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    No boot sector after SSD installation?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by akwit, Nov 27, 2011.

  1. akwit

    akwit Notebook Deity

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    I just upgraded to 64 bit Windows 7 and a Crucial C300 256GB SSD.
    Every second or 3rd start-up I get the following message:

    "No boot sector on internal hard drive. No bootable devices-strike F1 to retry boot"

    When I retry, it always starts normally.

    Any ideas?
     
    akwit, Nov 27, 2011
    #1
  2. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Either the physical connector is not making good contact (reseat the drive), or the controller is malfunctioning and the SSD has to be replaced.
     
    Greg, Nov 27, 2011
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  3. akwit

    akwit Notebook Deity

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    Thats my fear as ive reseated it at least 3 times already...
     
    akwit, Nov 27, 2011
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  4. jclausius

    jclausius Notebook Virtuoso

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    Does your machine POST correctly? If you go into the BIOS can you see the drive?

    While it may be the drive, it could be the controller/cable on your laptop. Do you have another SATA II based machine handy? OR a 2nd hand SATA II hard drive?

    If so, you could try the C300 on the other machine (just to see if it gives you problems on consecutive boots. BTW, just hit F8 at start up, and then shut down that machine. No need to boot into windows) OR you could try the other drive in your laptop. If it is having problems, then the controller or the cable in your laptop may be at fault.
     
    jclausius, Nov 27, 2011
    #4
  5. akwit

    akwit Notebook Deity

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    I doubt its any hardware within the laptop as this happened for the first time, only right after I installed the SSD.
    Crucial is already sending me a replacement; hopefully it was indeed the drive...
     
    akwit, Nov 27, 2011
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  6. jclausius

    jclausius Notebook Virtuoso

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    Let us know how it works out.
     
    jclausius, Nov 28, 2011
    #6