pro 9, and Windows 11 was installed in the original way. Now, I got a 2TB SSD. The recovery link is on Microsoft's website. Apart from Windows 11, Windows 10 is also available Can I install it? Thank you for your guidance
I have a question: restoring from an image, you are gonna loose the pre installed additional apps (the ones for drawing with the pen, for example), or is a perfect image of the existing dump into the surface at day 1? Tnx
It is direct from microsoft so you shouldn't lose anything over what it came from the store with. (What I'm showing in this video is slightly different from clean installing a windows ISO; which YES could affect things drastically and might not even have the right drivers to use the type cover.)
Thanks for the video. I have been researching the 2tb drives and of ones I have found, they tend to be manufacturer specific (Dell, etc.) Is this ok. Thanks again
Will this work for Linux too? I mainly use Linux and I plan on upgrading my SP. Eventually to one of the ones where I can remove the SSD to upgrade. If make a rsync or time shift back up of a Linux distro and install a new SSD will it recover the backup OS or will I need to re install the whole thing? Sorry if this seems like a silly question. But it's something I've been trying to find out before purchasing another usb drive and dedicate looking for an optional SSD.
I've seen in one of your previous videos you used the SSD from a 1TB tuff nano ssd. I see they don't sell those anymore but they have a 2TB one. Is the SSD they use for that one compatible with the surface pro 8? Haven't been able to find the model used for the 2TB version
Hi there. I'm also using a Surface Pro 9. i have my 1TB to replaced my 256GB. My question is can i use a USB C Hub to connect my USB that contains the recovery files for recovering process to the new SSD 1TB? thank you
Ok please help! I did everything but it come up with "couldnt find a bootable operating sysytem. Check the boot configuration to try to fix this" HEEEELPPPP XX
I have tried with a usb stick as well as an SD card but I get either immediately 'there is a problem recovering your pc' or it starts but then gives the same message at around 30%. And sometimes it says "system station not big enough" (I am installing a 512GB). Is this a usb error or does this mean my ssd is broken? It's a Kioxia BG5
My surface pro 3 has an issue due to automatic upgrade windows 10 to 21H1, the internal iGPU HD4400 driver always rollback to 2016 years version, and hardware decode acceleration on task-manager could not working properly, this is a big trouble to me .....:( I just use this device as a youtube client...what are you doing? Microsoft
it is possible, but can be a more complex and variable operation than I wanted to get into in this video, see my clonezilla tutorials for more info on that.
Will the "Micron 2TB 2400 M.2 2230 NVMe PCIe 4.0x4 SSD MTFDKBK2T0QFM-1BD1AABYYR" work, found it on Amazon. I just purchased a Surface Pro 9 Intel Core i7 256gb
anyone have the issue where the touchscreen isn't working when booting up the new image? I can't select language or anything, touchscreen nor keyboard are working. (Surface Pro 9, brand new out of the box)
I plugged in an old wireless keyboard with a usb dongle and that keyboard worked. not sure why the touchscreen or official surface keyboard didn't work though. install went fine after that and once it was done installing the touchscreen and surface keyboard worked. odd. this is why I like Apple haha thanks for this vid though!!!
My 256GB surface Pro 9 is being shipped. Bought the lowest end SDD. I ordered a 1TB and am looking forward to upgrading. I build all my desktops, have for years so being able to upgrade this tablet even if its only one part feels good.
EDIT: Done upgrading. Easy. Thanks for the clear instructions.
My comment is late..but this possibility to upgrade is probably one big reason ill go for surface pro 9 instead of ipad pro. It is very nice to start at 256gb and then months later you can decide to upgrade when you have more money for 1Tb or 2Tb. With ipad pro ud have to spend like 1-2k$ extra for that much storage…
This video is right on point! You explained everything I wanted to know and was looking for... After watching several other videos and not getting all my questions answered, you did it well and in less time.
This gentleman is on point!
Your guide was so easy to follow, even though I was maxed out high and drunk I still got it done. Thanks bro.
Awesome, thanks! Upgraded my 9 Pro from 256 to 1TB and all went well.
