Install Windows to iSSD?

Hi There,

Appreciate the very helpful members on this forum - I managed to get a fresh Windows 7 install on my Series 5 NP530C running with the help of one of the guides posted about moving the System / Boot Partition from iSSD to the main HDD. I would be suffering the dreaded black screen on boot if it wasn't for this forum!

My query is relating to whether it is possible to install Windows on the 23gb iSSD of my Series 5 ultrabook? It would mean the OS would boot super fast, rather than having the OS installed on the 500gb standard HDD.

Would the procedure simply be that instead of selecting the HDD Partition for windows install, to select the SSD partition? and then later recopy the 100mb system partition marked as boot from the iSSD to the main HDD disk?

Would having the Boot partition on the HDD And windows partition on the ISSD cause any issues?

Appreciate any feedback!

Thanks
Rob

 

Glad to hear you got that working. Installing Windows from USB on these ExpressCache models continues to be one of the most common issues posted here, even now, almost two years after Samsung stopped producing ExpressCache models.

If I had a 24GB iSSD I would definitely try myself what you are suggesting (my iSSD is only 8B). The only concern is I don't want to put unnecessary wear on the iSSD caused by too much writing: If it becomes defect, you have to replace the entire motherboard.

I would think the process you describe should work:

1) Install Windows with the iSSD as target (delete partitions on it first). Do NOT yet delete the current Windows partition and 100MB boot partition partition (so-called MSR) on the HDD (assuming you have an MSR).

2) If you install from DVD, Windows Setup may actually do it right automatically, placing the MSR on the HDD (which remains the boot disk) or re-use the current MSR there. You're done.

3) If you install from USB, Windows Setup will place the MSR on the iSSD, as you know. If you leave your current Windows partition and MSR intact on the HDD (and assuming you're re-installing the same Windows version) it will probably just boot that MSR on the HDD after Setup has completed copying files, and continue to boot your current Windows installation (on the HDD). You can then use EasyBCD (Google it) to add the new iSSD installation to the boot menu (so-called BCD store) and you are done. No need to copy the MSR from the iSSD.

4) Even when installing from USB, there is also a chance that Windows Setup will see the existing MSR on the HDD and add the new iSSD installation to its boot menu, in which case you can boot the new installation directly. If you want to delete the Windows partition on the HDD, you can simply delete its entry from the boot menu (again, use EasyBCD). No need to copy the MSR from the iSSD.

5) If Windows refuses to boot after Windows Setup has copied files, just use the usual workarounds to copy boot files from the MSR on the iSSD to the MSR on the HDD, using the commands in my guide in post #2. Or manually create a new MSR on the HDD if needed, using the commands in hanime's guide in post #1.

Warning (mostly for others seeing this): ALL of this assumes you are doing good old Legacy BIOS installations on disks with MBR partition layout (which should be true for all Win7-delivered models).

UEFI installations on GPT disks (all Win8-delivered models) are an entirely different story. I cannot give exact steps for ExpressCache workarounds on these models, although the principle remains that you need the boot partition (in this case EFI System partition) on the the primary disk, NOT the iSSD. We recently had a member brick his Series 5 after inadvertently creating a situation where his UEFI BIOS insisted on booting the EFI partition on the iSSD -- which isn't bootable -- and not allowing him into BIOS settings to change it. He had to send his computer in for service, where Samsung replaced the motherboard. Installation on models with ExpressCache was always tricky business, but can be outright dangerous when UEFI gets into the mix -- which is probably a main reason why Samsung stopped providing ExpressCache.

Also, I would absolutely recommend backup of anything important before trying this installation.

If/when you manage to complete the installation, you will need to trim it down in size because of the limited space on that 24GB iSSD. This post has some suggestions for that.

I'll be very interested to hear the outcome