- Oct 30, 2017
- 8
- 0
- 510
So I'm in the middle of computer hardware hell right now. Trying to install a new SDD to replace a failing HDD on an Alienware x51 and nothing is going right.
The current, old HDD is booting and running the OS with few problems but I have confirmed the disk is failing using diagnostic tools. My dying hard drive won't clone to the new SSD I'm trying to replace it with (I've tried multiple programs including the one that came with the SSD), and just as an added bonus, the optical drive and my external DVD drive won't work so I can't use recovery disks, but I managed to install Windows 10 fresh on the new SSD with USB flash.
So, just to be clear: I have an old HDD that can still run Windows 10 and a brand new SSD that I installed Windows 10 on fresh.
Windows recognizes that the SSD is there when I boot from the HDD. I was able to format it from Computer Management and The SSD drive is accessible through File Explorer. BIOS recognizes it as connected via one of the SATA ports, but it's not in the boot order list and it's not in the ''boot from...'' list either.
When I disconnect the HDD the computer won't boot at all, even to the BIOS screen. Nothing but black. I have three SATA ports on the motherboard. I tried changing the SSD SATA cable to the one reserved for the HDD (labeled SATA 2) and it still won't boot or even go to BIOS.
It seems to be recognizing the SSD as a storage drive but not a bootable drive.
Halp.
Thanks.
The current, old HDD is booting and running the OS with few problems but I have confirmed the disk is failing using diagnostic tools. My dying hard drive won't clone to the new SSD I'm trying to replace it with (I've tried multiple programs including the one that came with the SSD), and just as an added bonus, the optical drive and my external DVD drive won't work so I can't use recovery disks, but I managed to install Windows 10 fresh on the new SSD with USB flash.
So, just to be clear: I have an old HDD that can still run Windows 10 and a brand new SSD that I installed Windows 10 on fresh.
Windows recognizes that the SSD is there when I boot from the HDD. I was able to format it from Computer Management and The SSD drive is accessible through File Explorer. BIOS recognizes it as connected via one of the SATA ports, but it's not in the boot order list and it's not in the ''boot from...'' list either.
When I disconnect the HDD the computer won't boot at all, even to the BIOS screen. Nothing but black. I have three SATA ports on the motherboard. I tried changing the SSD SATA cable to the one reserved for the HDD (labeled SATA 2) and it still won't boot or even go to BIOS.
It seems to be recognizing the SSD as a storage drive but not a bootable drive.
Halp.
Thanks.
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