Half-year review: I highly recommend everyone to change their SSD no matter the size of their new SSD, because Microsoft asks you put the original SSD back when you sent back your broken surface for repair under the warranty. After you get your new or repaired Surface, you just change the SSD then all the data including all settings come back immediately. AWESOME!
Thanks for the informative vid. I just upgraded my SSD on my SP9. Just a comment on the difference between "Just remove files" and "clean and remove files," I found this: "They both do basically the same, except selecting Clean The Drive will write zeros to the entire drive before reinstalling...The Clean option will take a lot more time and is really not needed if you are keeping the machine." In my case, since I am keeping the PC, I selected "Just remove files." And because I'm not a dork! 😜
You saved my bacon, I was about to give up trying after spending a lot of money on a 2TB SSD. Thanks my man, you rock!
This is just blatant showing off! 2TB! Love it! :)
Cbutters used micron 2400, and I upgraded my surface pro 9 i7 with WD SN740 2TB smoothly. Thank the video.
Where did you buy the 2TB from?
@@peterwanghk from China
So far you happy with the performance of the WD 2TB?
Any drop in battery performance?
I'm also thinking of getting the SN740 for a SP9 i7
@@peterwanghk no big problem so far
@@ryanshih2229 any small problems I should be wary of? thinking of upgrading my sp9 25ogb with a wd 740 1TB.. thanks !
Would love to see performance comparison with the new 2TB drive
Does upgrading the ssd diminish performance?
@@quietatseit all depends on the new ssd you buy they all have their own read and write speeds
you made it so easy to up grade my SSD, thank you.
I’ve got a 2TB WD SN740 on order so super glad of your help here. But I’m nervous of SSD heat from experience upgrading my old SP4 to 2TB (story for another time). I’m guessing here and happy to be corrected, but…
The metal cover on the original SSD makes contact with the SSD components that get hot (maybe with thermal paste in between)
The square at the bottom of the SSD bay (visible at about 7:55) is heat conductive(?)
Looking at photos of SP9 internals, I think this ultimately ‘connects’ to the internal heat sink in order to conduct heat away
So if you eschew the metal cover, the SSD will run hotter
Placing a heat transfer pad on the opposite side of the SSD as you’ve done will help… and I know some people like to run their SSDs ‘warm’, expecting better performance…
But if you don’t want to reuse the metal cover, maybe applying heat transfer pads to the other side (or both sides) of the SSD would be better, if possible?
wanted to comment on the square under the ssd. It looks like a chassis ground contact area for the heat shield, that would be for RFI/EMI shielding, not heat transfer.
Thanks for making the clear video!
Great video, I just upgraded my SP9 with 2TB from AliExpress. In my case, it was a T4 screw to remove the SSD, not T3. I also used a docking instead of a simple USB adapter for the thumb drive, it worked without problem.
That's a great idea to buy from aliexpress, may i ask which brand of SSD you bought? thxx
@@y21rico83 from what i read most people are going for WD PC SN740 2TB M.2 2230 NVMe PCIe Gen 4x4 SSD
@@LokeshThakur I bought WD gen 4 with 1 TB, it did not work
@@LokeshThakur pro 8 dosent natively support gen4 and idk how to get around that so I bought a kioxia instead (gen3), works great
@@y21rico83 yeah it won't work on 8s i am talking about the 9, people are saying it works fine on that, 8 is still 3x4
Thank you for your video. It explains everything contrary to many others where they didn't get into the detail (especially the recovery drive). Have a good day !
Thank you! Just upgraded my ssd with your tutorial :)
Thank you, You were the first video to explain how the little door opens up! Thank you for this video!
That was great and I purchased a type c flash drive instead of purchasing two separate items
Thank you very very much. We have tried it min. 6x. It didn't work. No it is working (39%) 😊 Have a nice Easter. Greetings Jane
Great step by step except one thing -- why omit the shield on the inside and put on a thermal pad on the outside of the SSD. Very strange.
