Samsung Series 7 Chronos 730U3E - Unable to boot Windows 7

Hi,

I have bought this laptop with pre-installed Windows 8. I have deleted all partitions on the SSD and reformatted it as 1 partition with Windows 7 installed via USB DVD drive.

After installing Windows 7 and boot into desktop for the first time, Windows automatically shutdown. After a physical reboot of the laptop, the laptop just wouldnt boot into Windows.

It repeatedly restarts itself right after showing the "Samsung" logo screen. It did not even manage to show the Windows 7 loading screen at all.

Did I just bricked my laptop? Please help.

These are the options I have set, based on the articles I read online.

Secure Boot: Off
OS Mode Selection: CSM OS

Fast BIOS Mode: Off
AHCI Mode Control: Manual
-Set AHCI Mode: On

 

Hi liangteh. Welcome to the forum, and congrats on that nice machine

I can see you did some reading before getting started. That's good, it means you're much better prepared.

Question: The BIOS settings you mention, were they set BEFORE you began installing? Also, did you convert your SSD from GPT to MBR before you began?

I ask because Windows Setup will act differently, depending on whether it sees an UEFI or a classic BIOS (CSM) machine: If your disk is GPT (as it would have, being factory delivered with Win8) you MUST install and run Windows in UEFI mode, otherwise you cannot boot reliably. Similarly, if you converted your disk to MBR (or if it was already MBR) you MUST install and run Windows in CSM (non-UEFI) mode.

Check the Win7 install guide posted here. It includes a section at the end specifically for owners with Win8-delivered models to convert their disks from GPT to MBR.

In your case, you MAY need to re-enable UEFI temporarily before you boot Windows Setup in order to convert your disk to MBR. I am not 100% sure you need this, but I remember one member reporting he had to do it. But don't enable SecureBoot, just UEFI.

I hope that works for you. Please let us know. It will be at least 12 hours before I can check in again, so please be patient -- unless others chime in, of course

 

Q: The BIOS settings you mention, were they set BEFORE you began installing? Also, did you convert your SSD from GPT to MBR before you began?
A: The settings were done AFTER I began the installation. I do not know how to convert from GPT to MBR.

Q:Check the Win7 install guide posted here. It includes a section at the end specifically for owners with Win8-delivered models to convert their disks from GPT to MBR.
A: I just done the steps provided in the url.

Q:In your case, you MAY need to re-enable UEFI temporarily before you boot Windows Setup in order to convert your disk to MBR. I am not 100% sure you need this, but I remember one member reporting he had to do it. But don't enable SecureBoot, just UEFI.
A: I have to select CSM for the BIOS type to be able to boot using USB-DVD drive for my Windows 7 DVD disc

I have re-installed successfully Windows 7, however after booting into desktop it shutdown itself. Subsequently, the laptop keeps rebooting itself showing the Samsung logo screen. It didnt even manage to load the Windows 7 loading screen.

Thank you for your kind assistance. This is the first time I own a laptop and a SSD hard disk =*(

The laptop comes with 8GB ram and 128SSD.

 

It sounds like you followed the steps in that guide for Win7-delivered models, not the steps for Win8-delivered models. Again, for Win8-models, the guide describes how to convert your disk (HDD or SSD) to MBR and which BIOS settings to use before you begin installation.

As far as I can tell, you have to accept that your current install cannot be saved. It's a "Frankenstall" consisting of some MBR and some UEFI/GPT. You have to start over.

Here is what I recommend:

1) In BIOS set AHCI mode = Auto (and leave it there).

2) In BIOS set OS Mode Selection = UEFI & CSM OS (so you can boot USB and Setup can see your GPT disk).

3) In BIOS set Fast BIOS Mode = Off (as you already have).

4) Boot your Win7 Setup USB: Immediately after Power On, press F10 to select a boot device. It should work.

5) Follow EXACTLY the steps described in the guide under Win8-delivered model: UEFI mode with GPT disk. This will convert your disk from GPT to MBR.

6) After your disk has been converted, go back into BIOS and set OS Mode Selection = CSM OS.

7) Now you can install Win7 using the steps in the guide.

 

Ok. I done all steps stated above yet the laptop reboot repeatedly without entering Windows loading screen.

I done a restore of mbr based on http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/20864-mbr-restore-windows-7-master-boot-record.html

finally it resolves my issues =)

 

OK, I just want to make sure we're talking about the same thing:

1) Did you convert the disk from GPT to MBR BEFORE you installed Win7?

2) Did you set those BIOS Settings ( AHCI = Auto and OS Mode Selection = CSM OS) BEFORE you installed Win7?

If your answer to any of these is NO (as you previously indicated) then you have to start over the way I described.

If you're saying you already made that MBR conversion and those BIOS changes, and did a new installation afterwards, and it still does not work, then I think it may be time to contact Samsung.

Did you backup your Recovery before wiping the disk?

Edit: OK, I see you updated your last post and was able to get it working. Good job, well done.

