Disk read error with clean Windows install?

[gwest2]

A SanDisk Ultra II (480 GB) just came in the mail today. Throughout the install, I have run into a multitude of problems and found solutions to everything, except when it came to booting Windows off the new drive.

First, I tried cloning my entire hard drive (1TB capacity, ~415 GB used) to the SSD using Macrium Reflect migration software. When trying to boot off the SSD after cloning, I got a disk read error. I checked the files on the SSD and it seemed to be a perfect clone, except that the partitions were marked differently than the ones on my old drive. I assumed that was the problem, so I deleted the partitions on the SSD in disk management, and went for a clean install of Windows.

I booted off the Windows 7 installation disk I used for my original install on the old drive, and selected the blank SSD, all de-allocated space. I let the install run, and after the OS files were copied and expanded, the install did the first reset. After resetting, the computer tried booting off of the SSD, but again, there was a disk read error.

I tried a second clean install, got the same results.

Any answers to why Windows refuses to run off my SSD?

Specs:

• 
  Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3 motherboard
  AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition CPU
  Zotac GTX 560 Ti video card
  8 GB Kingston memory
  Seagate Barracuda 1TB hard drive
  Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) OS

 

[imkvn]

I had that problem with a bad CD. Make sure you change the boot drive to cd-drive in CMOS. and only have the cd and ssd plugged in. Try to isolate the problem to one or the other.

The way I fixed it was trying to install it over and over. It finally read the bad part (faint scratch) of the CD correctly and the rest was history. I did it because it was my only CD, but don't recommend it.

 

[gwest2]

I had that problem with a bad CD. Make sure you change the boot drive to cd-drive in CMOS. and only have the cd and ssd plugged in. Try to isolate the problem to one or the other.

The way I fixed it was trying to install it over and over. It finally read the bad part (faint scratch) of the CD correctly and the rest was history. I did it because it was my only CD, but don't recommend it.

Thanks, I will try this right away.

 

[gwest2]

I had that problem with a bad CD. Make sure you change the boot drive to cd-drive in CMOS. and only have the cd and ssd plugged in. Try to isolate the problem to one or the other.

The way I fixed it was trying to install it over and over. It finally read the bad part (faint scratch) of the CD correctly and the rest was history. I did it because it was my only CD, but don't recommend it.

Alright, so I tried 3 more installations before giving up. There is still a disk read error after the first reboot during installation. I decided to take a look at what's been done to the SSD by the Windows install. The partitions are correct (with the exception of the system-dedicated partition not being marked as "system," which I'm guessing would happen later in the install), and at first glance, it seems like OS files are copied and expanded correctly. However, if I browse the SSD in Explorer, there are 0 items. This is weird, because I can see that the system-dedicated partition on the SSD is 70% full.

 

[gwest2]

I was able to fix this issue by formatting a full-disk partition BEFORE even booting into the Windows install. Not sure if this was required all along, but it worked for me.

 

[jorms1]

I was able to fix this issue by formatting a full-disk partition BEFORE even booting into the Windows install. Not sure if this was required all along, but it worked for me.

did you install windows on the single partition or did it still create the 100mb one as well?
haveing the same issue so all the info you can share would be helpfull

 

[gwest2]

did you install windows on the single partition or did it still create the 100mb one as well?
haveing the same issue so all the info you can share would be helpfull

I found out that the disk read error was (possibly) caused due to my SATA controller settings. In BIOS, I switched the mode from IDE to AHCI.

 

[januhre]

did you install windows on the single partition or did it still create the 100mb one as well?
haveing the same issue so all the info you can share would be helpfull

I found out that the disk read error was (possibly) caused due to my SATA controller settings. In BIOS, I switched the mode from IDE to AHCI.

Perfect. This immediately solved the problem for me.