Excellent tutorial. Works as expected
fantastic video - you make it so easy. i wish you were my neighbor - you have lots of great ideas for surface.
Many thanks for your video! Just a question concerning the SSDs the Surface Pro 9 can digest: can it work with Gen 3, or is it Gen4 only? I read elsewhere that it might only work with Gen4? It would be great if you could share your experience on that? Thanks again in advance :)
Followed your guide and managed so swap from 256gb to 1tb on my SP9 without issues. Thank you !
Which drive did you use?
@@beckinbinderin micron 2450 2230 1tb 3600mb/s
Excellent video. I used your Pro 8 video to do mine and will move that drive to the Pro 9. All good.!! Many thanks.
@Mohammad Al-Shuwaiee Hi there, I got the Pro 9. Truth is, people who buy Surface Pros don't tend to really need to do high-powered work. Usually, they have MS Office and some other apps that they use. They only tax the machine a little. If they did, there are so many different machines they could get for the price. The reason to get the Surface Pro are portability and having enough power in an excellent package to do what you need. If they were writing a novel - they would probably get a different clamshell laptop. I make this point because the SP9 is only better than the SP8 in ONE single respect, and that is in how much power it can bring to tasks. It can bring much more multicore power to tasks that require it. For single core jobs, the difference will not be earth shattering, but it will be significant for multicore because the SP8 has 4 cores and the SP9 has 10 I think.
Given that most people do not do things requiring heavy workloads, they would not notice much difference if they had an SP8 or an SP9. If there was a blind test and they had the PC for a day - an average user would be hard-pressed to tell you which one they had.
For that reason - if someone had the SP8 or even the SP7+ (same chip as the SP8), and they are happy with it, they should absolutely NOT upgrade to the SP9.
I bought an SP8 i7 16GB 256 for just over £1k from Amazon - it was a deal that lasted only for a few days, and I did that just before they released the SP9.
It came, and I set it up - it was brilliant.
Then I saw the SP9 launch.
I checked the pre-order deals, and it was just a few hundred to be upgraded, so I decided to upgrade. I thought the 12th gen chip would make a difference and that it would give me better battery-life, and I got the same i7 16Gb 256. I returned the SP8.
I have had the SP9 now for a few weeks, and I can confidently say there is no difference for me in how I use it. If there is a difference, it is even lower battery life. This was why I really wanted the SP9 - I thought the battery would last longer than the SP8. In real life, it lasts less long or about the same but never longer. #Disappointed.
Don't get me wrong - I love the SP9. The form factor and the look and feel are fantastic, and I have had a surface for so long now that I just do not see myself getting a PC that does not convert. I have 2 different types of surface devices..
However, if I could live my life again, I would NOT send the SP8 back, and I would save the few hundred £ and take my wife out for a night at a hotel. Better use of that cash.
So long story long - the SP9 is NOT the PC to get.
If you don't have a surface at all - get the SP8.
If you have had any other surface - get the SP8 it is the best upgrade from any other surface - including the SP7+ - the extra screen is just amazing.
The SP9 has no headphone jack - the SP8 does have one.
Until last week when I suddenly really needed it, I have not used the headphone jack in any PC for quite a few years, and I have a dongle which gives you back a headphone jack, so I don't feel the loss.
There is absolutely no reason to get the SP9 if you are the kind of person who wants a Surface and does NOT have specific apps that will make particular use of the multicore performance.
For architecture and graphics students who use applications which make use of this - get the SP9 or possibly (but with less portability) get the Surface Laptop Studio. The SP9 is excellent for a student in graphics, architecture, or even medicine who has to use specific demanding apps from school. For the average user doing email and stuff like that - get an SP8.
The other thing is future proofing. Get the SP9 if you want the Surface to last a few years longer. HOWEVER - I think the SP8 would last justs as long really but we cannot disregard the fact that the SP9 does, in fact, have those 10 cores which might mean that it is better for the software that we can't see yet but is just around the corner.
