[SOLVED] Can you use CD-ROM caddy to boot windows?

[Navorski]

Hello there.

I recently bought a 9.5 mm HDD caddy and 120GB SSD for my laptop to make it a bit faster. I screwed the SSD into the caddy and put it in the laptop. Then I installed Windows 10 on it. So now i had 2 operating systems (1 on each drive). I tried to wipe the HDD after backing up some of my data as i didnt need 2nd os anymore. I tried diskpart to format it but didnt work saying something like "Disk 0 cannot be formatted.". So I just take my laptop apart and formatted it using another pc. After that i was no longer able to boot on SSD anymore which I still dont understand why. While I took the laptop apart I decided to install the SSD in the internal SATA connection and HDD to caddy. Installed a CLEAN windows once again on the SSD. But Then I realized my HDD wont fit into my caddy (too thick SeaGate 1TB SSHD). I was able to put it in but it was too much tight fit that I felt uncomfortable.

My question is that will i still be able to boot windows from SSD if i swap their places back (SSD to caddy / HDD to SATA).

NOTE: BIOS WAS NOT ABLE TO RECOGNISE CADDY AS A BOOT DRIVE WHEN I FIRST INSTALLED WINDOWS 10 ON IT .

Best regards Navorski

 

[Lutfij]

While the HDD was in your laptop, I hope you backed up all data on the drive. Then, with the HDD and the SSD in your laptop, you should've used the installer to format and remove all drives from the window(where you're asked where to install the OS). Following that, power down the system(without installing the OS) and then remove the HDD from the laptop(or at the very least disconnect the HDD from the laptop) and then power up the laptop to fire up the installer for Windows 10.

Once installation is complete, power down the laptop and then reconnect the HDD to the laptop.

What is the make and model of your laptop and it's SKU? Can you check and see what BIOS version you're on at the moment?

 

[Navorski]

While the HDD was in your laptop, I hope you backed up all data on the drive. Then, with the HDD and the SSD in your laptop, you should've used the installer to format and remove all drives from the window(where you're asked where to install the OS). Following that, power down the system(without installing the OS) and then remove the HDD from the laptop(or at the very least disconnect the HDD from the laptop) and then power up the laptop to fire up the installer for Windows 10.

Once installation is complete, power down the laptop and then reconnect the HDD to the laptop.

What is the make and model of your laptop and it's SKU? Can you check and see what BIOS version you're on at the moment?

Bios verison is:
American Management inc. F.32, 25.04.2019 (Latest verison manufacturer supported.)
Laptop Model is HP PAVILION aw007nt

I have a clean windows on Sata SSD. What i am trying to do is take that SSD and put it into CD-ROM caddy, So I can reuse my HDD as secondary storage unit. Question is that will I still be able to boot from SSD if I connect it to caddy? I tried to change boot order but only thing popped up was the one that connected to on board SATA. Also before when i didnt do any of those,, I was able to boot on SSD caddy while the EFI and recovery files were still located on the SATA HDD . Things got nasty when I backed up my data and completely wiped that whole HDD partitions. Then I was not able to boot from neither Caddy nor internal SATA.

 

[Navorski]

Bios verison is:
American Management inc. F.32, 25.04.2019 (Latest verison manufacturer supported.)
Laptop Model is HP PAVILION aw007nt

I have a clean windows on Sata SSD. What i am trying to do is take that SSD and put it into CD-ROM caddy, So I can reuse my HDD as secondary storage unit. Question is that will I still be able to boot from SSD if I connect it to caddy? I tried to change boot order but only thing popped up was the one that connected to on board SATA. Also before when i didnt do any of those,, I was able to boot on SSD caddy while the EFI and recovery files were still located on the SATA HDD . Things got nasty when I backed up my data and completely wiped that whole HDD partitions. Then I was not able to boot from neither Caddy nor internal SATA.

I am replying and solving my own problem since no one helped to solve it.

When I connect the SSD to CD-ROM and installed windows on it, SSD used the HDD's EFI partition to boot on SSD. So when I format the HDD I was no longer able to boot from SDD. After I reinstall windows this time the EFI and Recovery partitions got written on the SSD and my BIOS was able to SEE it as a boot drive no matter if it is in CADDY or INTERNAL SATA.

So answer of my queiston was "YES YOU CAN USE CD-ROM CADDY TO BOOT WINDOWS."(If you do it properly)

Thank You, hope this helps someone...