Vertex 2 boot issue, 3 days in!

[szjon]

I installed a vertex 2 a few days ago. I have a dell vostro 400 quad core running win 7 and my bios is up to date.

I did a lot of reading before attempting this. The vostro bios does not have an ahci option, I have to select raid to enable ahci. I did this and put a clean install on the ssd, no other drives were connected.

The ssd shows in my bios. I can boot from it and it wrks well. I can re-start without issue and it will boot again into windows.

The issue arises when I shut down and cold start,(power on) the computer. It tries to boot from an ahci boot disk bot none available. If I power off and enter bios then f10 out, it will boot.

When I force boot with f12 it is sometimes listed, sometimes not. It is not listed as an option in boot config in bios. When I look there there is only add in cards and my hdd. (This was the same before I connected the hdd)

Everything works fine except for this boot issue. After 3 days of reading threads I am at my wits end and about ready to throw it all out the window.

Can anyone offer any advice? I am tearing what little hair I have left out.

 

[szjon]

A few pictures of the set up. This is the screen I get after the dell post. Shows both drives.

Then goes to this screen. I have to switch off by the power button here.

OK, the bios. As you can see, the drive is there.

I only have the option of hard drive in boot config.

If I go into boot priority I have only these optins, hdd and add in.

Sata mode is set to raid.

When I come out of bios and save then it boots to this screen.

And it boots into windows perfectly.

I have run as ssd and here is the report.

Hope this helps someone see what I have done wrong.

Many thanks.

 

[cin19]

I have friend has the same thing but she has the dell optiplex 745. I think the OS installation is not appropriate. Each time you have to go into bios save then you can boot.

And I saw the picture of AS SSD that show the firmware is v1.35, you need update it to v1.37.
Download link http://www.ocztechnology.com/ssd_tools/OCZ_Vertex_2,_Vertex_LE,_Agility_2/

If you have other PC/laptop you can download the OCZ toolbox on it and update the firmware. If you don't have one, you need to install the win7 into HDD, then OCZ toolbox, or the bootable Linux-based tool, but you need read the firmware update guide from the same download.

I recommend the OCZ toolbox, I found the OCZ is not user friendly, update the firmware (V1.37) and you need update the BIOS too from Dell if you don't done yet.

Using the OCZ toolbox do the secure erase, because I cannot install the OS on the SSD when I try to install the OS without secure erase the SSD first, then connect the SSD, go to the BIOS setup, then saving and install the win7 again.

I know it is complex, but it works on that Dell 745 now.