Can't boot with Windows fresh install on SSD

[David Pinto]

Hello everyone.

 

I've become a shell of my former self after trying everything possible to try and make this work. Only 2 options left, either bum you guys or sell my soul to the devil.

 

My problem is as follows:

 

I bought my father a LENOVO 320-15ISK I3-6006U 4-500. Added a 4GB RAM stick and decided to upgrade the HDD to a SSD (Crucial MX500 500GB). The begining of my end.

 

First tried to clone the old HDD to the new SSD. Big mistake. Ultimately I wasn't able to do it because of different sector sizes between the disks. Some people on the internet said you could change a disks sector size, but could never do it. After sereval mental breakdowns, decided to go with a fresh install.

 

Created a Windows ISO image using Windows official tool, and created a bootable flash drive with RUFUS with said ISO image.

 

Switched the SSD with the HDD, plugged in the flash drive and begin installation. After the installation, the SSD won't boot.

 

Since the original disk, and the original options in BIOS, were set to GPT and UEFI, that's what I went for in RUFUS. However, in my desperation I tried everything.

 

Tried RUFUS set to MBR and BIOS (or UEFI CSM), which results in the Windows installation not being able to install Windows in the selected SSD ("windows cannot be installed on this disk").

 

So, GPT UEFI in RUFUS it is. In the laptop's BIOS I tried all the combinations of the following: LEGACY MODE ON/OFF, AHCI/Intel RST Premium. Fast boot off, USB boot on. None worked.

 

With GPT UEFI in RUFUS I am able to install Windows on the SSD, but when it comes to booting I get the message "no media found" (if I go UEFI in BIOS) or "no bootable device found" (if I go legacy mode on BIOS).

 

Additional info:

 

1 ) There aren't any other disks plugged in the laptop.

2 ) I am able to see the SSD on the BIOS home page (next to hard drive) but not in the BOOT list if I have it set to UEFI. When I have it set to legacy mode I can see it in the boot list, but ultimately get the "no bootable device found".

3 ) I can access the SSD on Windows if I plug it through USB, which makes it look like everything's ok with the SSD.

4 ) The Crucial website says the SSD and laptop are compatible.

5 ) I haven't tried installing on a different SSD because I haven't got a spare one.

6 ) Haven't tried to format this SSD on a different computer because of the hassle... Maybe try this before I sell my soul.

7 ) I tried fresh install on the original HDD, with UEFI and Intel RST Premium (instead of AHCI) in BIOS, and it booted fine.

8 ) Tried the SSD plugged in through SATA and USB, same results.

 

Any ideas?

Thanks

[Master Disaster]

I know it's a laptop but please remove any other HDDs before following these instructions, the only connected drive should be the SSD.

 

Before you begin please format your USB drive to FAT32 then extract the contents of the Windows 10 ISO into a folder and copy/paste everything from the folder on to the flash drive.

 

Now on the laptop:

1) Disable legacy mode and set Intel Rapid Boot in UEFI

2) Boot from the flash drive (choose UEFI boot if the option is there but it shouldn't be)

3) Run through setup to the partition screen then stop

4) Press Shift+F10 and in the command prompt window enter these commands exactly as I type them one at a time pressing enter after each one

Quote

Diskpart

Select disk 0

Clean

Convert GPT

Exit

5) Close the command prompt

6) Now just press Next, do not try to manually partition anything, Windows will do this itself

7) Remember to remove the flash drive once Windows is installed

 

When Install finishes it should boot perfectly.

 

I'll take your soul with a donut please

[David Pinto]

Hello!

Thank you for your help.

Unfortunately, I did everything exactly as you described and obtained the same results

 

 

 

Formatted flash drive to FAT32 using GUI FAT32 and copied the Windows ISO contents inside. Left the BIOS configuration to UEFI and Intel RST Premium ON (the exact same configuration that worked for the HDD fresh install).

 

My BIOS configuration:

 

Note: I talked about an "Intel Rapid" configuration, but it turns out it is actually called Intel RST Premium (RAID).
 

[David Pinto]

And this is how the disk looks after the fresh install:

 

[Master Disaster]

The disk looks perfect, it has both the EFI boot partition and the system reserved partition as it should.

 

The only other option would be to change SATA Mode to AHCI and try again. Follow my guide exactly as you did last time after changing Intel Rapid to AHCI.

[David Pinto]

Hello. I was out of country for some time, but now I'm back.

Unfortunately did what you suggested, with no differecences. Same result

[Kris3456]

in Bios: Secure boot - Disabled. (edit - i see You have disabled it already in Bios ...)

Try changing: Secure/Secure boot mode: "Standard". I' be found this solution too, even when secure it's disabled, somebody reported that it fixed his problem (?)

 

I found this video too. Lenovo is booting only when every start it's Bios is reset to default settings. There is much more info about similar problems, just search for them - ex: https://www.disk-partition.com/articles/lenovo-stuck-in-boot-loop-5740.html

 

Surely You will find a fix. Posting on Lenovo forum is a good bet too.

 

 

[homeap5]

It may be not a problem with sector size.

 

Read this: https://kb.macrium.com/KnowledgebaseArticle50193.aspx

 

It may be problem with your external enclosure.

 

Or use desktop PC to clone your system using Macrium Reflect.