SSD problem when installing Windows 7

[Bushmaster03]

Hello all,

Recently I upgraded my Motherboard, CPU, and Memory. I wiped my SSD and storage HDD with Diskpart using the "Clean All" command. Sadly, when I install Windows on either of my SSDs, I am running into a strange problem. After the final restart during installation (when you are prompted to enter your user name and PC name) the screen looks like the attached file. Maybe a bad SSD I thought. However, I get the same results with both the OCZ and Intel SSD. This problem does not happen when I install Windows 7 on to my HDD. I've tested the memory, swapped video cards, etc.

I have f5 BIOS and am in AHCI mode.

Hardware:
CPU: i7 3930k
MB: GB G1 Assassin 2
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LP 16gb, 1600mhz
Video: 2x GTX 580 SLI
SSD: Intel 510, 120gb
HDD: 1tb Caviar Black
PSU: Corsair AS1200

Thanks,

Jim

 

[whs]

At first glance that looks like a graphics problem. Maybe it does not like the SLi.

 

[Bushmaster03]

I thought the same thing. Tried a clean installation with 1 video card installed. It seems regardless of the hardware (I swapped the memory, video cards, SSDs) I get this result when installing onto the SSDs. Conversely, I never get a bad result when installing onto a HDD. Maybe it is how the motherboard is working with the SSD? Or is there any way this could be the result of a bad SATA port on the motherboard?

 

[whs]

If it were a bad port or Sata connection it would occur already earlier and not at that particular point. I assume it worked fine in the first steps of the installation.

But since it happens after the final restart after the win7 installer configured all kinds of stuff, it must have created some conflict. Very strange and probably very hard to track down.

Try installing another system (XP, Vista, Linux) and see what happens.

 

[A Guy]

The i7 3930k has onboard graphics, could that be involved somehow? Why with a SSD only would be the issue. A Guy

 

[Bushmaster03]

I hope its not the CPU. But, yeah, like you said if it was the CPU why would it be fine on the Hard Disk Drive?

Right now I am installing Windows 7 again on the HDD using the SATA 0 connection the SSD was plugged in to. I'll post if that reveals anything.

I'm thinking it might be the BIOS version? since x79 is still pretty new, maybe it is a bug...

 

[Bushmaster03]

So, the installation completed without any issues on the HDD again. This time plugged into the SATA port 0 (where the SSD was connected previously).

Could both of my SSDs be faulty? They both have the latest firmware, and functioned properly until I installed this motherboard and processor.

Not sure where to look next.

 

[A Guy]

They each use a different controller, so that wouldn't seem to be an issue. Have you tried it on a SSD with the CPU's onboard graphics only? This seems like a hardware issue, MB or CPU, but why only on SSD's complicates it even more. A Guy

 

[whs]

CPU is probably OK. But the mobo BIOS may be a problem. But before you flush the BIOS to another level, I would try a Linux installation. I think your SSDs are fine. Two of them failing at the same time is unlikely - besides it worked OK up to this final reboot.

 

[Bushmaster03]

Before I try Linux, I am going to plug the Intel SSD into a Marvell SATA port and see what kind of results I get.

 

[Bushmaster03]

Good news, I guess...

Windows 7 installation on the SSD worked perfectly with the Marvell SATA 3 port. So my SSDs don't want to work properly with the Intel SATA 3 ports. Could my MOBO be defective? or is it a BIOS thing?

I'll use the Marvell ports, but wonder if this warrants RMA?

 

[whs]

I would try to find out from the Mobo company what the story is. The BIOS being integral part of the Mobo can be at fault - but who knows. When in doubt, RMA.

It may also be useful to ask the question on the Intel Forum. They are more specialized in those matters than we are. I would have expected more of a problem with the Marvell ports than with the Intel ports.

 

[TheAntColony]

Hi Jim,

I just got a new computer with almost exactly the same parts as yours. Only the RAM and SSD are different (both Mushkin). I'm also running a 580 in my main slot and a 480 in the other slot (it's for computation, not gaming). When I tried installing Windows 7 I got PRECISELY THE SAME ERROR as you did. Did your solution of switching to the other SATA controller work out in the long run or did you still have problems? Did you ever find out more about this problem?

James

 

[Bushmaster03]

Update

James,

I've been away from my system for several months (currently in Afghanistan), but I'll be glad to share what I discovered to be causing the problem.

First, I didn't mention that I was able to continue with the installation process by hard-restarting the PC when I ran into the problem previously described. After the restart, the artifacts disappeared and I was able to continue with the installation process. Are you able to do the same? I went through the extremely painful process of erasing my SSD / HDD using the DISK PART's CLEAN ALL command approximately (10) times while I tried to identify the problem. I was always able to hard-restart and continue, but also always got the same screen displaying gratuitous amounts of artifacts. Through isolated harware testing and speaking with Gigabyte customer support it became clear that the problem lies within the motherboard's X79 chipset SATA-3 controller and how it interacts with SSDs. I'm not sure if the most recent BIOS version fixes this problem or if it is purely the hardware, but the motherboard is definitely the culprit.

In the end, you install Windows 7 using the SATA-3 ports tied to the Marvell controller, or those to the X79 SATA-3 controller (using the hard-restart method) you should be able to get your PC up and running with your current hardware. I am, however, planning on replacing my motherboard to be absolutely sure that it is the cause of the problem. I will update once I have done the swap.

-Jim