(tons of)Problems installing windows 7 on OCZ SSD

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Discobutton

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Oct 3, 2012
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10,510
Hello,

I recently built the following computer:

Asus Sabertooth 990FX AM3+ ATX motherboard
Nvidia GeForce GTX560 Ti (asus)
G.Skill RipjawsX DDR3 1600 Mhz 8GB
OCZ Agility 3 120GB SSD
(Seagate 1TB HDD)

Now, when I first tried installing Windows on the SSD, I got an error saying something like "Windows cannot be installed on the selected drive, your computer hardware might be unable to boot, check bios for controller settings". This, even though I had the SATA settings set to AHCI.

So eventually I resorted to installing windows on the 1TB HDD instead, which worked without problems.
In windows, I was able to initialize and format the SSD through Disk Manager, after which the SSD showed in My Computer. I also tested copying files to the SSD, which worked.

Then, I again tried installing Windows on the SSD, by booting from the DVD. This time I didn't get any messages about Windows not being able to install. However, the Expanding Windows Files stage of the installation seemed to take forever. I'm talking one (1) percent unit per 45 minutes or so. So I cancelled the installation.

Then I tried doing a flat installation of Windows on the SSD, as it was still showing in Windows, and the Windows error check (in drive options) didn't come up with any problems. So after a tedious 2 hours of copying Windows files from the DVD-disc to the SSD, I started the flat installation. But after another long wait, I got an error message saying "Windows could not collect information for the Windows image being installed." After which the SSD disappeared from My Computer, Disk Manager and BIOS.

So, do you guys think I still might have some settings wrong, making my SSD act like a total boob? Or might it be a compatibility issue with some of my other hardware? Or is my SSD just physically injured?


Big thanks,
Discobutton
 
a few things with new systems. on first power on make sure the mb bios is up to date. a lot of mb have bug fixes for cpu and ram and other devices. the other thing is with any ssd is to power it on on another pc and check the drives firmware. a lot of 3 party ssd need firmware updates. drives like intel and samsung have better written firmware.
http://www.ocztechnology.com/ssd_tools/SandForce_Based/
you may not have bricked your drive just screwed it up so you need to run an update or a secure erase. if you can read or do both then it bricked. also with new builds make sure your using the intel sata ports first not the third party chipset.
 
I have tried secure erasing, and it does have the latest firmware. But I actually never tried disconnecting the HDD for the install after that. (I did try installing with HDD connected, after mentioned actions) But now, as my SSD seemingly went up in smoke, I can't even try.

Might there be any way of getting the SSD to show again after mysteriously disappearing?

The green led on the SSD is still on btw.
 


I updated BIOS and mb drivers, but only as soon as I had installed windows on the HDD. This is also when I updated firmware for the SSD (though the OCZ toolbox said it already had its firmware up to date). And I do have the SSD connected to the #1 SATA slot of the brown 6Gb/s AMD sockets on the MB, not the additional JMicron sockets.

I'm not sure what bricked means. But until I tried flat installing, I could both read and write on the SSD.

edit: I looked up the term bricked. Bad news! 😀
 
Welcome to the wonderful world of OCZ/Sandforce drives. There are many complaints about them (and about Sandforce reliability in general, not just OCZ).
Make sure your power settings never allow the SSD to sleep; some don't wake up right. Check your SATA cable. If you're on a SATA 6Gb/s port, make sure the cable is rated for that speed.
 


Nope. I can't see the SSD in BIOS anymore, with or without the HDD connected.
 


The cable does support 6.0
 


Yeah, it's starting to look like that's what I need to do. I'm gonna try hooking up the SSD to my girlfriend's computer and see what it says.
 
I have one Agility 2 in my back up PC. I found the ocz ssd that is not user friendly. You have use the PC with msahci or amd AHCI controller, don't use the intel RST otherwise you can't use the toolbox from ocz. And you have to use other PC do the secure erase with OCZ toolbox, maybe I did something wrong.