Just my overly long opinion.
great video.. super well done.. very thorough in explaining all the steps to do the Upgrade.. many thanx
According to the service manual, you need a Torx Plus IP3 driver for the SSD drive screw, not a standard Torx 3. As I found out when I tried to remove the existing drive with a Torx 3.
The instructions worked perfectly. Thank you.
This might come in handy for me at work. We just got two of these in and it has windows 11 home edition. I am just hoping that I can plug in a windows 11 pro product key in and it will upgrade
Thank you so much for this great video. Worked great! Spot on 👍👍
You mentioned recreating the partitions, meaning the ones Windows creates. Out of curiosity, do you further partition your drive? And, if so, how big do you make each of them on a 2TB drive? (I know many people say there's no point in partitioning an SSD, but I will keep doing it for organization.) TIA
This worked great for me, thank you!
thx for the video I just changed my ssd to 2TB
Cbutters: I got mine from Reddit and he got it from the flea market 😂
Also cbutters: look at this video of younger less rugged me 😉
XD
LOL sad thing is that other video is only 3months old... beard must really age me XD
@@cbutters haha you're like Kiefer Sutherland's cousin 😂
Thank you. Just found your video very helpful.
hi this is super random but any idea where I can get the SSD mounting screw? I messed up my installation and the screw is damaged.. so I am trying to find a replacement one
works perfect got a 2tb and used a samsung 128gb flash drive to reinstall windows. moral of the story. buy a 256gb model and upgrade it yourself to save big bucks
Does this change anything about the warranty?
Put the old one back in once you’re gonna warranty for any reason
I’ve keep having same issue install2.swm doesn’t transfer to the usb I made. I tried even putting in on my pc first. But it gives me error 0x8000x4005. But I tried several things but still not working.
I’m having the same problem with install3.swm. My brother in law says it’s an issue with the files that came from Microsoft. We’ve tried to download from multiple different computers and drives of all sizes. The error comes up each time we try to copy the files from the zip folder to any USB or external hard drive.
@@ebanbeltran983that’s weird that you have it with install3.swm. I’ve downloaded it now on 3 separate laptops including the surface pro 9. But always install2.swm that’s the issue.
Let me know if you figure it out. I tried downloading a recovery image for a slightly different Surface Pro 9 but when I power it up I only see the options to Troubleshoot or to Turn off your PC.
@@ebanbeltran983 I’m trying the option now that when I make a recovery drive with the “back up system files to the recovery drive”. Maybe it will work with that only. Without needing the download from Microsoft website.
Oh you’re trying it with that box checked instead of unchecked like he said in the video? I downloaded the recovery image for a i7/16GB/256GB, but it didn’t detect it when I powered up. Copying those files from a NTFS hard drive to a FAT32 formatted USB to see if that makes a difference.
I put the silver back onto the new ssd and noticed the temp went down by 1 Celsius, without thermal pad or paste
Nice step through video. I just purchased a SP8 with 265GB. I was thinking of upgrading to 1TB but my computer minded friend that is a Surface fan said to just use cloud storage (you get 1TB with MS 360 Family). I'm use to everything on my physical machine but the cloud may be the way to go especially I since use two and sometimes three different computers. Wondering your thought on this? - Thanks
I definitely think 2tb is overkill for most. I use onedrive as well; which works great for office documents; but if you do photo/video editing, it is not sufficient, the apps will crash sometimes when trying to use cloud assets that haven't downloaded yet; and it just slows you down quite a bit. So really it depends on your workflows. Some people don't need the space; some do.
@@cbutters well, I found a 1TB drive packaged like the OEM drives for a reasonable price and installation went smoothly following your video. It only took about 15-20 minutes. Thanks for sharing the entire process for us!
Worked Great!
Thank you for your vids as you answer diffcult/unique questions I and many others have. You and tablet pro are best reviewers for surface-like devices. I have an in-depth question I'm sure many are also curious to have answers about as you have gone through a very similar process.
My current "dilema":
I need to upgrade my portable setup. Have custom dekstop with 9900k, 64 gigs and 3090, ipad pro 2018 1 tb and fold 3 phone . I game moderately but intensely when I do and need 100+ frames for most titles and some vr. Game at 4k 120 oled at home or vr. On the comp wether home or mobile I do mostly office work, music production, some video editing so obviously dedicated graphics and greater than 16 gigs ram preferred here. I would also like to do more hand wrtten note taking/art on this device like I can on my iPad pro or fold 3.
I am not interested in x13 or z13 due to terrible screens by comparison, 16 gig limitations and worse battery on z13. If there were to be an x14 or a new x13 ryzen machine with 32 or more gigs, nebula mini led display or an oled, I would choose that with xg mobile and would call it a day lol.
Options:
1. I'm looking hard at x16 with 3070ti and awaiting an upgraded xg mobile (4080). I will max the ram and storage. About 4.5lbs
2. Wait for surface studio laptop 2 but deal with weaker gpu that will be in it for when it comes to games. Carry weight about 4.5 lbs
3. surface 9 i7 32 gig with egpu but deal with bulk and nuisance of this setup. Total weight like 2 lbs for surface and up to 13lbs+ for egpu for when I need to take it. Long road trips etc not a problem. Airlines and needing to use it at a coffee shop for any kind of 3d work needs might become an issue and nullify mobility of surface device.
4. Weaker/cheaper surface like an 8 i5 with lte 16 gigs for SUPERIOR than x16 drawing and for some light mobile work; then grab x16 or similar for gaming laptop/desktop replacement. Downside is 2 devices but no real disadvantage other than that. Total weight would be like 6.5lbs.
5. X16 and keep my iPad pro for that in between tablet and better note taking/art experience.
*Special Notes And Considerations:
I am also considering going "second screen" with surface device to my upgradable windows desktop if I can get low enough latency and good color/res. Then use one of the surface options above for mobile use.
I'm not sure if asus x16 can connect like surface devices can to a windows desktop, but I would assume not as it isn’t a microsoft device nor is it a samsung tab which were the only ones approved for this feature right? I haven't seen anyone talk about this windows feature in a while.
I am also using my fold 3 successfully like a tablet and almost never use my iPad pro as it is already due to closed/annoying mobile system and limitations. This is one of the reasons I want to get rid of it unless I need a superior inking/note taking experience with larger screen.
Other option is x16 for mobile and stick to iPad pro to maybe use as light tablet and second screen with digitizer for desktop via screen duet or similar software.
Questions:
Would you consider surface 9 AND light egpu set up? When I add the weight up of gpu and enclosure it's like 12+ lbs vs option 4 and more bulky.
I watched all your surface 8 and laptop studio vids. I'm aware of the aurous 1070 case you used for 3060. You mentioned 3060ti is possible to fit but it appears to me nothing larger (3070+) will.
Is there another lightweight case you would suggest that is also long enough for 3070-4080 cards? I'm starting to explore custom enclosure options/diy to get weight and bulk down but allow a 3080-4080 card. In any case they still seem to be quite heavy still, well over 6 lbs. Heavy gpu and psu is hard to overcome.
Should I just avoid the difficulty and cons of creating and dealing with this egpu in mobile setup and go with option 1, 2, 4 or 5 instead? I know you have done a mix of everything I said so you are the perfect person to ask. Thank you for your awesome videos and the time you put in to answer the hard questions we all have.
Those are all valid options... and ones I have explored myself. I think for me the route I'll go personally is your Option #2 waiting for surface laptop studio 2, (which I'm optimistic will be a pretty big jump in performance) while until it is released doing your option 3 (Surface Pro 9 w/ eGPU.
I'd recommend SP9 over SP8 for eGPU as I'm finding the Pro 9 does much better with it! (I DID find a 3060 ti that fits in my aorus gaming box and it is pretty compact! Videos on this eGPU w/ Surface Pro 9 to come very soon.)
For you though... depending on how tolerant of the weight of the X16 as a tablet... The X16 could be the best bet. I actually really love the X16; It is a beast in every way; its just way to heavy for my liking as a tablet. Otherwise I would still be using it.
