Zbook15 G3 won't boot Win7 SanDisk SSD that came out of Zbook G1

[bigdaddy68_1]

Hi,

I just got a ZBook15 G3 and I pulled out the 500GB spinning HDD and replaced w/ my SanDisk 960GB (1TB) SSD that was booting Win7 Ent and working fine in my prior Zbook G1 and now the G3 won't boot it. 

It says something like "Please Install an OS on this Dsik"  (3F0).

The Diag utility will gladly test the SATA AHCI SSD and report no issues...at least for the Quick Test

Has anyone seen this behavior before and can you offer any solutions ?

I am going to scheck to see if the BIOS needs updating but this is rather unnerving

Thanks

BigDaddy68_1

[CherylG · Accepted solution]

Maybe @Huffer can offer some help.

[Huffer]

Does the drive still have Windows 7 on it? Have you tried to install Windows on it and seen if the installer sees the drive? Obviously the BIOS sees it or the HDD test would not run on it so it has to be a software issue or maybe a secure/legacy boot thing. Maybe a GPT/MBR thing. 

[bigdaddy68_1]

Thanks Provost,

I tried everything I could in the BIOS to try and set Boot LegacyBIOS(MBR) but it didn't work.  I even tried running the 3rd Party Option ROM configurator menu  and the SSD showed up fine and fully described..  but no boot.

I am sending the system back because I just dont have time to backup and restore 850GB of SSD data.  Also albeit less important the ZBook G3 I got has no DVD drive slot so it can't accomodate my existing 750G SATA plug in drive full of data that I'd also have to backup.   Lastly  I'd also have to go out and get an extra 16GB of RAM to match the 32GB I already have in Zbook15 which isn't compatible on the G3.

I must say though it is a nice system though - Bang-Olufsen screen and its certainly lighter - just not what I need or can use.   If I had the money I'd certainyl keep it and build it out to what I need.  SO I took the cheap road and I ordered a replacement keyboard for my Zbook15 which I will give a go at replacing..

It is what it is..

Thanks for your help

BigDaddy68_1

[bigdaddy68_1]

Indeed this was a BIOS setting thi ng - I believe my earlier Zbook systems used LEgacyBIOS and the new Zbook15 G3 defaults to EFI(GPT) mode.  Once I changed the BIOS settings to change this all worked fine.

Thanks Huffer