SSD not letting me install windows 8 after formatting

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
S

snowboundsquid

Honorable
Jan 16, 2014
13
0
10,510
Before upgrading my motherboard and cpu I had windows 8 installed on a 120gb Kingston ssd. I backed up all the files on my ssd onto a 1tb hdd, which I also had windows installed on for a backup. I then formatted the ssd. After installing the new parts I booted into a licensed windows 8 disk to begin re-installation. It turned out that the ssd needed to be a GPT disk for windows to install (it was currently MBR).

So instead of installing to the ssd i installed to the 1tb hdd in order to change the ssd to GPT. This seemed to work, it then let me install windows. When all the files were installed it restarted as it should, but instead of booting into the windows startup process, it booted to the cd/dvd drive again instead, so i took the windows disk out and tried again. This time it booted into the tb hdd i had previously installed windows on (note: i had put the ssd 1st in the boot order before this).

I then unplugged my tbhdd and tried again. This time it took me to a screen saying my pc needs repairs, saying underneath that the kernel was either missing or corrupted, specifically "ntoskrnl.exe"

i have tried reformatting and cleaning the ssd a few times through command and in computer management and re-installing, each time i get the same issue. also, transferring files to and from the ssd is now extremely slow.

clearly i'm not the most pc literate person, and any help fixing this issue would be great.
thanks
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
Dereck47

Dereck47

Splendid
Jan 20, 2011
3,275
0
22,960
Secure Erase your SSD and then do a fresh Windows install.
A Secure Erase resets all of the cells on all of the NAND chips of a SSD and restores any SSD to a blank, fresh-out-of-the-box condition.

1.) Have your HDD & SSD connected, and your CD/DVD drive empty.
2.) Boot to your HDD drive.
3.) Download HDDErase. Click on the link that says "Download Freeware Secure Erase Utility". http://cmrr.ucsd.edu/people/Hughes/secure-erase.html
4.) SE your SSD. This link will show you how: http://www.kingston.com/us/community/articledetail?ArticleId=10
5.) After you SE your SSD, shut down your system and disconnect your HDD.
6.) If your motherboard has Intel 6Gb/s ports then connect the SSD to one of the ports.
7.) Boot into BIOS and change the SATA port your SSD is connected to to AHCI mode. Your motherboard manual will show you how to do it.
8.) Set your 1st Boot device in BIOS to your SSD and your 2nd Boot Device to your CD/DVD drive. Put your Windows install disk in the CD/DVD drive.
9.) Save your BIOS settings and reboot. Your system should then begin the Windows install process.
9.) Don't manually format the SSD; let Windows do it automatically during the install process.
10.) After Windows has successfully installed you can then shut down your system and connect your HDD.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
S

snowboundsquid

Honorable
Jan 16, 2014
13
0
10,510
thanks for the help, this is driving me crazy...
yeah, i ran into the same issue, i burnt the iso onto a cd and booted into it. it works, but there's another problem, instead of loading fully into it it stops and says "XMS get free mem error" according to the modboot site this means i need below 2gb of ram to run this. i only have one stick and it's 8gb so i'm not sure what i can do. i'll keep looking, any other suggestions?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
S

snowboundsquid

Honorable
Jan 16, 2014
13
0
10,510
alright, downloaded and managed to get it working, but once i select the ssd for secure erase is says it's frozen and gives the option to go into sleep mode as it might "unfreeze" it upon reactivating my system. i did this, but it's still frozen. i'll try some more tomorrow, it's late so im off to bed, thanks again.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Dereck47

Dereck47

Splendid
Jan 20, 2011
3,275
0
22,960
Couple of things you can try to unfreeze your SSD:

1a.) In PM when you are in the Erase Disk menu, above the button you click to SE your SSD there is another button labeled "Erase MBR (External)". Run that on your SSD.
1b.) If that is able to complete then close the Erase Disk utility (but remain in PM), open the Erase Disk utility, run the SE and see if it is now able to run.

If that doesn't work...

2a.) When you get the frozen SSD error message again exit the SE utility but remain at the PM desktop.
2b.) Unplug the power & data cables from the SSD for about 60 seconds.
2c.) Plug the power & data cable back into the SSD and run the SE utility again
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
S

snowboundsquid

Honorable
Jan 16, 2014
13
0
10,510
alright, i managed to unfreeze and SE my ssd, but i'm still having the same issue when i try and install windows. the error code it gives is 0xc0000185 if that means anything to anyone. The problem has to be with the ssd right? I mean, this whole process went completely fine on my other hdd...
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom