Author Topic: Windows 7 Ult 64 bit trapped by BSD and can not get out. (Read 192175 times)

FreeCat · « **Reply #325 on:** April 28, 2018, 01:27:34 pm »

I did a clone to the ssd of the win7 c drive at the time of the clone the ssd was drive K. See Reflect screens above. So, W7 should be on SSD. I booted with ssd and system slow. Seems slower than hhd (or maybe about the same).

FreeCat · « **Reply #326 on:** April 28, 2018, 01:31:39 pm »

Also, I did a performance monitor and the result is 5.9 --- the same number as the hhd number.

Boggin · « **Reply #327 on:** April 28, 2018, 01:40:33 pm »

A SSD should be a lot faster on boot but I don't know how they should perform in relation to a HDD during normal operation.

How many items do you have enabled under Startup in msconfig ?

They can slow things down by taking up memory which can impact performance.

I've never cloned before but know what restoring with a system image does when transferring onto a new HDD.

I think I would still try that.

Download Novabench and that will tell you what the write speeds are.

You could put your old HDD back in and compare Novabench performance results.

https://novabench.com/download

FreeCat · « **Reply #328 on:** April 28, 2018, 02:07:19 pm »

OK, so maybe i should " restoring with a system image".
How do I do that with reflect?

Boggin · « **Reply #329 on:** April 28, 2018, 02:11:48 pm »

You'd plug in the ext. HDD to what you want to save the image to, open Macrium and then select Image this disk to the right of Clone this disk.

I only ever do this for my images.

FreeCat · « **Reply #330 on:** April 28, 2018, 04:48:21 pm »

OK, but is the image bootable or just image to be restored and then be bootable?

FreeCat · « **Reply #331 on:** April 28, 2018, 04:55:19 pm »

I guess what I am wondering is: Do I have to tell w7 that i am on an ssd? There must be some way to definitely tell if i am on ssd or hdd.

Boggin · « **Reply #332 on:** April 29, 2018, 12:44:07 am »

It will sense and automatically enable TRIM - https://www.digitalcitizen.life/simple-questions-what-trim-ssds-why-it-useful

To restore or put the image onto the SSD you would boot as normal with the WPE disk, plug in the ext. drive and then search for images where you'll see the images by date.

satrow · « **Reply #333 on:** April 30, 2018, 01:11:12 am »

What's the Windows Experience Index (WEI) score for your drive now? Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Performance Information and Tools.

Run a benchmark on your SSD with =http://www.hdtune.com/HDTune Pro and attach the screenshot, please.

Trim being enabled by the OS doesn't necessarily mean that the Trim calls are reaching the drive(s), a 'bad' Controller driver can block the calls (even drivers from the hardware maker or Windows Update have been known to do this). If you can update the firmware on the drive(s) successfully, Hard Disk Sentinel or Trimcheck report that Trim is active or that it's working, then Trim is almost certainly enabled and active.

FreeCat · « **Reply #334 on:** May 01, 2018, 05:13:23 am »

Howdy Satnow and Boggin,

WEI for drive is still 5.9 while all else is at 7.9. Somehow (even thought I F12) booted from Samsung SSD I am stil on the HHD. I discovered some tools in Reflect that might help, but I do not yet feel knowledgeable enough to use them. I will study them. There is a thing also call Samsung Magician --- another item to understand. Thanks for all your help.

Boggin · « **Reply #335 on:** May 01, 2018, 06:26:42 am »

If you used F12 to select the boot then this probably isn't it but run a cmd prompt as an admin and enter powercfg -h off

This will turn Hibernate off and to turn it back on, just repeat the cmd changing off to on

FreeCat · « **Reply #336 on:** May 01, 2018, 07:35:15 am »

Thanks, Boggin, but I do not understand. What does hibernate have to do with the SSD?

Boggin · « **Reply #337 on:** May 01, 2018, 07:54:52 am »

If it's holding in memory what it was last booted from then that could be why it's going to the HDD.

Turning off Hibernate could eliminate that, but as I've said, it may not be that.

Do you have a choice of separate SSD and HDD in the BIOS or are they just lumped together as SSD/HDD in the Boot order ?

satrow · « **Reply #338 on:** May 01, 2018, 08:25:06 am »

Can you show us a screenshot of Disk Management so we can see the full Status details, please?

FreeCat · « **Reply #339 on:** May 01, 2018, 08:43:06 am »

HOWDY,

Yes, below.

K is the Samsung.
H is a drive I use for backup only.
C is main W7 drive.

satrow · « **Reply #340 on:** May 01, 2018, 09:24:08 am »

That looks a complete mess, cf. my C: status flags with your current Windows drive K:

Whilst your system can be repaired, it requires an expert to provide the rather complicated list of steps (and checks) to restore your PC to something suitable to be upgraded to W10. That's me out, I've been sticking with the KISS principles for disk management for the last 15 years.

I'd go the clean install route with W7, only the SSD installed, check that TRIM is active after updating Windows (WU might install an 'upgraded' driver that 'blocks' Trim - W10 did it to me after the AU Update - rolling back the drivers to the default W7/10 version will reactivate Trim), upgrade to W10 and then re-attach your HDDs and get it setup to your liking. Don't forget to create clones/backups before any major upgrade or change.

W7 can be installed on a single partition; as my C: shows, W10 requires, I think, 3x partitions; you'll need to make allowances for that according to the current recommendations during the W7 install, which would then likely make use of 2x partitions with unallocated space left for the W10 upgrade 'hidden data' partition.

FreeCat · « **Reply #341 on:** May 01, 2018, 01:56:39 pm »

Thanks Satnow. Sad to hear, but I have mcuh to learn. W7 updated 100% --- no problems with it. maybe I will call Samsung. Will let you know.

satrow · « **Reply #342 on:** May 02, 2018, 02:31:40 am »

I wasn't suggesting that the Windows installation was faulty, just that the initial steps currently needed to boot to Windows open you up to a breakdown in the future, perhaps with your next OS upgrade, a BIOS glitch or hardware malfunction.

My disk layout ensures that I can remove all but Drive 0, the C: containing Windows, and still have a fully functioning System. You cannot do that, your layout needs at least 2 of those installed drives to boot up.

The reason your WEI scores are unchanged since adding your SSD is that WEI tests only the drive where Windows is installed, namely the K:

FreeCat · « **Reply #343 on:** May 10, 2018, 12:29:03 am »

Thanks for the info.

OK, so now I am several days into using this SSD. Problems every once in a while. Rebooted in the middle of working last night at 8:45 PM. But, came back OK.

Occasional messages about files missing, etc --- but it may be the app I am using; support for that app does not unerstand them.

Samsung, the SSD manufacturer, has a "Magician" that is supposed to support the SSD, but it does not work with the SSD version I have and they have no answer when it will be fixed.

I am using Reflect to make backup images; it seems OK; this is what I used to create (move) W7 to SSD.

I want to let this "settle" for a while before updating to W10.

Again thanks for ALL your help. I will keep you posted of changes, etc.

FreeCat · « **Reply #344 on:** May 18, 2018, 04:56:35 am »

The SSD is working and has W7 on it. I had to disconnect the HDD W7. Samsung magician still does not recognize the Samsung SSD. Dunno what to do about this. Samsung has no answer. Will use it the way it is for a while. It seems stable. Took latest important updates with no problem. More to come.

satrow · « **Reply #345 on:** May 18, 2018, 05:44:42 am »

If the SSD isn't being recognised by Samsung Magician, try rolling back the drivers for the SATA ports to the default MS AHCI versions; these will allow Magician to see the drive, the firmware to be updated and Trim to work. The downside is that the drive(s) may not be quite as fast.

FreeCat · « **Reply #346 on:** May 24, 2018, 03:20:37 pm »

Thanks, Satrow, but I do not understand how to do this. I have a good Hitaghi 2 TB drive that is labeled H, and the SSD is C. I tried swapping the SATA channels but when I went to boot I got the message No MstrBook. I switch back again and now it boots.

I am fearful that I may damage machine. I have GFS backup running each evening, but I have never restored from that and am worried it is is OK.

Samsung says that Magician just does not support the drive I have. I find that very weird; I just do not know how they can sell a drive with no support tools.

satrow · « **Reply #347 on:** May 24, 2018, 03:40:13 pm »

Roll back the SATA drivers as per my previous post, this will allow Magician to 'see' your drive.

The problem with changing your drive order using the cables as it stands is that the only working Windows install is accessed by the boot sequence 'bouncing' from one drive to another - not good long term, way too complex.

FreeCat · « **Reply #348 on:** May 25, 2018, 11:12:00 am »

OK, I am going to do what you suggest Satnow, but firts I am gong to attempt restore of system to another machine so that I know I can get back to where I am in case something goes wrong. I may take more than a few days to find a machine which is stuitable for restore.

FreeCat · « **Reply #349 on:** May 28, 2018, 08:35:14 am »

OK, machine has been stable for almost a week. I did one windows update for my Android phone connection.
while applying it, the machine re-booted.

I figured that there was a required re-boot that I did not see.

But after re-booting, I saw something else that was on my machine years ago. Machine was asking to me to insert the NaturalReader CD ROM.

I canceled this and continued to use my machine. One of the programs I use is xxxxxx HD. the xxxx part is something I can never remember so I normally just type in hd at the start search box. Once I did that, the screens went blank and the keyboard and mouse went out (I.E. no light on the KB for caps log or numb lock).

I thought this was strange so I had to reboot by taking out power. This time I did nothing else after canceling the NaturalReader dialog.

Now I am un-installing the NaturalReader to see what happens.

OK, so after un-installing NaturalReader typing HD and pressing enter did not re-boot machine. Avast report still 13 registry enteries for NaturalReader are there. Should I just forget about them?

I do not understand this. I have not used NaturalReader for years. What could have happened?

Could it be that HD <enter> is some kind of Windows command that I am unaware of?