Touble setting SSD as boot. OS already installed.

[monkeymonk]

So I spent about 10 hours straight on my computer Sunday setting up drivers, doing up dates, installing the OS etc. I found out afterward that you are supposed to install the OS on the SSD with the old HDD unplugged. Now I have to select the SSD during start up. The SSD will not load when the old HDD is unplugged. I've been googling for a while now and it seems the number one response is to reinstall the OS..... this is not something I want to do. So I have a few different ideas.

1. Wiping and reformatting the HDD (Don't see this working and don't want to risk not having a bootable computer)
2. Waiting until I get my new processor and motherboard and seeing if that will help. (Will order the 2500k now if I have to, but would like to see if my friend can get me one from micro center first.)
3. Someone suggested using msconfig to delete the old HDD. (Will this work so simply? Again I don't want to be stuck with an unusable computer)

I don't care about the data on the old HDD but I care very much about the data on the SSD so I would like to not loose it.
I already have tried changing the boot order in the BIOS with every combination possible. I have tried using the OS disk as to repair it but I can't even get that to work.

One more thing, I have it set at ide because that is all that would work when I made this computer. I have tried changing the registry to 0 then resetting it, nothing.
Can I just set it to AHCI when I get my new mobo?

 

[terryd75]

hAVE YOU TRIED DISCONNECTING THE OLD HDD, AND STARTING THE COMPUTER WITH JUST TH SSD INSTALLED?

 

[monkeymonk]

hAVE YOU TRIED DISCONNECTING THE OLD HDD, AND STARTING THE COMPUTER WITH JUST TH SSD INSTALLED?

Not trying to be rude here but yes I did and I already wrote that "The SSD will not load when the old HDD is unplugged."
I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt and guess that your cabs lock was accidentally left on; seeing how the first letter in that sentence is lower case.

 

[fantastik250]

Yes, wait for your new mobo and re-install Win 7 again on the SSD, and you can finally set AHCI in the BIOS before installing Win 7. It should work this time.

 

[monkeymonk]

Well if I reinstall the OS will it wipe out the other programs or will it just replace the OS. So I couldn't just plug in my SSD by it self into the new mobo and have it work?
If so is that because certain files are missing because it wasn't installed on what my computer thought was the boot drive?

 

[fantastik250]

Well, unfortunately whoever helped you didn't realize that you needed no other hard drives plugged in. The re-install will wipe everything. And you're correct missing files because of the new mobo. It'll be worth it in the end. Sorry for making you go through updating all drivers, once again. But, in the end you'll be happy and not have to worry.

 

[monkeymonk]

So there really isn't another option? What about MSconfig?
I helped myself but read plenty of tutorials and no one mentioned that step 🙁
My problem was just getting things like my firefox bookmarks and steam game saves back. Is there someway to back up all the other files on my SSD as a whole rather than picking them out one at a time?
Is a repair OS install where it basically just reinstall JUST the OS?
Will I need to wipe/reformat the SSD before I do the fresh install? Because I can't get the OS disc to run properly (it gets stuff after the welcome to windows screen.)
Does it matter if I put AHCI on before or after the install?
Would all the registry errors I was getting be a result of the "missing files"?

Sorry for all the questions I want to A. make sure I have exhausted all other options B. Do it correctly this time!

I will be checking this tomorrow at work.
Thanks

 

[johnnychuttz]

Nope, sorry bud you are going to have to start over and reinstall the OS on the SSD.

 

[Gallarian]

Why dont you just move all the files you want to keep that are on your SSD to your HDD, then wipe the SSD and clean install Win7 on it, then mve all the files back over once youve got the SSD set as your boot drive?

 

[Gallarian]

To answer youre other questions:

the correct steps you'd need to take are:

1) Remove all drives from the PC
2) Install the SSD (with it being fully clean)
3) Boot up and go into the BIOS
4) Set to AHCI
5) Install Win 7

If you've moved all the files you want to keep onto the HDD, just plug the HDD back in and move the files across to your SSD, then wipe your HDD

 

[monkeymonk]

ok looks like i am going to have to do this over again tonight. ive come to terms with it haha.
if i set it to ahci after it is installed will it afect anything? i only ask because my current mob o would act funny when j would try to change it. and i am upgrading to a z68 this weekend so i coukd just do it then
. so i will just wipe my ssd then do the process. will i need to reformT it or anything?

 

[fantastik250]

If you don't set your SATA controllers to ACHI in the BIOS, your new motherboard will make the SATA into a compatible drive thus not using the AHCI driver. You will have to make a registry change if you want to use AHCI for your SATA SSD, you will have decreased performance if you don't use AHCI for your SSD. When you do a clean install of Win 7, you will have to the option to delete/format the previous Win 7 installation.

It is referred as a Clean Installation.

When it tells you, what kind of installation you want choose Custom (Advanced)

Then Drive Options (Advanced)

Select which partition you want deleted, then click on Delete

And confirm the deletion.

You can also delete the System Reserve partition if you have one, the new clean installation will either make a new one or not.

And then you can finally choose where you want to choose it. That's it.

Source: http://pcsupport.about.com/od/operatingsystems/ss/windows-7-clean-install-part-1_15.htm

 

[monkeymonk]

Whenever I put the disk in it gets frozen after the "welcome to windows" loading screen. so now I am using CCleaner to wipe the drive

 

[monkeymonk]

After installing the OS for the third time and plugging the SSD into the 1st sata port, it's working! Now just to install everything! I even got it to set to AHCI. Thanks guys!

 

[monkeymonk]

Best answer selected by monkeymonk.