SSD - Windows cannot be installed on this disk

[Mangelwurzel]

Really want to help out a dear friend who is having issues installing Windows 10 on a new SSD. Rather than post a link to their request for help on another forum - which I'm unsure whether or not is allowed on here - I will paste their original query instead.
Thanks for reading and any help you may be able to offer.

Okay, so I bought a Samsung 850 EVO 500gb SSD. Originally, I was going to clone the data from my HDD, however the byte sectors were different and I couldn't, so I thought a clean install of windows would be good anyway. I have downloaded and put onto my USB drive the installation files required for a clean windows 10 install. Like many other people, I encountered the "Windows cannot be installed on this disk. The computer's hardware may not support booting this disk. Ensure the disk's controller is enabled in the computer's BIOS menu." error message.

The strange thing is is that when I load straight from the USB in my boot order, I can install windows onto the SSD fine, however, if I try to boot from the SSD, it says that I need to put in a bootable drive. I thought that this implied that it had installed incorrectly and tried again, to no avail. When I boot from the SSD in my load order, I get the error stated above.

I have compared the windows folders of both my HDD and SSD and the folder in the SSD has less files in it. I have no idea whether this is relevant or not, however I though that I would say this anyway.

These are the methods that I have tried (and can remember) so far:

-Setting the disk to MBR and trying to install again. Didn't work.

-Setting the SATA mode from AHCI to IDE. Didn't work.

-Clicking the select drivers option on the windows installer and putting in my motherboard disk to see if I needed any drivers. It didn't even pick up on any drivers at all, so obviously, this didn't work either.

The Samsung Magician thing that came with the SSD has nothing about installing any type of operating system so this seemed to be of no help at all.

Thank you in advanced for any replies.​

 

[Mangelwurzel]

I forgot to add that the motherboard is a Gigabyte Z97X-SOC

 

[Mangelwurzel]

From all accounts the system goes through the install process ok from the USB drive, it just doesn't boot to the SSD after install.

I'm still using an old socket 775 build (no laughing), so am not familiar with Z97 BIOS. Are there any other BIOS settings worth checking?

 

[Mangelwurzel]

All other drives were removed when installing onto SSD.

System bought with Windows 10 preinstalled and AHCI set in BIOS. They just changed it to IDE to see if it helped, then changed back.

 

[Mangelwurzel]

One other thing of note perhaps. The BIOS is the first release F3, is that likely to be an issue?

 

[Mangelwurzel]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will pass this info on and post back with the outcome.

<snip>....I think it is impossible to clone from mech to SSD as far as I know I could be wrong.

I've never tried that myself, but just seen JayzTwoCents latest video on youtube where he does just that. He uses Acronis TI, which I've only ever had great success with cloning in the past.

I'm assuming they have formatted the disk, otherwise I can't see how it'd go through the install process.

What is strange is how the system apparently goes through the Windows install fine, then gives this message on first boot:

"Windows cannot be installed on this disk. The computer's hardware may not support booting this disk. Ensure the disk's controller is enabled in the computer's BIOS menu."

 

[Mangelwurzel]

They have tried using USB 2 port, no luck.

Also has said this: "apparently I can't download the iso for windows 7 because I have a copy which has come preinstalled by a company"

That was on MS website when entering license code I believe

Any other suggestions most welcome

 

[Mangelwurzel]

Thanks for the suggestions. A little more info if it helps

"under the main partition, my HDD has "Healthy (Boot, Page File, Crash Dump, Primary Partition)" But my SSD just has "Healthy (Primary Partition)"

 

[Mangelwurzel]

Just to clarify. Disk 1 is the HDD with working Windows 10 install, Disk 2 is the SSD which fails to boot.

 

[Mangelwurzel]

Also, I was told there was no option to mark the partition as active in Disk Management.

 

[Mangelwurzel]

i think they only have access to the one machine at the moment.

 

[Mangelwurzel]

Had your friend tried plugging the ssd to a different sata socket?

I have had a problem similar to this when i helped my cousin upgrade his system. Turns out it was a faulty sata socket

They are using the same SATA port and cable running to the working HDD and just swapping over to the SSD.

Has he only used 1 USB stick, what exactly is the model of it?

Just the one flash drive I believe, will check that and also find model.

Also trying to get them to sign up here!

 

[Mangelwurzel]

I've only seen this on a Win 7 machine. I needed to install a RAID driver at the beginning. Even though there was only one drive, with the interface in RAID mode, the install would see the drive, install on it, and then not be able to boot of it at the final part of the installation because I had not given it the correct drivers at the beginning of the installation. It sounds similar to me.

The other posibility is that he's installing in UEFI mode, but the UEFI is trying to boot the SSD as a non-UEFI disk. Check UEFI/BIOS setting to make sure he's being consistent in install and boot media settings.

I don't know what disk modes or BIOS settings were used, but will post back when I do.

 

[Mangelwurzel]

Had a similar thing and i found win would only i stall if my hdd was not plugged in during install

OS is being installed with only the SSD connected. The screenshot was partly to answer the question of the disk being active or not.

 

[Mangelwurzel]

Ive never been asked for a serial when downloading Windows 7 but they are making it hard to download an iso for win 7 now. I followed the instructions on this link and got it

http://www.techfleece.com/2015/12/2...ndows-8-1-or-windows-10-legally-and-for-free/

Just a thought.. would they even be able to install Windows 7 and enter their product key from Windows 10 and then go the upgrade route for a Windows 10 install?

 

[Mangelwurzel]

Has he only used 1 USB stick, what exactly is the model of it?

It's just a cheap USB 2 one that doesn't actually have a brand. Could that be the issue? The install of Windows 10 completes, it's just when it reboots after finishing that the error occurs.

 

[Mangelwurzel]

It's not the install. That completes and then the system sounds like it's trying to reboot to finish setting up. At that point it fails to boot, and the install then tells you that the system cannot be installed. The problem is that once the OS is installed, the SSD fails to boot. That's where the issue is.

So you think it's a hardware issue?

 

[Mangelwurzel]

I think it's a configuration issue. In the BIOS, the PC is not booting off the SSD (wrong boot device or boot config). Alternately, the OS you've just installed is missing the config or drivers to boot off the SSD itself.

It could be some weird hardware fault such as a faulty SSD/cable/motherboard port, but I think that's far less likely than a misconfiguration.

The SSD has been set as boot device in BIOS. I'm unfamiliar with UEFI BIOS as still using legacy myself, so can't help them. Anything in particular you can suggest trying to change?

 

[Mangelwurzel]

How does one check if it's 'UEFI formatted media', there was apparently no option when creating the flash media?

 

[Mangelwurzel]

This worked for me...had the same issue a few weeks back!

I think they tried that suggestion, but will check tomorrow when they come back online.