SSD (OCZ Vertex 2) is suddenly not being detected. Boot Device Failure..can't load OS

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
RussianSensation

RussianSensation

Elite Member
Sep 5, 2003
19,458
765
126
A friend of mine built a brand new system on Gigabyte P67A-UD3R, 2500k, OCZ Vertex 2, Windows 7 Home Premium edition (everything is running stock). Everything worked fine for 2 months.

Recently upon trying to get back into Windows from Sleep/Hibernate mode, nothing happened. He proceeded to restart the computer and was faced with "Loading Operating System...." black screen, followed by Boot Device Failure Error.

What we have done thus far:

1) Reset the BIOS, loaded optimized defaults.
2) Tried IDE and AHCI settings in BIOS.
3) Reconnected the power and data cables for the SSD and to the motherboard.
4) Tried SATA 2 and SATA 3 ports on the motherboard.

The motherboard simply won't re-detect the SSD listing Boot Device Failure upon post.

The SSD power light is still on; so that it is getting proper power. The SSD is not detected in the BIOS either under Hard Disk Boot Priority Devices.

Has the SSD failed? What should our next troubleshooting steps be?
 
Last edited:
S

SickBeast

Lifer
Jul 21, 2000
14,377
19
81
I would try updating the firmware through Linux. I managed to un-bork my Vertex 2 that way.

That said, I don't know how you're going to do that if your bios won't even detect it. You'll probably have to RMA it.
 
E

Emulex

Diamond Member
Jan 28, 2001
9,759
1
71
sounds like the sandforce cold start bug.

have you:
reboot it enough times that it just starts working? if so - you have found the same bug that plagues many others.

lol.
 
S

SickBeast

Lifer
Jul 21, 2000
14,377
19
81
I wonder if power cycling the drive while in Windows would help. I had to do that when flashing the firmware in Linux and it didn't do any harm as far as I can tell. I unplugged the power connection then re-connected it.
 
RussianSensation

RussianSensation

Elite Member
Sep 5, 2003
19,458
765
126
Emulex said:
sounds like the sandforce cold start bug.

have you:
reboot it enough times that it just starts working? if so - you have found the same bug that plagues many others.

lol.
Click to expand...

Have rebooted maybe 30+ times. :D The thing is the drive worked perfectly fine for 2 months with OS installed and suddenly went MIA.

SickBeast said:
I wonder if power cycling the drive while in Windows would help.
Click to expand...

We can't get into Windows though since the drive isn't found in the BIOS and hence the OS can't load of an invisible drive.
 
G

groberts101

Golden Member
Mar 17, 2011
1,390
0
0
try this as one last resort before starting a trouble ticket over at OCZ forum.

remove the power form the drive for an hour or so to drain all residual power

clear cmos of the mobo

reinstall the SSD and see if it's detected.

if no go then you probably have the solid red LED lit up constantly which indicates a panic locked drive. Is due to a known sleep issue with Sandforce drives and has been remedied for a few when moving to the newest 1.32 firmware.

When the RMA drive is replaced, I would tread very cautiously and wouldn't be rocking that "sleep boat" until a more widespread fix is issued.

Be sure to disable all sleep modes, set to high-performance in power options and to never shut the drive down in the advanced power settings. Many are now saying that there is another bug on some P67 boards where "hot plugging" must be set in the bios to avoid other issues as well. Just a quick heads up, is all. Good Luck with it.
 
G

genietime

Member
Apr 7, 2006
164
0
0
I had the *exact* same thing happen to the build I did for my dad (2500k Sandy Bridge, Asus P8P67 Pro though on the mobo). It was about 8 weeks as well.

It was a Vertex 2, 180 gig and the same damn thing happened as you described. Did a RMA with OCZ for it, just sent the drive in end of last week, now just waiting for an answer.

Seriously unhappy, between the chipset bug and now this, his new build has been a hardware disaster for me.

I'll post what OCZ does on my RMA.
 
G

genietime

Member
Apr 7, 2006
164
0
0
No, I didn't try another PC. I did try both (actually all three types) of SATA ports, the Intel SATA II, SATA III (both the Intel and the Marvell) ports.

The other drive in the system, a Samsung F3 has had no problems. This is with the replacement motherboard (the B3 rev). It occurred about a week after I swapped out the mobo for the new revision.

I've had good luck previously with the Vertex 2 drives; I did a build with a 240 GB and another one with a 120 GB and zero problems to date (crossing fingers) on those drives. Both other builds were on 1156 systems though.

I already sent the defective drive back for RMA. After I couldn't detect the drive in BIOS after numerous reboots and checking for power and swapping SATA ports, I figured it was good and gone.

I am going to disable sleep for the HDs when I get it back; it's a desktop so no harm in that.

Other than this, I had nothing but good things to say about the drives; I hope I just got a lemon.
 
RussianSensation

RussianSensation

Elite Member
Sep 5, 2003
19,458
765
126
genietime said:
I had the *exact* same thing happen to the build I did for my dad (2500k Sandy Bridge, Asus P8P67 Pro though on the mobo). It was about 8 weeks as well.
Click to expand...

We contacted OCZ directly and they said to RMA the drive. Good thing my friend had backed up his data on a mechanical drive. Thanks for all the help everyone. Hopefully my Vertex won't crap out this way.
 
G

genietime

Member
Apr 7, 2006
164
0
0
OCZ got my defective drive Monday and sent out a replacement today via FedEx. No grief on the RMA and they did turn it around quickly. We'll see how the replacement drive works out.
 
Yellowbeard

Yellowbeard

Golden Member
Sep 9, 2003
1,542
2
0
If you continue to have the issue with the replacement drive AND you have the option in your BIOS, disable quick boot and see if that helps.
 
N

nanaki333

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2002
3,772
13
81
does ocz just not test the huge batches of drives that go to e-tailers? it seems like one in every five drives is bad and ocz have handpicked some drives that they did actually test to have on hand for RMAs. i guess it's cheaper to test a handful to use as a replacements and just send the bulk out to be sold and hope for the best.
 
G

Gothmoth88

Junior Member
Feb 14, 2007
14
0
66
problem is you guys come up with numbers (20% RMA) that you have absolutly no proof of.
so it´s just the usual forum blahblah.....

fact is often there is one guy a member in 5 or 10 forums and if something broke he will write in all these forums.... but it´s just one drive not 5 or 10.

i have read a dozend reports about bad crucial, intel and corsair drives.
so this can´t be an OCZ only problem. not even close....
if anyone believes your drivel then there would be a hell of an uproar because of none working SSD´s.

yet i know a lot enthusiast who own a SSD for longer then a year and they have no problems at all. in fact personally i don´t know anybody who had a defect SSD.
 
Last edited:
N

nanaki333

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2002
3,772
13
81
both.... just go on newegg and look at the ratio of good comments vs bad for reviews. there's probably about 20% right there. all of the comments are hit or miss. they're either doa, or work great. or, some just stop being recognized after a couple months of use. i personally had to return a few ocz drives myself, both vertex 1 and 2 based. i've also had 1 dud 120GB intel G2 too out of the 5 or 6 intel drives i have/had. :)
 
n7

n7

Elite Member
Jan 4, 2004
21,281
4
81
My Agility 60 GB died in a similar fashion.
No warning, just dead suddenly.
Wasn't using sleep/hibernate though.
 
A

amanoai

Member
Nov 19, 2003
123
1
76
genietime said:
OCZ got my defective drive Monday and sent out a replacement today via FedEx. No grief on the RMA and they did turn it around quickly. We'll see how the replacement drive works out.
Click to expand...

You'll mostly have no problems with the replacement...until that one goes suddenly one day.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom