Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3P - Can't install SSD on it

Queenland · Dec 31, 2016

Hello,

I am trying for a full week to install an SSD on my Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3P with no luck so far.
Removed the current HDD (which I plan to use as drive D with current contents later) and put the Sandisk SSD on GSATA3_6 (6Gb/s) and configured all Control Modes (PCH/eSATA/GSATA) to AHCI.
Booted with the Windows 10 DVD and installed it on the brand new 'unalocated space' on the SSD. However, when I try to boot from the SSD I get BSOD (Recovery screen, but none of the F8 menu options resolve the issue).
When I try to boot with the windows DVD again (to try to reinstall it), it does not recognize the SSD and keeps booting in loop. Tried various bootable partition managers, but none recognize the SSD either.
The SSD is also not listed on 'Standard CMOS features'.
What's the best procedure to try to access the SSD to restart from scratch? I'm stuck

COLGeek · Dec 31, 2016

Have you tried installing the SSD with one of the native, "normal" SATA ports, and not the GSATA port?

Queenland · Dec 31, 2016

Yes, I just did that today. Identical result unfortunately

Queenland · Dec 31, 2016

COLGeek :

Yes, I just did that today. Identical result unfortunately

Queenland · Jan 4, 2017

I tried to use a USB flash drive instead of a DVD to install Windows 10, but the reboot loop is exactly the same

COLGeek · Jan 4, 2017

Make sure you are using the most recent BIOS for your motherboard. Get it here:

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3437#bios

Queenland · Jan 5, 2017

COLGeek :

My BIOS version is already the most recent (F14)...

COLGeek · Jan 5, 2017

Have you tried with the only SSD as the only connected SATA device? Assuming you get to the part where you select where to install Windows, be sure to delete all previous partitions before installing to the SSD.

Queenland · Jan 5, 2017

COLGeek :

Yes, all test I am doing are being made with only the SSD as the only connected SATA device.
The SSD has two partions - One small, reserved, and one big, for user data. I do not have get to the part where the partitions are shown the on Windows installer, but with Parted Magic (a linux bootlable tool) I have deleted only the big one, and it is currently 'unalocated space'. I have not touched the small reserved partition. Do you think it would be safe to delete it so I will have only 'one' unallocated space total partition?

COLGeek · Jan 5, 2017

Yes, delete it. Windows will adjust the partitions as needed if we can get to that point.

Queenland · Jan 5, 2017

COLGeek :

Just deleted the reserved partition, but it made no difference. Windows setup still booting in loop. The windows logo displays, then when that circle starts spinning, then it reboots :-(

COLGeek · Jan 5, 2017

I would suggest this. Get a "fresh" ISO from MS and install to a different USB drive. Either your USB drive or the current install media could be the issue.

Queenland · Jan 5, 2017

COLGeek :

I have tried 3 DVDs, 2 optical drives, and the flash drive is brand new... And all those created with Media Creation Tool directly from Microsoft...

Tomorrow I plan to try to install Windows 8.1 (I still have a DVD). If it works, then I will try to upgrade to Windows 10.

COLGeek · Jan 5, 2017

Have you tried alternate SATA cables? I know you have tried alternate ports. Are you connected to a "regular" SATA port as opposed to a GSATA port?

Queenland · Jan 6, 2017

COLGeek :

Yes, when I tried the regular SATA port I used a regular 3Gb/s cable and the result was the same.
Currently the SDD is connected to a GSATA port using the same 6Gb/s cable that I was using with the HDD.

Queenland · Jan 9, 2017

I have found someone that has tried for TWO MONTHS to install an SSD to a mobo similar to mine's at
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/298111-32-p55a
But he listed no solution

COLGeek · Jan 9, 2017

Try installing to the SSD while in SATA mode (IDE). Assuming you successfully get Windows installed, we can change to AHCI afterward.

Queenland · Jan 9, 2017

COLGeek :

Already tried that

I saw the trick of changing the windows registry afterwards, but in IDE mode the reboot loop during windows setup is the same.

I found one person who managed to make his SSDs work in this mobo by disabling 'some settings' in the BIOS, but he did not wrote exactly what:

http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php?topic=4095.0

COLGeek · Jan 9, 2017

I'll look over those settings when I go home later today. Can't access that site from my current location.

I have also asked the moderation team about this to see if they have any ideas. This is quite the head scratcher.

Queenland · Jan 9, 2017

COLGeek :

Wow! Thanks a lot for your time and kindness to ask them!

USAFRet · Jan 9, 2017

A standard fallback test is to try an install with Linux. Just to rule out a faulty Windows install media.

If it works, then it is likely your Windows install thing.
If it fails, the drive or the motherboard is the likely issue.

Queenland · Jan 9, 2017

USAFRet :

I already tested with two windows 10 DVDs, one bootlable flash drive, one windows 8.1 dvd, one windows 7 dvd and two optical drives. All resulting on the same symptom of reboot loop. The usb flash drive, for example, is a brand new one which I purchased specially for this test and was created using microsoft's media creation tool. These tests are sufficient to assume that the problem is not the media, or should I really try to download and install Linux?

USAFRet · Jan 9, 2017

Queenland :

USAFRet :

I already tested with two windows 10 DVDs, one bootlable flash drive, one windows 8.1 dvd, one windows 7 dvd and two optical drives. All resulting on the same symptom of reboot loop. The usb flash drive, for example, is a brand new one which I purchased specially for this test and was created using microsoft's media creation tool. These tests are sufficient to assume that the problem is not the media, or should I really try to download and install Linux?

Then option 2. Either the drive or the motherboard is faulty.
Tried a different SATA port on the motherboard?

Saga Lout · Jan 9, 2017

Back to basics time Could you put the SSD as a slave in another Windows machine and simply format the entire disk into one NTFS file system format.

When you put it back into the offending machine, please check that the BIOS recognises it and that it's top of the list in Boot Options.

Queenland · Jan 10, 2017

> Tried a different SATA port on the motherboard?

I did a quick test with SATA2_0 (same results), but will try again

> Back to basics time Could you put the SSD as a slave in another Windows machine and simply format the entire disk into one NTFS file system format.

I can delete its partitions (leaving it completely as unallocated space) using a bootable Linux CD I have with Parted Magic on it.

Will do that before (re)testing the SSD on SATA2_0.

Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3P - Can't install SSD on it

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