So those are my thoughts, I know they aren't definitive... but it really is so personal. Keep an eye out for SP9 w/ egpu videos soon though.
Does anyone faced with random reboots after upgrading? Not BSOD, just sudden freezing and then reboot
techanicaly if theirs no OS on the SSD it will automaticaly try to boot to the usb drive!
Thanks for sharing.
How thick is that thermal pad? 0.5 mm or 1 mm? Thanks.
All Done, Thanks!
As much as I like the easy SSD upgradability, I'm not sure about having the OS installed in that one SSD. I don't mind having a soldered SSD for the OS and leave the rear slot empty for additional self upgrade.
Thank you for the useful video :)
Hi, what max size of SSD can you set in the surface pro ? I'm looking for 4To, is it possible ?
only 2TB exist in the right size (2230), but in the future there might be some 4TB models in a 2230 size, and they will be compatible; but they don't quite exist yet.
From old habits I normally install the OPSYS on a separate drive, like a C: drive then all my programs on a d: drive. My data files go on one of my QNAP NAS boxes so I have access to everything wherever I am. Is this possible if I install a 2 TB drive? Thanks for the video BTW. I currently use a Surface Pro 5 (Windows 10)and am looking to upgrade and even have an older Surface Pro 2 which still works well! Final quickie can I install MS Office 2019 on the Surface Pro 9 (Windows 11)?
HI, thnaks for the great video. Is any one having issues with Micron 1Tb SSD ?
Thanks a lot
Hi there.
Thanks for the video. Well appreciated. I got a question do. I just bought a new surface and I was wondering if I need to open it one time, let it do its updates and my account first? Then I do the upgrade, or It will wipe everything out, and I'll do a new sign in and account?
Thanks in advance.... if I got an answer before tomorrow. 😁
Thanks. Do you have to use the Surface recovery image? Can you reinstall using the download from the Media Creation Tool? I want to reinstall it with Win 11 Pro (I have a new license key).
This is helpful. Thanks. Also, it might be worth mentioning up front that you need a 16 GB flash drive. I had used an 8 GB and had to start over again.
Does it matter which windows you have on the pc you make your usb drive with? Say i have an older version on my pc than i do on my surface and set up my usb drive on my pc with the older windows, will it give me the older version that i have on my pc and put it on my surface pro?
Can someone help. I've been looking at reimaging my Surface Pro 9, but the option says Surface Pro9 Demo - Windows 11 Pro Version 22H2 Anyone know what this means?
Hello, I have a Surface Pro 9, and Windows 11 was installed in the original way. Now, I got a 2TB SSD. The recovery link is on Microsoft's website.
Apart from Windows 11, Windows 10 is also available
Can I install it?
Thank you for your guidance
I have 3 surface pro s =, none of them have that little square cover to remove SSD
Must not be Surface Pro 8 or higher.
I have a question: restoring from an image, you are gonna loose the pre installed additional apps (the ones for drawing with the pen, for example), or is a perfect image of the existing dump into the surface at day 1? Tnx
It is direct from microsoft so you shouldn't lose anything over what it came from the store with. (What I'm showing in this video is slightly different from clean installing a windows ISO; which YES could affect things drastically and might not even have the right drivers to use the type cover.)
This is exactly what I needed. Thanks!
Hey thanks for the video. Whats the screw driver type and name?
Thanks for the video. I have been researching the 2tb drives and of ones I have found, they tend to be manufacturer specific (Dell, etc.) Is this ok. Thanks again
Hey I was wondering what is the exact screw you got to unscrew the ssd? I bought multiple torx t3 and for some reason it is not working. thanks
Ummmmmmm mine goes to the surface bios it doesn’t give me any of those options
Will this work for Linux too? I mainly use Linux and I plan on upgrading my SP. Eventually to one of the ones where I can remove the SSD to upgrade. If make a rsync or time shift back up of a Linux distro and install a new SSD will it recover the backup OS or will I need to re install the whole thing? Sorry if this seems like a silly question. But it's something I've been trying to find out before purchasing another usb drive and dedicate looking for an optional SSD.
