Warning

 

Close
Confirm Action

Are you sure you wish to do this?

Cancel Confirm
AR15.COM
4/9/2013 5:30:23 AM EDT
My old hard drive died without warning. I am trying to install a new SSD and do a fresh install of Windows 7. The problem I am having is that i cannot get the Windows install to format and recognize the SSD.

Laptop: Dell Inspiron 1721
SSD: Samsung 840 120Gb

Suggestions?

Thanks!
4/9/2013 5:36:06 AM EDT
[#1]
Does the BIOS recognize the drive?  Go into your BIOS screen and see if the drive is listed and identified properly.
4/9/2013 5:38:25 AM EDT
[#2]



Quoted:


My old hard drive died without warning. I am trying to install a new SSD and do a fresh install of Windows 7. The problem I am having is that i cannot get the Windows install to format and recognize the SSD.



Laptop: Dell Inspiron 1721

SSD: Samsung 840 120Gb



Suggestions?



Thanks!


enter the bios, make sure your sata controller is set to AHCI and not S-ATA or Legacy

 
4/9/2013 5:42:27 AM EDT
[#3]
BIOS recognizes the drive. I cannot see where I can set the drive to AHCI. The only option I have is to set the drive for RAID 0 or not.
4/9/2013 5:44:10 AM EDT
[#4]



Quoted:


BIOS recognizes the drive. I cannot see where I can set the drive to AHCI. The only option I have is to set the drive for RAID 0 or not.


it might be labeled something like "PCI options" or something to that effect. just look around in there.

 



raid in laptop? do you have another hard drive bay?
4/9/2013 5:55:26 AM EDT
[#5]
Yes, I have two bays. Drive bay B is currently empty.

In my BIOS, I have SATA Operation under Onboard Devices. My options are "RAID Autodetect/ATA" and "RAID On"

Otherwise, I cannot find anyplace to set the SATA option to ACHI.
4/9/2013 6:15:25 AM EDT
[#6]



Quoted:


Yes, I have two bays. Drive bay B is currently empty.



In my BIOS, I have SATA Operation under Onboard Devices. My options are "RAID Autodetect/ATA" and "RAID On"



Otherwise, I cannot find anyplace to set the SATA option to ACHI.


What is it currently set on? Try RAID Autodetect, see if that doesn't work. Otherwise try ATA

 
4/9/2013 6:56:34 AM EDT
[#7]
No joy.

I'm going to try to install it to a regular HDD and then clone it to the SSD.
4/9/2013 8:05:29 AM EDT
[#8]
OK. Installed just fine on the regular HDD. Now, onto the clone...
4/9/2013 11:26:54 AM EDT
[#9]



Quoted:


OK. Installed just fine on the regular HDD. Now, onto the clone...


Even if you clone your drive, you need to enable AHCI.

 



My suggestion would be to perform a BIOS upgrade. It seems that people with your same model laptop have AHCI as an option....so I don't see why you wouldn't other than having a early production of your particular model that didn't get a factory BIOS upgrade.
4/10/2013 4:55:26 AM EDT
[#10]
Got it!  Once I got the hard drive cloned, I was able to see the AHCI option in the BIOS. As a matter of fact, it was already selected.
4/10/2013 5:10:23 AM EDT
[#11]



Quoted:


Got it!  Once I got the hard drive cloned, I was able to see the AHCI option in the BIOS. As a matter of fact, it was already selected.


Great! How peculiar though.

 



Anyway, you might want to do a couple important things to help your drive out now that you have AHCI enabled. AHCI allows you to enable TRIM on the SSD, so I would do that. Here is a little guide of some things you should do, and a little reasoning behind them. I think this would be beneficial.