No boot w/ SSD

[Corporate Thug]

so I decided to throw in a 120gb patriot pyro SSD in my t420 today and all I get is a faint HDD blinking light and a black screen:

The SSD works fine on my desktop and I'm pretty sure I'm installing it correctly since I installed the mechanical HDD several times today alone without a single issue.

Any ideas?

 

[Corporate Thug]

Bump

 

[ViRGE]

You may want to try Memory & Storage (I can move this there if you'd like).

 

[Corporate Thug]

You may want to try Memory & Storage (I can move this there if you'd like).

that would be great

 

[Corporate Thug]

ttt

 

[Elixer]

Did you secure erase it first, then install onto the laptop, then install the OS ?
If you just swapped it 'as is' from the desktop, and expect it to boot, 9 times out of 10, it won't.

 

[biostud]

try using it in an external enclosure with the old harddrive in.

do you have the latest bios?

 

[Corporate Thug]

Did you secure erase it first, then install onto the laptop, then install the OS ?
If you just swapped it 'as is' from the desktop, and expect it to boot, 9 times out of 10, it won't.

I have never used secure erase before...is it something w/ laptops that a plain old NTFS reformat won't work?

 

[Corporate Thug]

try using it in an external enclosure with the old harddrive in.

do you have the latest bios?

I'll dig around to see if I have an enclosure...I searched the lenovo site and there does not appear to any bios updates.

 

[tweakboy]

I think this is happening cuz it's a laptop hmmm ? So listen to the anand Gurus and save your stuff backup,,, and do a clean install. Also possibly you might need to update the fimrware on the SSD. I would look into that first if I were you... gl

 

[Corporate Thug]

I think this is happening cuz it's a laptop hmmm ? So listen to the anand Gurus and save your stuff backup,,, and do a clean install. Also possibly you might need to update the fimrware on the SSD. I would look into that first if I were you... gl

the firmware is up to date.

 

[Anteaus]

How did you install windows? Restore discs or clean install?

I put a Intel 520 180GB SSD into my T420 and had zero problems. Something wierd is definitely going on in your case. Hopefully its something easy to fix.

 

[Elixer]

I have never used secure erase before...is it something w/ laptops that a plain old NTFS reformat won't work?

As for, if it is really required, that depends on the SSD itself, and how aggressive it TRIMs / GC the drive.
Usually, I always secure wipe the SSD on OS installs.
The maker of the SSD has a utility that does a secure wipe of the device.

 

[Corporate Thug]

How did you install windows? Restore discs or clean install?

I put a Intel 520 180GB SSD into my T420 and had zero problems. Something wierd is definitely going on in your case. Hopefully its something easy to fix.

That's just the thing...I can't even install windows because it won't boot. It's just a blank SSD at this point.

 

[Corporate Thug]

As for, if it is really required, that depends on the SSD itself, and how aggressive it TRIMs / GC the drive.
Usually, I always secure wipe the SSD on OS installs.
The maker of the SSD has a utility that does a secure wipe of the device.

Ok, doing some research I couldn't find anything from patriot but it seems people are using parted magic. Will try tonight.

 

[Anteaus]

That's just the thing...I can't even install windows because it won't boot. It's just a blank SSD at this point.

What's your boot order in your BIOS look like? It might be attempting to boot your SSD even though technically there is no boot loader. Try overriding the boot device selection by hitting F12 and going straight to your DVD.

 

[Elixer]

Ok, doing some research I couldn't find anything from patriot but it seems people are using parted magic. Will try tonight.

http://www.patriotmemory.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?2-SSD-Support
Dunno what firmware you are using now, but, since the drive is empty, you may want to update it if there is a important release for it.

 

[Corporate Thug]

What's your boot order in your BIOS look like? It might be attempting to boot your SSD even though technically there is no boot loader. Try overriding the boot device selection by hitting F12 and going straight to your DVD.

Holy F**** s**** I forgot to check the boot order before swapping mechanical drive. I'll check when I get home.

 

[Corporate Thug]

http://www.patriotmemory.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?2-SSD-Support
Dunno what firmware you are using now, but, since the drive is empty, you may want to update it if there is a important release for it.

I'm on 3.3.2...the 5.X.X doesn't add anything important and the stupid firmware update program doesn't even detect the SSD.

 

[tweakboy]

That's just the thing...I can't even install windows because it won't boot. It's just a blank SSD at this point.

Its not supposed to boot.

Does the BIOS detect your SSD ?

If so disconnect your other hard drives and install OS ....hmmmm

 

[Corporate Thug]

Its not supposed to boot.

Does the BIOS detect your SSD ?

If so disconnect your other hard drives and install OS ....hmmmm

Its just a blank screen when I power on w/ the flashing HDD light...I can't even get to BIOS.

 

[tweakboy]

In that case this is not a SSD issue. Try taking it out and see if your laptop can power up, and let us know. thx gl

 

[Corporate Thug]

In that case this is not a SSD issue. Try taking it out and see if your laptop can power up, and let us know. thx gl

how is it not a SSD issue when the mechanical drive boots up fine?

 

[Anteaus]

how is it not a SSD issue when the mechanical drive boots up fine?

can you get to the bios with the HDD installed?

 

[Corporate Thug]

can you get to the bios with the HDD installed?

nope...the lenovo startup screen pops up for a second and then black screen. I updated the bios and still no luck. I still have to try the secure erase.