Problem installing SSD in HP P6230F under Windows 7

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Your screenshot shows what appears to be trying to reinstall W7 from an image.

You need to try and clean install W7 or W10 using installation media.

I gave you the link on an earlier reply to easily create a bootable W10 USB flash drive so you can see if it will find the drive to install on.

Step by step instructions to install Windows 10 (techulator.com)

I doubt the model of the drive is the problem.

I have the same drive you bought in my Dell Optiplex 7020 MT, and it is the best performing drive for the price.

[David453]

Well, I've made a little progress. At least, I think I might know what the problem is.

I downloaded a copy of the W10 installation software and burned it to a DVD, as you suggested. Then I disconnected the HDD, connected the SSD and tried to install W10, but W10 didn't see the SSD either. So as a last resort, I went into the Advanced Settings of the BIOS and changed the SATA Controller Mode from RAID to AHCI. When I rebooted, the W10 install procedure detected the SSD and I was able to install W10 on the SSD.

I'm a little out of my depth, technically speaking, but could it be that the BIOS firmware was "hiding" the SSD from Windows when it was in RAID mode, so it would have exclusive use of it in a RAID setup, to support redundancy? I don't really know much about the differences between IDE, RAID and AHCI, so I'm just guessing.

Anyway, I still have a problem, because if I disconnect the SSD, reconnect the HDD and try to boot W7, it only boots properly if I have it set to RAID mode. The SSD still doesn't appear in Storage Management, even though it's been formatted now. And I get an error if I set the controller mode to IDE or AHCI. So it seems that I can only boot from the HDD in RAID mode, and I can only boot from the SSD in IDE or AHCI mode.

This wouldn't matter if I just wanted to do a clean install of W10 (or W7), but I'd like to migrate my W7 install, along with all the apps I've installed over the years, to the SSD, so I won't have to reinstall all my apps. Plus I could later upgrade to W10 for free (It seems Microsoft still offers free upgrades from W7 or W8), but if I start with a clean install of W10, I'll have to buy a license. That might be the only solution, though.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Yes, unfortunately you have a dilemma.

You can't change the drive controller setting from RAID to AHCI because as you found out, W7 won't boot from the drive.

When I wanted to change the drive controller setting, I just reinstalled W7 and my programs and files.

Folks say there is a way to change the setting and boot from AHCI by doing some registry changes, but I've only done that once on W10.

I could not find any good info on how to do that in W7.

You run the risk of losing everything if it doesn't work.

[David453]

I'd take a full system backup, along with a recovery disk, first. That's what I was trying to restore to the SSD in my earlier screen print. Maybe I'll do some more googling. In any case, I'd lose my apps anyway, if I can't switch modes. My data I have backed up on an external USB drive, so I don't have to worry about that.

UPDATE:

I found this, maybe I'll try it.

https://winaero.com/switch-from-ide-to-achi-after-installing-windows-7-or-windows-8/

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Yes, I had come across that too, but the instructions are for changing from IDE to AHCI, and that may be different from changing from RAID to AHCI, which is why I was reluctant to give you that information.

If you decide to try that, I hope it works.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

I forgot to ask you a question.

When you went to install W10 in RAID mode, and it can't find the hard drive, do you have an option to load a driver on the bottom left side of that window?

If so, see if Windows can find the drive if you download and unzip the AMD RAID storage controller driver I attached below and copy it to a USB flash drive allows Windows to find the drive.

The you should be able to format it if it does.

This is the description of what the driver installs...

AMD AHCI Compatible RAID Controller

[David453]

I think it did, but I didn't know where to find the appropriate driver.

Here's a better description of how to switch between IDE, RAID and AHCI (in any direction), "straight from the horse's mouth". I haven't tried it yet, but I'll let you know the results

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/edit-windows-7-registry-to-boot-from-ide/b101f...

[David453]

It worked! After changing the settings in the registry (there were 4 in my case), I rebooted, went into the BIOS settings, changed the mode to AHCI, and tried to start Windows 7 from the HDD. After installing the required driver (it was automatic, I didn't have to hunt for it), W7 booted OK and I could see both drives.

The next step is to clone W7 from the HDD to the SSD (I hope to use Acronis True Image for that), swap the drives and try to boot W7 from the SSD.

The final step, which I haven't decided on yet, would be to upgrade W7 to W10 on the SSD. If I see significant improvement in the performance of W7, I may not bother, though.

Thanks for your help, and patience!

[Paul_Tikkanen]

That's great news!

Glad to have been of assistance.