So you have to install the ocz toolbox in your GF's PC (don't use the intel SATA driver), do the secure erase SSD with OCZ toolbox, then re connect to your PC. Now you will see it on your PC and you can install the win7 on it w/o connect the HDD.
 
Ok, so I connected the SSD to gf's computer, and nothing. It didn't show up in BIOS.

What is a bit scary though, is that before I tried flat installing windows on it, it did show up in BIOS. So now it kind of feels like it's my fault it doesn't show anymore. Though I can't see how what I have done could have killed the SSD.

The thing is, to get a refund/new SSD, I need to return it to the shop where I bought it, where they will run tests to see wether the damage is something warranty will cover.
If however their tests don't show any errors, or they conclude it has been damaged through user errors, they won't give me one euro. PLUS I have to pay them a fee of some 30-40 euros for running the tests...

So, being in my shoes, would you guys return the SSD?
 
I'd pursue the RMA directly with OCZ. Explain the BS the shop is pulling, to make you pay first for tests. If that's acceptable, or worse, standard practice, publicize it here and everywhere else you can think of so people know not to buy OCZ. Of course, if they handle it well, let everyone know that too.
 


Hmm, yeah. How troublesome! 😀 OCZ doesn't have an office in my country (Finland). But I suppose I could contact the guys in Holland, where the closest office seems to be...

I might have phrased that test bit weirdly - I only have to pay the testing fees IF the damage turns out to be my fault.
 
Heh, I started writing a support ticket to OCZ. Turns out you can't choose Finland as your country. It's not on their list. They even have Antarctica on there. LOL, fml.
 
to let you kow look up your country laws on consumer warranties. unless you smashed the drive or dunk it in water there no moving parts inside one of the ssd. and ssd will work or it wont. here in the us we have lemon laws. if a product fails under warranty the store you buy it from has to replace it or refund your money. if the store gives you an issue and you used a credit card you can do what called a charge back. the pull the funds for the drive from the store..all you do is show that you sent the dead drive to the store.
 
Credit cards are a product of USA and don't exist in Finland from what I understand, same as other EU countries, they have what's the equivalent of a bank card where the amount is immediately deducted from their bank account.

@OP- good luck with OCZ
 
Uh what? Sorry you are just full of it....Credit cards exist in suomi they are called louttokortti. The "bank cards" you are talking about are called debit cards in the USA. And the "rest of europe" also has Kredit Karten (germany,austria, switzerland) and CREDIT CARDS (UK).

Being a fin myself your statement of saying we don't have credit cards just pains me. Furthermore all the privately owned stores in helsinki I know will accept returns NO QUESTIONS ASKED. In fact the store I bought my laptop from even ran futuremark on their laptop so I could gage it's performance before I bought it. Even gigantti has VERY lenient return policies and will certainly NOT do a full drive scan and charge you for this before returning...
 


Verkkokauppa.com run tests on returned items to see wether the fault is caused by the customer, or if warranty will cover it. If it turns out to be the former, the customer has to pay for the "unnecessary work" they did. I've been there.
 
You should almost certainly be able to get help from the store you purchased from, or from OCZ.

I don't think there is any way you could have caused the problems you have seen; the weird behavior seems pretty typical for a failing SSD, and is similar to what I would see when my vertex 2 failed (though it worked for several months). Mine started out sometimes not being bootable (No OS found), then it would sometimes crash the PC when in windows, followed by failing to show up in BIOS ever again.
 


Thank you, this is what I wanted to hear!
 

I would definatly get in contact with OCZ directly. Their return seem fairly good even outside USA.

I would get in contact with OCZ their website states as well Shipping Costs:

The customer is required to pay shipping and handling charges to send the defective product to OCZ.

OCZ provides free return shipping and handling to the following countries:

Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, South, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States Customers located in countries not list above are required to pay return shipping and handling charges.
Click to expand...

http://www.ocztechnology.com/support/warranty/
 
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