NVMe install error

helpful55 · 28 Dec 2022

Gigabyte Gaming AX-AX370 mobo, ryzen 1500X. I have been using this pc with an ssd and it was working well. I went to a Samsung 970 evo plus nvme. W7 installs but when it does on the first restart I get the “windows failed to start… “ error. Using the install to repair will not fix it. Safe mode will not load either. This is from a new install usb I burned using the msi tool to add the usb 3.0 and nvme drivers and the iso file is one I have used with no problem before. Could be a problem with the install usb but I am suspicious it is something else. Gigabyte is on vacation. What should I try? (using cmd prompt to fix bootrec tells me there are no windows installations found! I do have the nvme in the list for a boot device.) (possibly this install nvme driver is not working to see the nvme, but it does give me the basic starting windows screen so I would tend to think it is able to access the nvme.) (I remember asking giga about this prior and there may have been some issue where I would have to install to my ssd, then install the nvme driver, then clone over that whole os to the nvme. Maybe that is necessary and the fix?)

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Well this is kind of strange. I tried various things including an install to the ssd then cloning to the nvme. No go there it seemed to lose the cloned nvme even though it was set in the bios as boot #1. I went and used a different install usb that had worked before and it went perfectly. It is supposed to have the 3.0 usb but I have no idea about the nvme driver. Well whatever it did it took care of the usb 3.0 and the nvme connections. So on to the rest of the setup. I would still like any info if anyone has any. Maybe this was just some kind of messed up install usb. I have had about zero luck with the giga 3.0 tool and now maybe even the msi tool.

Megahertz07 · 28 Dec 2022

Is BIOS up to date?
Did you load the NVMe driver during installation?
Did you install as UEFI-GPT or Legacy -MBR? On a NVMe drive you should install as UEFI-GPT, not Legacy -MBR

If you install Win 7 to a SATA drive, Install the NVMe drive, boot and look at Device Manager and install all drivers (including the NVMe driver), reboot and then clone the SATA drive to the NVMe drive. It should work.

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To make a Win 7 USB boot able drive:

Open a CMD window as administrator and type:

diskpart
list disk (it will list all drives. Identify the USB drive number)
select disk n (replace n by the USB drive number obtained with list disk)
clean
convert mbr
create part primary
select part 1
format fs=fat32 quick
assign
active
exit (to exit diskpart)

If you have a Win 7 installation iso file
On Win 7 use 7Zip to extract all files and folders from the Win 7 iso file to the USB drive.
On Win 10, mount the iso file and copy all files and folders to the USB drive.

If you have a Win 7 installation DVD
On another computer that has ODD, copy all files and folders from the DVD to the USB drive

To make it UEFI boot able you must add the \efi\boot folder

To make it universal (all Win 7 versions), go to \sources on the USB drive and delete \sources\ei.cfg

Reset BIOS or load defaults.
Set Disk mode to AHCI, not RAID
Select OS mode = other + UEFI or CSM (depends on BIOS).
Disable fast boot and secure boot

Windows can be installed in two ways: Legacy-MBR or UEFI-GPT
To install as Legacy-MBR you must boot the installation drive as Legacy
To install as UEFI-GPT you must boot the installation drive as UEFI.

If you have a UEFI BIOS, you should install as UEFI-GPT
Detach any other drives (SATA or Power cable) from the MB.

During POST, press F12 to launch the boot menu. You will see two options for the USB drive. USB UEFI (Name) and USB (Name).
Select USB UEFI (Name) to install as UEFI-GPT.
Go to install and delete ALL partitions on the main drive till you have one and only one unallocated space and then proceed.

file3456 · 31 Dec 2022

With NVMe and Windows 7 it can be a PITA. A Crucial 256GB P2 NVMe I installed worked with the two Windows updates needed for NVMe usage, but my Crucial P3 would not. So it has Windows 10 on it. Well, Tiny10 to be specific. I'm not running full on 10 with Facebook, Dropbox, telemetry crap. LOL

The name of the two updates I had to install are on my other operating system. When i get on there I'll find the names and post back.

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Megahertz07 said:

On a NVMe drive you should install as UEFI-GPT, not Legacy -MBR

Why? I installed as legacy MBR and have had no issues...

SIW2 · 31 Dec 2022

A Crucial 256GB P2 NVMe I installed worked with the two Windows updates needed for NVMe usage, but my Crucial P3 would not.

what about the p3 didn't work ?

file3456 · 02 Jan 2023

The slipstreamed OS of Windows 7 that had the Micron NVMe drivers and Windows updates for NVMe functionality did nothing. The OS install USB drive didn't detect the NVMe HDD for install. This was different with the P2. The OS DID detect the NVME HDD on the P2 and I was able to install.

I don't know what the heck happened there and why there would be a difference between the P2 and P3, but it looks like there was. (Maybe I needed to use UEFI?) Never the less, I can't keep Windows 7 forever and installed Tiny10 (yes, it requires a product key). It was straight away, too. Windows 10 identified the NVMe drive and I was able to install in about 15 minutes tops. I have been actively monitoring my network and the handful of mostly Bing, Edge and Akamai IP address telemetry crap has been blocked router side. It's absolutely ridiculous that I have to block that sort of thing on MY PC (Personal Computer). Sure as heck wasn't going 11 anytime soon. I see no reason at this time to do so. I'll wait for 12. LOL!

SIW2 · 02 Jan 2023

The OS install USB drive didn't detect the NVMe HDD for install

strange.

file3456 · 02 Jan 2023

I should try again WITHOUT slipstreaming the updates and just the drivers. Maybe something is borked there. I don't know. I used NTLite and it worked great for the P2.

But strange is right since this motherboard has acted strange from the jump. I have four sticks of RAM for a total of 16GB. All of the same make and model and on the motherboard's QVL. One stick however has a different serial number. This one stick doesn't play well with the others it seems. I was having nothing but issues in games and constant crashes. Checked RAM with Memtest86 and showed RAM errors. Then tried one stick at a time to rule out problematic RAM stick and no errors on all sticks. So wondered if perhaps that odd numbered serial numbered stick was the issue as strange as that is. Sure as rain I pull that stick and no crashes in game since. I have yet to REALLY confirm my findings by putting the stick back and running Memtext86 again, but so far no crashes in game sans that one stick of RAM.

I also think this motherboard's chipset or something is borked because every now and then my audio through my Mic via USB sounds messed up. I have tried ALL USB ports front and back and DAC up +.1 volts. I even clamped on some ferrite chokes around the Mic USB cable - both ends. It's an internal problem on the board its self for sure. I even upgraded the CPU and made sure to check if I had previously had thermal paste on the motherboard. Nope! This motherboard has been a let down and I think I got a fluke off the assembly line. I paid good money for it too. I believe around $250/233 Euro at the time.