How to reformat SSD for Win 7 reinstall, after permanent boot failure.

[Megahertz07]

The problem you're having is quite simple to fix if we have all the information.
Is the SSD detected by BIOS?

 

[seajay]

Yes, using both F2 and F10 in terms of showing model number. In F2 under Serial ATA shows Intel SSD as 0GB whereas Hitachi HDD as 750GB. Any help?

 

[Megahertz07]

Sad to say but, if the SSD has 0G under BIOS, the SSD is dead.
Intel has a very good warranty policy. You can call them to find out if it can be replaced for free.
As your Laptop also has a HDD, you don't need a large SSD. I have a 120G SSD with win 7 and Linux and there is plenty of free space.
120GB, 128GB, 2.5, Internal SSDs, SSDs, Components - Newegg.com

I have many SSD's. A Samsung 850 pro (US$90) and a PNY CS1311 (US$40). Although the Samsung specs and warranty are higher, I can't see any practical difference between the two.

 

[seajay]

How very kind of you to take the trouble to advise me on an SSD replacement. I have ordered a 120GB PNY to suit the 6Gb/s SATA interface of the duff Intel at £57. Let's hope that with the BIOS recognizing both full capacity drives, the installation of the the original Medion installation discs will work. Whether I shall be then able to upgrade to Win10 is a consideration once this restore stage has been achieved.
I shall of course let you know how I get on once the old SSD has been replaced.

Thanks

 

[Megahertz07]

Most of us on this Forum has tried Win 10. And we all think that win 7 is the best.
You don't need to install win 7 and then upgrade to Win 10.
If you have the Win 7 COA key you can use it on a clean install of Win 10. You don't need to buy a license.
With win 10, a must have is the classic shell Classic Shell - Start menu and other Windows enhancements

 

[Megahertz07]

Whatever you install (win 7 or 10) I recommend that you move C:\Users to D:\Users during installation. All your data will be on the HDD. And most important, all temp files will also be on the HDD.

- Detach the HDD, leaving on only the SSD
- Boot from the installation disk, go to install - Advanced - if there is any partition delete all them - create new
- Install on the big NTFS partition

This is basically Kari tutorial (please read it)
- When it comes to give your name, DON'T.
- Enter Audit Mode by CTRL + SHIFT +F3 (press and hold down CTRL and SHIFT, press F3 still holding CTRL and SHIFT down, release all three keys).
- Your computer reboots now. Don’t panic, it’s just doing what it really should do. Windows starts now in so called Audit Mode, using built-in administrator account to let you to modify Windows before any user specific folders are created.
- Close System Preparation Tool by pressing Cancel.
- Open disk management and change your ODD drive to X:
- Shut down and attach the HDD. Boot back to audit mode and Close System Preparation Tool by pressing Cancel.
- Open disk management and make sure the HDD is D:
- Copy the Sysprep.cmd.txt and Relocate.xml.txt to D:\ . Rename them Sysprep.cmd and Relocate.xml
- Execute Sysprep.cmd
- You should now see System Preparation Tool dialog telling it is working on our script. Let it run, don’t touch mouse or keyboard now. When System Preparation Tool is ready, Windows reboots back to Audit Mode.
To continue Windows installation we have to exit Audit Mode. Before clicking OK, check that System Cleanup Action is set to OOBE, and Shutdown Options set to Reboot. Click OK here to boot normally in OOBE i.e. normal mode.
- Finish installation by entering your name and computer name.

After installation, don't update.
Open device manager and install all needed drivers. They should be on your drivers disk.

For the updates: MS releases SP2 for Windows 7 - Windows 7 Help Forums

All the files you need are here: https://www.sevenforums.com/attachments/general-discussion/399687d1499298283-my-computer-freezes-randomly-while-hdd-light-turns-solid-red-relocate.zip

Read Kari tutorial. The script files are a little different. They have been modified by Kari.

 

[seajay]

SUCCESS!! For some reason, I missed your last thread (and still yet to get the email prompt) before I received the SSD, installed it and ran the installation discs again. Hooray, Win 7 installed without a problem, except the HDD wasn't recognized as a drive letter. I used a win utility to give it the D: ident.
I have now installed the drivers and so now have a virgin Win 7 i7 laptop back again! I'm not sure whether your text above affects what I've done, and I'll reinstall if necessary before updating Win 7 to the latest available version. I've also download Classic shell.
So this is to thank you and your team for all your patient help during this period. I have certainly learned a lot, being the first time I have even had the confidence to take the base off a laptop. However, this has allowed me to clean out a blocked fan, which was the probable cause of all the problems in the first place!
Thanks very much.

 

[Megahertz07]

Glad to know you had your laptop running again.
What about the SSD, wasn't it defective? Bad cable contact?
Download the Relocate.zip from my previous post and read the Kari tutorial.
To move C:\users to D:\users is the best thing to do if you have a SSD and a HDD.
And now that you know how to install, you can do it.

 

[seajay]

The SSD was replaced with the one you recommended. The original is likely to have broken due to overheating within the laptop casing. I will follow the Relocate.pdf, when I reinstall.
Thanks again.