Help...I am at a loss

Hey guys, I picked up a used Alienware 17 R2 today. 970m, 4710HQ processor, 512 GB M.2 Adata drive and a 1tb HDD.


Well, about 8 or so hours ago I decided that the OS should be booting from that M.2 drive as it should be. I followed the instructions from http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...up-your-samsung-950-pro-m-2-ssd-17-r3.787205/

I updated the Bios from revision 00 to the latest. Downloaded Windows 10 using the media creation tool 2 times..to 2 separate USB drives.

Bios Settings set to AHCI / UEFI with Secure boot Disabled and Legacy Option Roms Enabled. I have tried different variations. AHCI with Legacy in boot list options with the 2nd HDD set at first.

I have installed windows 10 multiple times, trying 3 different Intel Rapid Storage Driver files being installed at setup. I have Installed windows with different variations in the bios regarding to UEFI and Legacy.

The errors that I get with UEFI during startup are File: \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\BCD .: Status: 0xc000000f

The Errors I get with legacy is Pxe Rom error, not found.


This is my first go around with Windows 10 and M.2 Nvme and...I am tired and If I missed something let me know and i will give you the info.

Thank you.

 

you have to create bootable usb in uefi with rufus. leave aside windows creation tool. use rufus with and windows 10 iso.you need uefi not legacy. disable secure boot but dont choose legacy....go uefi first..you dont need to chance boot order. once you have uefi windows stick just turn on windows boot menu f12 and choose your stick and will work.
keep in minnd your nvme driver needs to be formated in gpt for uefi to work. goodluck

 

Clean all partitions of M.2 SSD. You need to disable Secure boot and install W10. Legacy mode should be disabled.

 

Steps taken:
Bios set to AHCI, UEFI with legacy roms and secure boot disabled
Downloaded Windows 10 ISO. Installed via rufus with GPT Partitioning with UEFI box checked.

Deleted all partitions in windows setup.
Followed instructions on partitioning drive to GPT using directions.
New Partitions created in windows setup.
From separate USB drive I installed Intel(R) 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family SATA AHCI driver

Windows installs as normal.

restart with no USB Drives inserted into pc.

I get Error No Bootable devices. Strike F1 to retry boot ect ect.





Where to go from here? Do I need to put my Intel Rapid Storage Driver on the same USB drive that has the windows setup files?

I have never in my 36 years have had a computer problem whip me like this. :|

 

17 R2 only support m.2 sata SSD's not NVME

 

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod...Xd8TBO7Vws1bQFNfcBBoCmHoQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds


Thats the drive that is in it.

 

In Rufus, does the partition scheme need to be GPT or MBR?

I got " No bootable device " with MBR, and it wouldn't see the boot file with GPT.

I ran a thorough diagnostic on the M.2 drive and it came back as good. I shut down the computer, pulled the battery cable and held down the power button for 1 min and also reseated the drive.

I am going to reinstall windows with Rufus using GPT / UEFI (non csm) and try again. Any help is appreciated.

 

Installed Windows 10 using Rufus using GPT Partition scheme -UEFI ( non scm ).

Booted up and installed windows. Upon restart it gave a error File:\EFI\Microsft\Boot\BCD - Status 0xc000000F: Info The Boot configuration Data for your pc is missing or contains errors.

also

No Bootable Devices.

Bios is setup correctly as well. UEFI - Secure boot disabled - legacy roms disabled - AHCI enabled.


Think the M.2 Drive is trash?

 

Normally I just download windows 10 iso, format usb as fat32 and extract the iso to the usb using winrar/7zip. Set AHCI in bios too.
I tried rufus before but it always gave me error when install windows from usb (not sure what I did wrong).

 

tungd678, how do you get around the error message " Could not locate NTFS Partition: 14 not found?

I just tried that, formatted USB to exFAT, extracted Windows 10 ISO using WinRar. I booted to the USB drive and recieved that error.

 

I don't get that error and I haven't tried installing Windows with exFAT usb, I always format usb to FAT32.

 

Ok, New steps I have taken. in Diskpart, I manually created the partitions on the USB drive and formatted it using NTFS. I then extracted the files from the Windows 10 ISO to the USB Drive.

Bios Settings - AHCI, UEFI enabled, Secure boot disabled, Legacy Roms enabled ( only way I can get it to see the USB Drive ). Installed, gave boot error afterwards. With Legacy Roms enabled, I can see the USB and Second HDD using F12. When I try to boot to the Second HDD from there, it gives a no bootable device found error.

Now, I am trying to install windows again and I am going to partition the drive again using GPT with the flash drive I created using diskpart.

The M.2 Was working as a secondary drive before I started this.

I am out of ideas other than stick the mechanical drive in and install windows on it. I wanted the added performance of the SSD but its not looking that way anymore.

 

Ok, had a idea. Since for some reason I am getting a boot/bcd error I was thinking that maybe something is going wonky with the Partition 1 with the system partition that holds the boot files.

Went to install windows, at the partition select screen i hit shift f10. I then used diskpart to create the partition on the drive not allowing it to create a second system partition to install the boot files. I tried to force it to install the boot files and the system files on one partition.



It didnt work.......

 

@WumperTinger

Everytime I do clean install I follow this guide. Hope it helps.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Alienware/...ows_10_install_17_r3/?st=IZ9XA4UY&sh=86509b5a

 

Ok. heading to bed now. Last update

This is what I have done so far. I tried to repair the MBR using bootrec commands. It didn't help. I reinstalled Windows 10 ISO using rufus with UEFI / GPT partitioning. I booted to the install screen. I deleted all partitions in the M.2 Drive. I then used diskpart to partition the drive to GPT. I then hit New and went through the steps allowing it to create the 3 other partitions. System ect. I then tried to Install. gave same boot error saying that the BCD was missing.

I then went into the Bios, went to Filoe Browser Add Boot Option. I chose bootx64.efi and made it Boot Option #1. Didn't work using either file from the m.2 drive or the USB drive.

will try again tomorrow.









Also, the M.2 Drive is the Adata SU800 512GB. I checked manufactures website and others, its not a NVME drive is it? If so...i will be sad.

 

You don't need Intel Rapid storage driver and this time use AIOBoot to create Win 10 bootable USB along with Boot repair x64 ISO.

 

try AHCI.. and when using RUFUS to create ISO if ur using LEGACY Mode on BIOS.. Use MBR.. if UEFI its auto to GPT.. btw if nothing works.. take it apart and install it on your friends system.. and clean format it.. use "Clean" Command on Diskpart after selecting the disk. and use "make partition primary" then format

 

...I think something has to be wrong with the drive, not sure why and I can't find whats wrong with the drive through chkdsk repair commands. I ran diags on the drive and its fine.

Downloaded Aio boot.and followed the directions from the youtube video that the company posted but it shows as MBR - Legacy on the USB drive after I use it to install the Windows ISO on the usb drive. I format it in Fat 32 and it breaks up the ISO to make it fit.

Tried the boot repair disk ISO, it didn't work. It gave a few errors at the very end.

Honestly, I am just going to stick in the Mechanical drive. I have spent close to 25 hours trying to get this to work....If Anyone wants to IM me say on facebook or any instant messenger of their choice and walk me through a few things. That would be awesome, if not its ok.

 

Windows installed fine on the mechanical drive. I am not sure what the issue is on that M.2 Drive. I may just order another one when I order some new memory and try it again.

 

I am going to try something...I am going to upgrade the firmware on the M.2 since I got windows installed on the computer that has a M.2 slot. If it fails, nothing major. Just plug the mechanical drive back and and go from there.