Cannot boot windows from new SSD

Bought a new SSD (Samsung EVO 840 250gb), replaced the old 1TB with it, and moved the 1TB into my removed optical bay slot. Installed windows 8.1 from a bootable USB, completed - everything fine, no problem up until this point, install was very quick.

Finished, went into BIOS changed the boot priority back to SSD first, removed USB.

Now every time I boot my laptop restarts automatically and then displays a boot menu (allowing me to pick where to boot from) only the SSD drive is shown. I attempted to select the SSD, but nothing happens. No windows was booted and it just continuously brings me back to this boot menu option.

Thank you.

LAPTOP: SAMSUNG Np700z7c

 

Re-install without the old HDD connected (i.e. only the SSD installed).

 

Are you using UEFI or BIOS boot method?
Did you clean the boot sector off of the old HDD? or Try removing the HDD from the system?
What Windows, 7, 8, 8.1?

 

What you did there should be simple and straightforward, but unfortunately is incredibly tricky on your model (and other Samsung models with ExpressCache).

I am away from my pc now, and this is more than I can type on my phone. But we need to know what RCB asked, whether this is an UEFI or Legacy (CSM) installation. Also if your old installation on the HDD is UEFI or CSM. It affects everything. What is the setting of SecureBoot and OS Mode Selection on the Boot page in your BIOS?

If this is an UEFI installation, you have to be extra careful, since these models are prone to bricking if you make the wrong choice. Do NOT delete the boot (EFI) or Windows partitions on your HDD yet. I am not kidding.

If this is a Legacy installation (OS Mode Selection=CSM OS -- or you don't have SecureBoot in your BIOS, meaning it came with Win7 originally) things are simpler. You want to install from DVD if at all possible to work around an issue with that ExpressCache. Otherwise, if you MUST install from USB, you need to use one of the workarounds in posts #1 or #2 in the thread linked below:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/samsung/697841-guide-how-install-windows-7-8-via-usb-np700z.html

There is an additional issue here in that you want to boot from the SATA2 device. If you swapped the SSD and HDD things would be much simpler.

But please let us know about UEFI or CSM.

Edit: I misunderstood. I thought you had the new SSD in the optical bay. The fact that you have it in the primary drive bay makes it simpler. If you're doing a Legacy installation (OS Mode Selection=CSM OS or a Win7 from the factory) you "only" need to follow those workarounds I linked, and you will be fine. That's what I would recommend, even if your original installation was UEFI.

 

Thanks for your replies and apologies for the lacking information.

I reallocated both drives and attempted to boot windows, it surprisingly worked. Laptop booted Windows and allowed me to select which windows to boot from on HDD or SDD- though I feel I am not problem free.

CLARIFICATION:
HDD: Original location (SATA 1, HDD bay)
SDD: Optical Bay

The old TB hard drive was unaltered.
Windows 8.1 was installed from the bootable USB.
This laptop originally came pre-installed with Windows 7- so some of the settings in the BIOS are not there.
Windows detects BOTH drives, although BIOS only seems to recognise whatever is in the SATA 1 bay (original HDD bay position)

Am very sorry I could not answer all questions as I am a noob and unfamiliar with this model. I didn't take note of if the this was a UEFI or CSM installation , is there a way of knowing? Also you mentioned not to wipe my old TB hard drive?

Again very sorry for the critical missing information

 

You are fine. And well done getting it working!

Because your model came with Win7 originally, it has a simpler BIOS, and is running in the good old Legacy BIOS mode. You don't have to worry about the UEFI issues I mentioned.

What happens when you install from USB on this model, is that Windows Setup will mistakenly place its boot partition on the small ExpressCache SSD on the motherboard (so-called iSSD) because it thinks it is the boot device. But the iSSD cannot boot at all.

What made it work in your case, is that you left the original HDD intact, so it is still booting from its boot partition before switching to the new Windows installation on the SSD.

You can gain a little faster boot time if you install anew on the SSD EITHER from DVD drive OR using the workarounds I linked, so you can boot it directly. There are also a few other ways we could get a boot partition onto the SSD.

But in the name of simplicity, you can also just enjoy the speed boost you already got and leave it at that

 

Ah that makes sense.

What I've encountered is that the optical bay apparently isn't SATA Rev 3 (6GB/s) hence I have to switch the SSD and HDD around AGAIN enabling me to maximise the performance out of this SSD (only getting 280mb read and 240 writes ATM). Samsung Magician software informed me of this.

I tried just installing the SSD into the hard drive bay but the same problems occurred (HDD was not installed)

What do you suggest? Is there a way of fixing my problem?
Thank you:hi2:

 

How accessible is the smart cache SSD? I would just remove it since you're running a larger (and faster) SSD now anyway.

 

It's integrated with the motherboard I assume ,

Thank you for your suggestion.

 

Bummer. I know it's an mSATA unit on some machines like the XPS 15, hence the question.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk