Installing Windows 7 (or 8) in Samsung 530U3C-04PT

Hello!

First of all, i would like to say that i previously spent a few hours browsing the forums in search of a solution to my problem but despite having read a lot about this issue, the "recipes" i found didn't work for one reason or another. Ence i decided to start a new thread.

I recently bought a Samsung Series 5 530U3C-04PT laptop. It comes fited - as i recently found out - with a 500 GB HDD and a 22 GB SSD drive.

From day one i had my mind made as to install Windows 7, therefor replacind the factory fited Windows 8.

Installing Windows from scratch was a procedure i did countless times.

This time, things didn't go so well.

Started by erasing all partitions on both disks.

Made a USB bootable disk with Windows 7 and installed it (there is no DVD drive). First i tried the HDD. To my surprise, laptop wouldn't boot. Then i tried de SSD. Same behavior. Tried both! Again, it wouldn't boot.

I read that SSD drives have a different filesystem. So i formated the drive and created a new partition with "CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY ID=AF" but when i went on to install Windows again on the HDD, it was not able to. I then came to the conclusion it had something to do with the reserved Windows partition being created on disk0, in this case, the SSD.

Tried also to copy boot files from SSD to HDD. No success.

Finaly i tried to install Windows 8. I thought i would install smoothly. This was me giving up and "reverting" the changes i made. Again, to my suprise, it didn't work!

To make a long story short, i was unable so far, despite my best efforts, to install Windows 7 or 8 on my new 700 Euros laptop.

I'm starting to think i just threw away a lot of money...

Any thoughts on how to ressucitate my laptop?

- - -

SOLUTION: Borrowed an external USB DVD Drive and installed from DVD. Smooth sailing.

 

I would guess you have 'Enable Intel Smart Drive' Technology (or something to that effect) enabled in the BIOS. This needs to be disabled.

Second, I would remove the (useless) 22GB SSD and install Windows with just the main/boot drive installed and the BIOS' 'Boot' setting indicating the same drive.

Third, I wouldn't go so far as to say you threw your money away... but why would you want to go back to an inferior (in many ways) O/S?

Install Windows 8 again and learn how to use it: this is your best bet on keeping your new system as long as possible into the future...

Hope some of this helps?

Good luck.

 

Nothing like this is present in BIOS.

I've opened the HDD/memory compartment of the laptop but i can't seem to find the SSD drive. I think i need to take it appart completely! Unless... i've understood incorrectly and the SSD drive is the HDD cache. So any other ideas?

 

Have you checked the PCIe slots? Given the low capacity nature of the cache, the SSD is most likely in PCB format rather than in traditional 2.5" format - something like these:

 

Just wiped my doubts away! It's ans iSSD drive, built-in the HDD!

 

I, umm... haven't heard of such a storage device?

 

Anyway, any other thoughts? Or a pointer on where to disconnect the iSSD?

 

I think the OP is talking about this: SanDisk iSSD Integrated Storage Device

It's not actually built into the HDD.

 

Either way, it's not possible to disconnect the iSSD... and we are diverting from the main issue...

 

Just a thought, but have you:

1) Disabled UEFI Secure Boot?
2) Switched your drives from GPT to MBR?

 

1) Yes
2) What?

When in DISKPART i do a LIST DISK, the Gpt table has no information so i assume they are MBR...