Question Replaced HDD with SDD, installed Win 10 and now I can't even get the boot screen.

[jjamesss]

Hi, there! I hope you can help me with this, I don't know what else to do .



Base case: Laptop with default config: HDD + Win10 working perfectly. I wanted to add an SSD and install the OS there and keep the HDD for data storage.



I'll try to be short:

- Installed SSD + HDD, got Black Screen and couldn't even get the boot menu.. just LED backlight. Took out the SSD, everything normal.

- Took out HDD and installed SDD again, got BIOS menu, it didn't recognize the USB stick with WIN10 installer.

- Disabled Safe Boot. Re-created the USB WIN10 installer to be GPT partitioned and be recognized by the UEFI boot option (there is no Legacy on the Boot menu).

- Installed Win10 perfectly on the SSD.

- Connected again the HDD (Win 10 installed there, nothing erased [maybe my bad here]). When starting the computer: Black Screen again.

- Disconnected SSD, booted WIN10 installer through the USB stick, formatted the HDD.

- Connected HDD+ SSD = Black screen.



Situation now:

- HDD + SSD = Black Screen.

- SSD = Black Screen. How? Why? How can I access the SSD now??

- HDD = Bios Screen.

+

When restarting with WIN key + B, The screen shows a text indicating the BIOS maybe corrupted and recomends re-installing it through a USB stick, downloading the latest one from an HP website.



Additional data:

- Notebook: brand new HP 250 G7

- SSD: XPG SX6000 lite 128 GB



I'm willing to try anything.

Thanks.

P.S: Images from the boot menu: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1C7rqm8nQ-NZkfNlUHEkySewSPvLVmdJG?usp=sharing

Update: Tried the SDD on another laptop and Win10 boots perfectly.

 

[SamMaster]

I would indeed recommend updating the BIOS, then doing a BIOS factory reset, then setting the BIOS configs as you need them, then start the W10 installation with only the SSD in it.

Also prehaps update the SSD firmware if there is an update for it before installing windows on it.

 

[jjamesss]

Tried updating the SSD firmware through the manufacturer website, but it wouldn't recognize my drive, as it only works with SATA connections and mine is connected directly through M.2 PCIe

Update:

• Updated BIOS to latest.
• Wiped clean HDD. Wiped clean SSD. Both using using diskpart method.

Still can't use the laptop with the SSD plugged in. There is no way I can turn on the computer with the SSD in and access even the BIOS, even less to access the bootable USB stick.
If I take it out, it works perfectly.

 

[SamMaster]

If the SSD works in another system, and all updates are done, then it is one of three possibilities:
- The laptop is defective and needs to be serviced / exchanged
- The SSD is defective and needs to be replaced
- There is a strange compatibility issue with the SSD and the specific laptop, and maybe you need to get a different model / brand of SSD.

 

[jjamesss]

If the SSD works in another system, and all updates are done, then it is one of three possibilities:
- The laptop is defective and needs to be serviced / exchanged
- The SSD is defective and needs to be replaced
- There is a strange compatibility issue with the SSD and the specific laptop, and maybe you need to get a different model / brand of SSD.

Thanks for the answer SamMaster. I'm can't be certain of any of those options... I hope I could.
- Laptop works perfectly with a different SSD (I connected another one and OS booted up perfectly)
- SSD doesn't seem to be defective, because I could use it on another laptop and even installed WIN 10.
- Compatibility issue sounds the best option. The weird thing is that the first time I connected the new SSD without the HDD I could install the OS normally. Just after I connected the HDD again and then restarted is when the SSD started to freeze the booting process.

 

[SamMaster]

Thanks for the answer SamMaster. I'm can't be certain of any of those options... I hope I could.
- Laptop works perfectly with a different SSD (I connected another one and OS booted up perfectly)
- SSD doesn't seem to be defective, because I could use it on another laptop and even installed WIN 10.
- Compatibility issue sounds the best option. The weird thing is that the first time I connected the new SSD without the HDD I could install the OS normally. Just after I connected the HDD again and then restarted is when the SSD started to freeze the booting process.

Sounds like an incompatibility, yes. I hope you can return the SSD and exchange it for a different model. Else maybe do a swap with another SSD you have access to.

 

[nosurprises]

- Compatibility issue sounds the best option. The weird thing is that the first time I connected the new SSD without the HDD I could install the OS normally. Just after I connected the HDD again and then restarted is when the SSD started to freeze the booting process.

How far could you get? Can you get into the BIOS?

 

[coercitiv]

The weird thing is that the first time I connected the new SSD without the HDD I could install the OS normally.

Based on this I would try to disconnect the laptop's batteries (main battery, BIOS backup battery - reconnect both after 10+ seconds). This is you best chance to start fresh, and maybe attempt to get everything going on the SSD.

Also, if your laptop has an optical drive, try disconnecting that as well (it's connected via SATA, might have an impact as well).