How much storage can the surface pro 9 accept? I mean can I use an 4tb SSD?
I've seen in one of your previous videos you used the SSD from a 1TB tuff nano ssd. I see they don't sell those anymore but they have a 2TB one. Is the SSD they use for that one compatible with the surface pro 8? Haven't been able to find the model used for the 2TB version
Very descriptive video. When you download the Surface Recovery Image at 4:40 I can read its Windows 10? how can that be?
Fairly old video I guess. :) Windows 10 or Windows 11, the steps are the same either way.
What size screwdriver is needed? I bought a phone repair kit and none of the 4 fit and my screw is getting stripped!
I dont have a flash drive so can i use my surface pro 6 instead?
pelase can you help me my surface pro 9 stuck at surface logo
هل يقبل النظام 2 تيرا ؟
Hi there. I'm also using a Surface Pro 9. i have my 1TB to replaced my 256GB. My question is can i use a USB C Hub to connect my USB that contains the recovery files for recovering process to the new SSD 1TB? thank you
Anyone know if a Surface Pro8 would be able to accept a 2TB drive upgrade or is 1TB the max?
Did anyone get hot after installing 2 TB?
Any glitches with other items like the pen, touch screen, software etc since you installed?
So is the SP9 not so sensitive to the Gen 4x4 SSDs?
Ok please help! I did everything but it come up with "couldnt find a bootable operating sysytem. Check the boot configuration to try to fix this" HEEEELPPPP XX
I have tried with a usb stick as well as an SD card but I get either immediately 'there is a problem recovering your pc' or it starts but then gives the same message at around 30%. And sometimes it says "system station not big enough" (I am installing a 512GB). Is this a usb error or does this mean my ssd is broken? It's a Kioxia BG5
My surface pro 3 has an issue due to automatic upgrade windows 10 to 21H1, the internal iGPU HD4400 driver always rollback to 2016 years version, and hardware decode acceleration on task-manager could not working properly, this is a big trouble to me .....:( I just use this device as a youtube client...what are you doing? Microsoft
After upgrading my surface pro,it restarts randomly.What can be the reason
Please do SoMe premiere Pro video editing testing on the surface Pro 9
Why don't we want the system files?
it is nice is it also possible by just clone the old SSD on the new one to do it
it is possible, but can be a more complex and variable operation than I wanted to get into in this video, see my clonezilla tutorials for more info on that.
What is the max memory a Surface Pro can handle. I have 1TB. Thank you.
Why is Surface Pro 9 running SSD on PCIe 3.0 instead of PCIe 4.0...?😬
I just like Microsoft's build quality
Small SSD to large SSD migration surface pro9
great work, what is the speed of read and write of 2TB? is it the same as 256GB (around 1 to 2 GB/sec)
3578 MB/s Read 2847 MB/s Write on my 2TB
Will the "Micron 2TB 2400 M.2 2230 NVMe PCIe 4.0x4 SSD MTFDKBK2T0QFM-1BD1AABYYR" work, found it on Amazon. I just purchased a Surface Pro 9 Intel Core i7 256gb
Hi I'm seem to be stuck on the serial number part. I just keep getting a (syntax error: unexpected token '
yes... don't copy and paste your serial number, it won't work... You must type it in... refresh the page and type it in manually
Mines stuck now on selecting a language
microsoft really cared about the environment for their surface computers!
After I saw your video, I bought SP 9 256G too. what is the brand and type of your 2TB SSD? thank you in advance
I have a micron 2400, but the WD SN740 should work as well
Please can you provide a link to buy the ssd 1tb for surface pro9 thanks
10/10
anyone have the issue where the touchscreen isn't working when booting up the new image? I can't select language or anything, touchscreen nor keyboard are working. (Surface Pro 9, brand new out of the box)
I plugged in an old wireless keyboard with a usb dongle and that keyboard worked. not sure why the touchscreen or official surface keyboard didn't work though. install went fine after that and once it was done installing the touchscreen and surface keyboard worked.
odd. this is why I like Apple haha
thanks for this vid though!!!