SSD - Windows cannot be installed on this disk

Mangelwurzel · 11 Apr 2016 at 14:12

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

Blame · 11 Apr 2016 at 14:36

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

Steampunk · 11 Apr 2016 at 15:02

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.

NeverWinter · 11 Apr 2016 at 15:31

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

Mangelwurzel · 11 Apr 2016 at 18:30

Blame said:
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.

NeverWinter said:
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 · 11 Apr 2016 at 18:43

Steampunk said:
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.

Mcthommo · 11 Apr 2016 at 19:30

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

jbh110tdi · 11 Apr 2016 at 19:59

Mangelwurzel said:
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

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/

Mangelwurzel · 11 Apr 2016 at 20:06

Mcthommo said:
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 · 11 Apr 2016 at 20:11

jbh110tdi said:
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 · 11 Apr 2016 at 20:58

NeverWinter said:
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.

Steampunk · 11 Apr 2016 at 21:11

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.

Mangelwurzel · 11 Apr 2016 at 21:29

Steampunk said:
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?

Steampunk · 11 Apr 2016 at 21:37

Mangelwurzel said:
So you think it's a hardware issue?

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.

Mangelwurzel · 11 Apr 2016 at 21:45

Steampunk said:
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?

Steampunk · 11 Apr 2016 at 22:06

Mangelwurzel said:
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?

If he's installed off UEFI formatted media, makes sure the SSD is set in the BIOS to as a UEFI boot device, and give it priority over the installation USB. If he's got it configured as RAID, give it the RAID drivers at the initial install, or install it as AHCI instead.

Mangelwurzel · 11 Apr 2016 at 22:30

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

evolad · 11 Apr 2016 at 22:42

marc2003 said:
When you get to the disk formatting screen, press shift+F10. Now type in

Code:

diskpart

Then...

Code:

list disk

Assuming the SSD is the only drive, it should be disk 0. Type

Code:

select disk 0

Make absolutely sure you have the right disk selected because this next command will wipe everything. Type

Code:

clean

You may need to refresh the windows setup disk screen and you should be able pick your disk.

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

Steampunk · 11 Apr 2016 at 22:51

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

How did you make the media from the ISO you downloaded? There's usually a choice at that time depending what tool you are using to make the media. When you boot off that media, you need to make sure you boot it in UEFI mode. Most modern motherboards let you choose a boot device, at boot time, and devices will show as both UEFI and legacy. You need to choose the UEFI version.

Mangelwurzel · 11 Apr 2016 at 23:43

evolad said:
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.