SSD came with partitions?

[Nixteria]

Hello everyone,

I installed a 128gig Crucial M500 SSD today. When I installed it I was going to put Windows 10 technical preview on it so I booted from a USB stick and was going to start the install but it appeared as if the SSD had multiple partitions. I took out the USB stick and booted Win 7 off my main HDD.

When I got the disk manager I saw 1 unallocated partition and I read online that you needed to click the unallocated partition and create a new simple volume in order to 'initialize' your ssd. So I did that and ended up with what looks to be 4 partitions.

Did the SSD come with 4 partitions or have I done something wrong? What should I do now? Delete all of the partitions in disk manager and create a new one?

Ultimately I would just like to have a single partition that I can install windows 10 on, I will attach a picture of disk manager because it probably will be better than all of my explanation. I am just wondering what steps I need to take to get the drive ready to install on? Thanks in advance for any and all help!

*hoping that fixed the picture^

 

[USAFRet]

Unfortunately, no picture appeared.

 

[Nixteria]

Thanks for the reply, I think I fixed the picture.

 

[popatim]

Delete the partitions so that there are none. You dont need to 'prep' a drive these days. Windows install will handle all that and yes it will create more than 1 partition when it does its thing but only 1 is assigned a drive letter and viewable from explorer.

 

[USAFRet]

Start over with the Win 10 install.
You can delete those partitions on the SSD from the install routine.

 

[Nixteria]

Whenever I was trying to install windows 10 it didnt give me the option to delete the partitions, it was greyed out. Is it a problem to have windows 7 still installed on my HDD while installing windows 10 to the ssd? I have the boot order changed so it boots from the SSD first. So would I be best off just deleting all the partitions and re-trying the install since the option was not available before?

 

[USAFRet]

Whenever I was trying to install windows 10 it didnt give me the option to delete the partitions, it was greyed out. Is it a problem to have windows 7 still installed on my HDD while installing windows 10 to the ssd? I have the boot order changed so it boots from the SSD first. So would I be best off just deleting all the partitions and re-trying the install since the option was not available before?

You're booting from the Win10 install media?
And then selecting Custom/Advanced?

 

[Nixteria]

Yes, I made a bootable USB stick and I was booting from it and picking advanced. Also, to further clarify, if I highlighted my HDD it would allow the delete partition or format option to be used (cant remember which option it was)

 

[USAFRet]

Yes, I made a bootable USB stick and I was booting from it and picking advanced.

And it does not give the option of manipulating the partitions on Disk 0 (the SSD) ?

 

[Nixteria]

It did not. I could manipulate the HDD but not the SSD, the SSD was showing up as 3 partitions. It was this screen http://www.startgadget.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/select-partition-install-windows-10.png and the option was only to format

 

[Nixteria]

Would there be anything wrong with deleting all the partitions in disk manager and just trying to install again?

 

[USAFRet]

Would there be anything wrong with deleting all the partitions in disk manager and just trying to install again?

Can't hurt to try.
But I find it very weird that the Win10 install won't allow that as well.

 

[Nixteria]

Okay, I started deleting them and I think it might have actually said 'delete volume' instead of partition. I am attaching an imagine of where im at now. The last piece I haven't fully deleted is the 985 megs, I hit delete volume on it and now it gives the option to 'delete partition'. The 985 meg space is the one that I made a new simple volume on when trying to initialize. So now I should hit delete partition on the 985 meg spot and I should be good to go and try to install windows 10 or do I need to do any formatting before I try again?

Also, thanks a ton for all the help up to this point!

 

[USAFRet]

Delete ALL partitions until you end up with one large space.
Let Windows install to that and create what it needs.

 

[Nixteria]

Thanks a ton. Just feeling a bit extra skiddish because this is my first SSD experience. I will report back after installing (hopefully) windows 10. Last side question before I do, there shouldn't be any problem with installing 10 on my SSD while still having windows 7 on my HDD with both plugged in as long as I select my SSD as the install drive right?

*edit* I think what I am asking is do I need to power off the HDD for the install to avoid any confusion or is it okay?

 

[USAFRet]

There's two was of proceeding, depending on how you want to dual boot between Win7 and Win10.

1. Do you want the Windows boot manager to allow you to choose

2. Do you want to choose which OS to boot form in the BIOS?

I have a laptop - 1 drive, 2 partitions, Win 7 & 10.

In your situation...2 drives...If you leave the Win 7 drive connected, the Windows boot manager will present you with a menu (and a default drive) to boot from.

If you have the Win7 drive disconnected, Win10 will install in its entirety on the SSD, and to select you will have to invoke your BIOS selection to choose which one to boot from.


And don't fret about it being an SSD. It's just another drive, just really really fast.

 

[Nixteria]

Thank you for all your help!!! And really really fast is so true. I have never installed windows so fast in my life (or so quietly), I think I was fully installed in under 15 minutes. I am now talking to you from Windows 10 technical preview . I am also now kicking myself very very hard for waiting so long to get an SSD, makes the entire system feel crazy fast. This is one happy person here 😀


*edit* I should say, deleting the partitions and re trying windows install worked fine. Drive showed up as just a drive and not multiple partitions. It kind of makes me question if this SSD was used or something. It came from other world computing and came with 0 paper work or anything other than the drive and some packaging but maybe that is how they come?

 

[USAFRet]

A brand new drive should not have had multiple partitions on it. Possibly crank up CrystalDiskInfo to see how many power ons and power on hours it has.

I put in a couple of new Samsung 840 EVO's a few weeks ago, and for a brand new drive, it was 0 hours and 1 power on.

 

[Nixteria]

I downloaded HD tune because I wasn't too sure about Crystal Disk and it says power on hours 101 and power cycle count is 92. This drive has been turned on and off by me no more than 3 times. Is crystal disk free of scary wares? I could try it too.

 

[USAFRet]

I downloaded HD tune because I wasn't too sure about Crystal Disk and it says power on hours 101 and power cycle count is 92. This drive has been turned on and off by me no more than 3 times. Is crystal disk free of scary wares? I could try it too.

That is not a new drive.