Question Frustrating double SSD issue

jakemottola6

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Hi, so i've been attempting to install a second M2 Nvme SSD into my system. It is a samsung 860 EVO. I currently am using a 256 GB PNY CS3030 M2 nvme SSD as my boot drive and a 7200 WD Blue 1tb HDD as a storage drive. My boot SSD is installed in M2_2 Slot. I have one other slot on my motherboard and that is M2_1. Whether i put the 860 in m2_1 or M2_2 i cannot get past the opening splash screen. Screen reads " Overclock 19%. Press f2 or delete to enter BIOS" I will smash f2 and or delete in many ways slow and fast and nothing. The moment I remove the 960 from either port I can boot back into the bios and or windows. So it seems the second ssd in either slot is triggering this lock down of the splash screen. I dont think its a bad SSD because if it were wouldnt I just boot to bios with the PNY installed and just get an eroor or it not be read when i go to check on it. I was maybe thinking installing them to RIAD. But if i cant get into bios with both SSDs installed it aint gna happen.

I have tried removing the overclock, switching sata ports, switching ssd slots, changing some specific bios stuff. aa. It doesnt looke like im getting post codes or any relevant one nor do i want to battle any ioj

my guut tells me a bios setting need to be changed.
 

jakemottola6

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Oops sorry
Its a 960 evo
And my specs are Asus ROG STRIX Maximus Hero IX z270 mtoherboard
i7 7700 (non k)
MSI RTX 2070 Super
PNY CS3030 256gb M2nvmeSSD
16gb DDR4 oloy 3000mhz RAM
Cooler Master ML240 AIO
WD Blue 1tb HDD
Cougar CMX 700 PSU
 

jakemottola6

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Sorry I shouldve made that clear, I have tried moving my hdd around. From what i could tell having both M2s in means sata ports 1,3,5, and 6 are taken. So i tried it on 2 and 4 with no luck and a few of the others out of desperation. i also tried it with no HDD sata plugged in.

My gut is really telling me is a BIOS setting though. Im on the latest driver for my board, 1301. But from what I can tell everything is set as its supposed to be. I cleared CMOS once and pushed reset once in bios to factory conditons.

I do have a post code screen. but it always ends up A0. Like a normal good boot. Its A0 right now. i hear the same beep codes I always hear when its booting normal. If I just sit on splash screen and wait, all i'll get is a constant AO after it cycles through everything. Theres a small difference though, when turning it on with the new ssd i see a white light by the post codes as its flashing different pairs of letters and numbers. If it stalls on a post code does that mean its trying to tell me to look at that code?
CSM is set to on with UEFI & Legacy OPROM UEFI First.

How bad is it if put the m2 in while my pc is booted into windows. Because I cant get into bios, I dont even know if the board is reading the card. So i was thinking of maybe installing the M2 while i was in windows and checking in device manager or like see what aida64 had to say about it?? thoughts?
 

jakemottola6

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Yeah just trying to brainstorm some ideas, if it were truly a dead SSD I dont think it'd just get stuck on the first splash screen. I'm not even trying to boot from it. Its like no matter what port its in it will take precedence over my boot ssd and not boot.
 

jakemottola6

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I bought it used, well i actually bought a 970 plus but he sent me this one on accident so to make up for it he sent me a raspberry pi touch screen (without the pi). But if its dead, its dead.I just figured because im not booting from it that id at least be able to get into bios and see it either error out or not show up and i cant even do that. So i was hoping there was an alternative method for testing it that didnt involve another PC or if someone can run down the bios settings with me, i'll go in and take a picture of them and let me know if I have anything wrong? Please? thatd be awesome. Then I think after that id feel safe calling it a dead SSD if it failed to work. I'll go grab the pics now.
 

jakemottola6

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Several pics of my bios settings here. I just noticed the like 5th pic down m2 pcie RAID support is enabled. That should be off right? I have never setup a raid system nor have i ever tried, I hardly know what it is shutterfly album here
 
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jakemottola6

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I have some rather wierd updates. So I went into the BIOS to change the settings you told me to change. The RAID specific ones. Well turns out I cant boot unless that is set and enabled. At first I turned it to AHCI, installed the second SSD and tried to boot with the usual result. So For <Mod Edit> I removed the HDD and my PNY boot drive leaving only the 960 evo. I couldnt boot in either m2 port. So I leave my HDD disconnected and put my PNY boot ssd in. I cant boot from either port. I add my HDD still cant boot. I clear CMOS twice and still cant boot. Then I notice theres a pre bios splash screen telling me I ned to be in RAID. And yeah, so i reversed the initial chages and it booted right up, without the 960 evo. I was able to get a post code though "b4" was what it read. With the 860 in and no boot. So maybe i'm in RAID or I need all three of these drives in RAID. Ive never once set up raid or have even looked into it. So I dont know why it would require it to boot. I did buy this motherboard from a guy off reddit. Maybe he had some RAID settings on it? I'm at a loss here.
 
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