How do I format an SSD I can't access in my OS?

[Giantcaller]

A friend gave me a 256 gb Samsung SSD, but they didn't format it before hand.

When I try to boot off the SSD in boot manager, it loads on the [strike]Windows 7 screen[/strike] Windows 7 loading screen, with the Windows logo and "Starting Windows" at the bottom (not the desktop), then after half an hour of loading, it bluescreens for a second before restarting. When I try windows repair, it comes back saying it doesn't work on this OS.

I have 2 1tb hard drives with windows 10 on them, they work fine, but when I'm on windows 10 the SSD isn't recognized by any program.

EDIT: I can't see the SSD in File Explorer, Device Manager, Disk Management, or Samsung Magician. When I run off my normal hard drives, they act like my SSD doesn't exist.

The SSD is seen in the BIOS and the boot manager, before I boot any drives. How do I format the SSD?

Specs:
Gigabyte B85M-DS3H-A Motherboard
i5-4690k Processor
GTX 960
16 gb DDR3 1600 mhz memory
EVGA 500w PSU
Toshiba DT01ACA100 1tb Hard Drive
ST1000DM003-1CH162 1tb Hard Drive
Samsung PM800 Series 2 256gb SSD

 

[RealBeast]

I would install Samsung Magician on the OS that will recognize the drive and do a secure erase on the problem SSD. Then initialize the drive in disk management and format it quick NTFS. If that doesn't fix it, use the testing sections of Magician to see if it is reporting SMART errors.

 

[elbert]

You probably need to initalize the ssd in disk manager. Samsung probably has a tool to migrate your windows 10 install over to the ssd.

http://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/ssd/download/tools.html

 

[ArtPog]

It's really not clear why you're attempting to boot to the SSD. Why don't you simply boot to your normal boot drive with the SSD connected as a secondary drive, access Disk Management and format the SSD?

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... it's a Security thing... you have to give permission to the OS as administrator, to use the drive in the OS...

Right click Computer-Manage-storage-Disk Management right click the graphics below for the NEW drive, complete partitioning and formatting for the drive (if needed)... And "Mark Partition as Active"

 

[Giantcaller]

It's really not clear why you're attempting to boot to the SSD. Why don't you simply boot to your normal boot drive with the SSD connected as a secondary drive, access Disk Management and format the SSD?

The normal hard drive can't recognize the SSD. The computer can only recognize the SSD before I boot any drive.

 

[ac13044]

Disk Management

 

[RealBeast]

As you stated, "When I try to boot off the SSD in boot manager, it loads on the Windows 7 screen and then, after half an hour, bluescreens for a second before restarting."

So what part of this: "install Samsung Magician on the OS that will recognize the drive [that would be your Windows 7] and do a secure erase on the problem SSD. Then initialize the drive in disk management and format it quick NTFS" is not clear?

 

[ac13044]

1)go to start
2)type"cmd"
3)type"diskpart"
then write all these comands
list disk
select disk 1(replace 1 with your disk,u can check your disk by checking the size of your disk in "list disk")
clean
create partition primary
format fs=NTFS
exit

 

[Giantcaller]

As you stated, "When I try to boot off the SSD in boot manager, it loads on the Windows 7 screen and then, after half an hour, bluescreens for a second before restarting."

So what part of this: "install Samsung Magician on the OS that will recognize the drive [that would be your Windows 7] and do a secure erase on the problem SSD. Then initialize the drive in disk management and format it quick NTFS" is not clear?

I wasn't clear enough, sorry. I meant the screen you see when windows 7 is loading, the one with the logo and "starting windows" at the bottom. My computer gets stuck on that screen for 30 minutes then bluescreens. I'l edit the main post to be more clear.

 

[RealBeast]

Then you will need to enable the hot plug for the SATA port used by the SSD in the bios of your computer. Then you can startup and attach the drive and scan it with Magician and if stable run a secure erase.

You can use diskpart to accomplish a secure erase also by using the clean all command if you can boot from an installation disk and select the command prompt option.

If you cannot do either then you may need to resort to using a Live Linux stick to boot up and mount the drive. If needed, I can give you a full set of directions. The easiest way to create a USB stick that can boot and run your computer is by using THIS tool. I would suggest selecting Mint 17 x86 as it is an easy interface and universally usable in my experience. You will have to set your bios to boot from a USB device, then you can mount drives by simply clicking on them. The Mint build has all the tools to do a secure erase.

 

[Giantcaller]

Then you will need to enable the hot plug for the SATA port used by the SSD in the bios of your computer. Then you can startup and attach the drive and scan it with Magician and if stable run a secure erase.

You can use diskpart to accomplish a secure erase also by using the clean all command if you can boot from an installation disk and select the command prompt option.

If you cannot do either then you may need to resort to using a Live Linux stick to boot up and mount the drive. If needed, I can give you a full set of directions. The easiest way to create a USB stick that can boot and run your computer is by using THIS tool. I would suggest selecting Mint 17 x86 as it is an easy interface and universally usable in my experience. You will have to set your bios to boot from a USB device, then you can mount drives by simply clicking on them. The Mint build has all the tools to do a secure erase.

Whenever I try to boot off the flash drive, the screen returns with "missing operating system", so instructions would be good. The first 2 options didn't work

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... You need to prepare your USB2 stick to be "Bootable" there needs to be some basic DOS OS files on it, Or you have not setup the MB BIO's to read from it.

Setup your MB BIO's Boot order for USB first (save&exit) and sometimes you need to set the USB setting to legacy or both mode (save&exit) to get the USB2 to BOOT.

Any Windows install media is Bootable, and in custom install mode you can use the "drive tools" app to delete all the current partitions off the SSD... and then just exit the install program, that's the fast way I do it. ( I have many Windows install versions and media lying around ) B ) But there are other APPs to use, most people keep their favorite on a bootable USB stick for fast access.

 

[ac13044]

i use yumi to make it bootable there are others. yumi is handy as you can add more iso's to it handy we tool

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... Yes... I read about YUMI on the cakewalk forum, as a great multi APP/ISO Bootable Tool... with these large flash drives it makes good sense for the builder and trouble shooter, too have all your Tools/OS's on one stick B )

 

[RealBeast]

"Whenever I try to boot off the flash drive, the screen returns with "missing operating system", so instructions would be good. The first 2 options didn't work"

If you mean that you cannot boot off of a USB stick then you need to create a proper boot USB stick, for windows the best tool is either the Microsoft tool or Rufus.

To create a Linux Live USB stick you can use the Unetbootin Linux stick creator. I would suggest that you select Mint 17 x86 as it works universally. The tool automatically downloads the Mint image and creates the bootable stick. Then simply start your computer with the USB tool. Then attach the SSD and click on it in Mint to mount it.