Trouble adding storage HDD's to new SSD installation.

miteymitey

Honorable
Apr 21, 2012
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10,510
I just recently completed building a new AMD based PC. Initially I used a WD 500GB SATA II HDD, loaded with Windows 7 Pro 32bit, from my old system along with two internal storage drives (1- WD 640GB SATA II HDD and 1- Toshiba 1TB SATA II HDD). All of these drives are relatively new, the oldest being only about 9 months old. There is also an external WD 500GB storage drive but it isn't part of the problem. Everything was installed in the new system with the SATA controller set to IDE.
After completing the build and having everything up and running the way I wanted it, I came into a few extra bucks and decided to upgrade my system with a new SATA III drive. After a lot of research I decided I would get adventurous and try an SSD. I found an excellent deal on a brand new Samsung 830 series 128GB SATA III SSD and ordered it.
This past week I finally got it installed with Windows 7 Pro 64bit. Of course, I had to change the SATA controller to AHCI for the SSD, which I accomplished with no problems. I've had a lot trouble with the drive though. It's extremely slow, it takes twice as long to load Windows compared to the WD SATA II HDD, and I've been unable to use the Samsung Magician software effectively. But this seems to be a problem with the MB chip set drivers I installed and, according to a Samsung tech, a fresh Windows installation and using the Windows supplied MB chip set drivers may solve these problems. But these are just inconveniences.
After getting the SSD up and running, I tried to add my two internal storage drives. That's when I ran into a serious problem. Every time I hook up one or both of the storage drives and turn the system on, the SSD refuses to load Windows. After POST and the "Loading Operating System" display finish, the system goes to a screen stating that Windows failed to load and that recent software or hardware changes may be responsible for the problem. I'm given a choice of either "Trouble Shooting/Repairing" or "Loading Windows normally". It doesn't matter which I choose as the same thing happens with both. I get a status bar for "Windows is loading files", like the status bar you get when installing Windows, then the computer re-boots itself. Again, after POST and the "Loading Operating System" display finish, the system goes to a screen stating that Windows failed to load and that recent software or hardware changes may be responsible for the problem. Tried this numerous times. Always the same results. Then I disconnect the two internal storage drives, restart the computer and Windows loads up. I've checked numerous times and there has been no change in boot priority in Bios.
Neither of these two drives have ever had an OS installed on them. I bought them both brand new, formatted them to NTFS and put them in my old system for file storage only. Primarily video and music files. In this new system, I originally installed the two internal drives on SATA ports 2 & 3, which would have them in AHCI. Subsequently, I moved them the SATA ports 4 & 5 which, according to my Bios, are still operating in IDE. No change in results. The drives are still good, since I can hook them up via USB and read them.
Relevant system info:
CPU: AMD Phenom II 960T 3.0GHz Black Edition Unlocked. (No overclocking or unlocked cores)
MB: Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3 Rev 1.1
RAM: 8GB (4 x 2GB) 1333
SSD: Samsung 830 series 128GB SATA III (AHCI, SATA port 0)
HDD's: WD 640GB SATA II
Toshiba 1TB SATA II
Any ideas on how to correct this problem will be greatly appreciated.
Thank You.


 
Solution
Remove SSD.
Boot into windows 7 from the old HDD (assuming it has not been messed up).
Change the drive from IDE to AHCI (google IDE to AHCI in windows 7)
ie: http://www.google.com/#hl=en&sclient=psy-ab&q=ide+to+ahci+without+reinstall+windows+7&oq=IDE+to+AHCI+in+windows+7&aq=2q&aqi=g-j1g-q3&aql=&gs_nf=1&gs_l=serp.1.2.0i18j0i22l3.3775.3775.0.14867.1.1.0.0.0.0.140.140.0j1.1.0.i3oJ5_AyNVg&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=f3793bcf9ecffb4a

Once Old HDD issues have been sorted out:
Disconnect all HDD!!!
reinstall SSD.select custom install and on page showing the SSD, select advanced and DELETE ALL partitons.
Select unpartitioned space and continue windows install.


It sounds like you have a known very serious issue with your chipset drivers that you have chosen not to address. Is this correct? Until you address the known problem with the drivers there's no point in attempting to deal with your storage drives as thats most likely what's causing their issues.
 
Remove SSD.
Boot into windows 7 from the old HDD (assuming it has not been messed up).
Change the drive from IDE to AHCI (google IDE to AHCI in windows 7)
ie: http://www.google.com/#hl=en&sclient=psy-ab&q=ide+to+ahci+without+reinstall+windows+7&oq=IDE+to+AHCI+in+windows+7&aq=2q&aqi=g-j1g-q3&aql=&gs_nf=1&gs_l=serp.1.2.0i18j0i22l3.3775.3775.0.14867.1.1.0.0.0.0.140.140.0j1.1.0.i3oJ5_AyNVg&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=f3793bcf9ecffb4a

Once Old HDD issues have been sorted out:
Disconnect all HDD!!!
reinstall SSD.select custom install and on page showing the SSD, select advanced and DELETE ALL partitons.
Select unpartitioned space and continue windows install.
 
Solution

miteymitey

Honorable
Apr 21, 2012
5
0
10,510
The old Windows 7 HDD isn't a part of this system. I used it to set up my old AMD Dual Core system, the system it was originally installed in, for my grand-daughter. The only internal drives associated with this new system are the Samsung SSD and the two HDD storage drives.

But I will check out the articles googled and see what I can find there.

Thanks.
 

miteymitey

Honorable
Apr 21, 2012
5
0
10,510
As to the chip set driver problem, I have supposed that the only thing the drivers are effecting is the MB's interface with the Samsung SSD. The same chip set drivers were installed prior to the switch to the SSD and everything was working fine. The SSD is currently functioning. It boots, it runs, I can install software. It's just slow and the Samsung Magician software can't fully utilize the Performance Optimization program.

I've considered the possibility that the chip set drivers could be having some effect, but I don't understand why they could keep an otherwise functional drive from booting just because I plug in two storage drives.

My current plan is to try to fix this as is. If I'm unable to, then I'll re-install Windows per the instructions I got from the Samsung tech and then try it. That will be done tomorrow (Sun, 4-22). If that doesn't fix the problem I have an available HDD that I can install my OS on and dump the SSD.

 

miteymitey

Honorable
Apr 21, 2012
5
0
10,510
Problem Solved! After several hours of extremely frustrating and ineffective attempts to get the system up an running with the storage drives connected, and after being unable to re-install Windows 7 on the SSD, I decided it just isn't worth it.
I pulled out a 320GB 2.5" HDD I removed from an old laptop. It has Windows 7 Pro 32bit already installed on it. I yanked the SSD, installed the 2.5" HDD, connected my storage drives, changed the SATA controller back to Native IDE, booted the system and, bingo, everything is working like a champ. And everything is actually a tad faster than the SSD. Needless to say, the SSD will be up for sale on the E-auction site tomorrow and I'll be buying a SATA III HDD for my main drive.

Yes, I know SSD's will at some time be the standard for PC's, but this one just didn't work out for me. Pity too, because I really was looking forward to the increased speed of an SSD. But, it just wasn't there.

Anyway, I do want to thank all of those who tried to help.
 
Please Note - NO diff between a SATA II HDD and a SATA III HDD in day to day operation. The ONLY single advantage of a sata III HDD on a SATA III port is burst mode, that last like XX milisec. SATA III HDD are a waste of SATA III resourse, but if nothing else stuck on there might as well put it there.