nvme ssd not working. Partition manager says nvme ssd is competing with hdd thus inactivated.

[patel.jas]

the threads so far have not published an answer to this issue:

Specs: Acer Aspire Tc855 desktop: i5 8th gen processor, 12gb ram, 2gb SATA HDD, Acer motherboard w nvme slot
Goal: Have linux (kubuntu) or windows boot from my 970 EVO Samsung 256gb nvme ssd, and use the 2Terabyte SSD as storage.

What I've tried:
1. used samsung data management transfer tool to migrate stuff from hd to ssd which was a success but ssd cannot be booted from.
2. Went to bios which recognizes nvme ssd as a peripheral and provides its detailed info. However when checking boot menu, the PCIe is labelled empty, and only HDD shows up for sata. AND when trying to change boot order, ssd is not even a listed option, HDD only is. I plugged in a USB stick just to ensure this list was recognizing devices and it indeed show up as a bootable source.
3.Tried unplugging HDD from sata and power, then rebooted with ssd in place after successfully cloning HDD w samsung data mgmt tool. When i rebooted, computer keeps asking for a bootable source to be inserted. The ssd is not recognized. I also created a linux os (kubuntu) iso bootable usb and the computer failed to recognize despite changing the bios to load from the usb, when ssd only plugged in. When HDD is plugged back in, the usb stick is read and the linux OS loads from it and when I tried installing linux - only the HDD is recognized. Even linux doesn't see the nvme.
4. In windows 10, the partition manager recognizes the HDD and SSD. It also recognizes that the ssd is formatted, and has data transferred onto it from the hdd. HOWEVER, the ssd in DRIVE 1 is flagged as incompatible while another drive is running. The HDD drive is currently in DRIVE 0.
5. I called Acer and they said only 1 drive can function at a time and i would have to remove the hdd, then keep the ssd and purchase a new copy of windows 10 from microsoft and install it on the ssd. This doesn't make sense because I tried this but used linux as the OS instead and it was not recognized.
6. Im ASSUMING the ssd is not flawed as it is being recognized by the Intel software in windows, and as a peripheral device installed in the bios. It just cannot be used for any purpose because it is competing with my HDD. However when i unplug the SATA and power from the HDD, the ssd is never defaulted to automatically, or recognized as an option to boot from in the bios.

Please help me. Ideally I would like to boot linux and windows 10 both from the ssd, and use the HDD as storage for both. If its not possible, then whatever is best you would recommend.

kindly,
j

 

[Paperdoc]

Unfortunately the Aspire docs I found on their website don't give good details on the mobo involved, so this is a more general note.

It is very common on current mobos that the socket for the NVME SSD unit actually SHARES with one of the regular SATA ports on the mobo. This means that, when you do use that NVME socket, ONE (sometimes two) of the regular SATA ports can NOT be used, and you must plug your HDD into a different SATA port.

So, try this.
1. Disconnect your HDD so that only the SSD is connected. Start up and immediately enter BIOS Setup. Go to where you specify the boot device. Ensure that it is set to the SSD unit, then SAVE and EXIT. The machine should reboot successfully from the SSD IF your cloning operation was good. If it does not boot cleanly, then you have a problem with the clone copy on the SSD, and that needs to be fixed until it can boot this way.
2. Once you can boot cleanly with the SSD as the only storage unit connected, shut down. Re-connect the HDD, BUT plug it into a different SATA port than it was on before. Close up and turn on. The machine should boot from the SSD cleanly, and you should see both drives in Explorer. To be SURE, look closely at the sizes of the C: and C: drives. When it boots up, Windows ALWAYS assigns the name "C: " to the drive it just booted from, then assigns other letters to any other drives. So, is your C: drive about 250 GB, and your other drive (D: ?) about 2 TB? If so, it has booted from the SSD and has found your HDD ready for use also.

IF it booted from the HDD instead, then you should re-start and go into BIOS Setup directly. Change the Boot Sequence so that the SSD is the boot drive, and the HDD is NOT even in the allowed sequence. SAVE and EXIT, then check that it booted from the proper device.

 

[patel.jas]

Thank you very much for your help.

1 more thing in addition to what you mentioned above for those out there going through the same issue... In windows partition manager, where i could see my nvme ssd and it says it was offline cause it was conflicting with another drive. I realized that if I right click it, an option that says ONLINE comes up. When selected, the drive turned on and was able to then prioritize as the boot option and was labelled as the C drive, w my HDD as the D drive.

this forum is a great resource!

 

[Paperdoc]

Glad you've got it working, and thanks for Best Solution.

 

[karenjoly]

It appears that windows would not operate the SSD when the HDD was also in the system.

I suspect the reason the ssd didn't work was that it was a samsung clone from the HDD. That means only one of the drives will be recognized at a time until windows changes the disk ID of the clone which it did when you put it online.