I get the impression you you are still running your original installation, but was able to get it to boot using BOOTSECT /MBR. Personally I would still be suspicious of that installation because it was done with UEFI enabled (maybe) and while the disk was still GPT (maybe). But if it works, it works

 

1) Did you convert the disk from GPT to MBR BEFORE you installed Win7?

Yes. I done the following steps :

DISKPART (to start the Disk Partition manager)
LIST DISK (to show all your disks. Notice which one is your HDD)
SELECT DISK 0 (assuming 0 was the number of your HDD)
DETAIL DISK (just to verify that you selected the right disk)
CLEAN (to wipe the disk)
CONVERT MBR (to convert the disk from GPT to MBR)
EXIT (to close DISKPART)
EXIT (to close Command Prompt)

2) Did you set those BIOS Settings ( AHCI = Auto and OS Mode Selection = CSM OS) BEFORE you installed Win7?

Yes.

Did you backup your Recovery before wiping the disk?

Unfortunately, no =(

 

Thank you for that feedback, I understand better now.

So if I understand you correctly, even after taking those steps (converting the disk to MBR, setting OS Mode Selection = CSM OS, and re-installing Windows) Win7 still would not boot until you manually rewrote the MBR (using BOOTSECT /mbr)?

That is indeed puzzling, since Win7 Setup should write the MBR exactly the same way during setup when installed on a newly partitioned disk. I'll keep that in mind if others ask questions and get in that situation.

I am glad you got it fixed. Good job! And knowing that your disk WAS properly converted before you installed, I am not worried about stability of your installation. You should be in good shape

Thanks again for the update.

 

I am stuck with this issue for the past 2 weeks until I started to following the steps provided by you and managed to resolved it.

You are fantastic =)

 

Out of curosity, I re-install Windows 7 again. Interesting observation, for every re-installation I have to perform bootsect /fixboot in order to boot in Windows.

 

You should not have to do that. I agree, something isn't right.

I wonder if the disk is really still GPT and Windows Setup is seeing and acting on the so-called Protective MBR which is there for compatibility reasons. That could explain it.

If you go to Windows Disk Management, does it show the drive as MBR with a (grayed out) command to Convert to GPT when you right-click it?

You could try and enable UEFI and do the Convert steps again, then try another install. Make sure you disable UEFI again before starting the actual install.

 

If I enable UEFI, I could not boot using my USB DVD drive. Interesting point, my Windows will always shutdown after the first boot into desktop

 

Got it, thank you for the update. Well, your disk looks fine, it does appear to be MBR alright. But clearly something is wrong.

What is the source of the Win7 DVD you're using to install? Any chance it could be corrupt?

How about trying to convert back to GPT, then convert to MBR again, this time WITH UEFI enabled, so we know it is reading the GPT disk properly BEFORE converting it to MBR? I want to make sure isn't still in a "phantom" GPT mode with Windows running on a (now orphaned) Protective MBR.

I know you've been unable to boot your DVD with UEFI enabled, but let's see if we can make it:

1) Boot Win7 Setup again and this time convert to GPT (of course you'll lose everything on the disk, again). Same procedure as before, just use CONVERT GPT instead of CONVERT MBR. Close Setup.

2) Reboot to BIOS and choose UEFI and CSM OS under OS Mode Selection. Save settings. Now see if you can boot your Win7 DVD -- either using the F10 key or by setting Boot Priority in BIOS. Of course Fast Boot=Disabled, AHCI=Auto.

3) Assuming you manage to boot the Win7 DVD, go through the conversion to MBR again. Hopefully this time it takes. Close Setup.

4) Reboot to BIOS and choose CSM OS under OS Mode Selection. Make sure the HDD/SSD is selected under Boot Priority.

5) Boot Win7 DVD again (using F10) and go through your installation. Fingers crossed it it will write the MBR correctly this time.

Alternatively, you can make a Parted Magic LiveCD (just Google it) and use that to convert the disk to GPT and back to MBR. You can even create and format your Windows partition there. Make sure to flag it bootable (Active) if you do that.

If none of this works, I am afraid I am running out of ideas. Give this a last shot, see what happens.

 

What is the source of the Win7 DVD you're using to install? Any chance it could be corrupt?

A: I dont face this issue on my desktop

The same reboot issues happens.

 

The fact that your Win7 DVD doesn't produce the exact same issue on your desktop is no guarantee. It could be that a weak spot on the disc is readable by the DVD drive on your desktop, but causes a bit error when being read on your laptop.

I am not saying your disc IS defect or corrupted, but since what you experience is different from what others experience, we have to look for possible causes.

Another possibility is a problem with the SSD affecting the first sectors. Maybe that is more likely.

I think in this case you have to contact Samsung and get them to re-image the drive. They charge a small fee for it. It is standard procedure when the Recovery partition has been lost (or cannot be booted).

It would be great if you can post the results after you have talked to Samsung (or if you find another solution).