Aspire 5560G 2nd HDD issue

Salutations!

My original HDD failed on my Aspire 5560G recently so I bought a SSD for it. Installed it with OS/Driver etc without a hitch. I then decided I wanted additional storage space so I bought an optic drive caddy for a 2nd HDD. I installed a 500G Seagate HDD in the caddy and replaced my optical drive with it.

When I booted it up for the first time, the laptop would not post or load anything. I then turned off the system, pulled the caddy out and the laptop booted up fine when I turned it back on. So I went in the BIOS and changed the boot order making the Primary HDD (SSD) boot first. Rebooted with the caddy back in and the same thing would happen. Didn't boot nor posted. I have to boot up without the caddy and then push it back in and the system would recognize the 2nd HDD.

I formatted the 2nd HDD and created a partition. Checked my BIOS version which is AcerSystem v2.2

It still won't boot with the HDD caddy installed. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated Smiley Happy

PS. I have the same caddy on another laptop [not acer], no issues.

Optic Drive Caddy

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JackE

What happens when you try to boot from the SSD in the caddy but without the HDD installed in the other slot? If it boots from the SSD caddy alone, then what happens with the HDD in the primary slot? Jack E/NJ

Rokket-Apliance

Here are the results

Test 1
Bay 1 = Nothing
Bay 2 = Caddy with 2nd HDD

= Doesn't boot or post

Test 2
Bay 1 = Nothing
Bay 2 = Caddy with SSD(OS)

= No OS found
*Note changed boot order to every combo*

Test 3
Bay 1 = HDD(2nd)
Bay 2 = Nothing

= BOOTMGR is missing

Test 4
Bay 1 = HDD(2nd)
Bay 2 = Caddy with SSD(OS)

= BOOTMGR is missing

JackE

Did you originally install Win(7?) on the SSD via bootable installation/recovery stick or DVD? Jack E/NJ

PS: Where did you see the BIOS v2.2 for the 5560G?

Rokket-Apliance

Yes I installed Win 7 and used the original key. I did not have or make recovery disks. I got all my drivers from acer support site. As for the BIOS, sorry I got that from Dxdiag. The REAL BIOS version is 1.15.

JackE

>>>It still won't boot with the HDD caddy installed.>>>

Does this also apply to empty caddy plugged in to the DVD bay? Jack E/NJ

Rokket-Apliance

I tried with a empty caddy installed and it booted up fine. I tried my other caddy from my other laptop with a HDD in it and the same issue came back, it would not boot or post.

JackE

>>>Yes I installed Win 7 and used the original key>>>

Two questions. (1) Was Win7 installed using a DVD disk? (2) If yes, was this an ACE-provided disk specific to your machine's serial number id? Jack E/NJ

Rokket-Apliance

Like I mentioned before I installed Win 7 with a Home Premium DVD copy from MS and used the laptop's original key. I did not have or make recovery disks before the HDD failed. I got all my drivers from acer support site.

JackE

Sorry. I asked because If the MS Win7 installation media was used instead of the ACER Win7 machine-specific eRecovery media from this link--- https://store.acer.com/en-us/extended/recovery/

---(copy & past link if you get a 404 error) then it's possible generic MS chipset drivers may be responsible. The ACER support downloads are mainly updates. Accordingly, they may not include all the original machine-specific drivers. I think the ACER Win7 eRecovery media, available in either stick or DVD form, is ~$20. It might be worth trying to see if it'll resolve the caddy issue. Jack E/NJ

Sanjo1991

Hawe same problem anyone knows solution please,,sory for bad english

Rokket-Apliance

No, it cannot be fixed due to acer's bad BIOS programming / support. You have to manually remove the caddy every time you want to turn on your laptop.

This will be the last acer product I ever buy. I've had the tablet, 2 laptops, 1 lcd monitor. Spend a few more $$$ and change brands all together. It will save you the headache.

Sanjo1991

i solved that problem by flashing bios to version 1.16 and that solved it
bios version 1.16 or above(but not 1.22 this version dont fix problem)

IhorM

Sanjo1991 said:

i solved that problem by flashing bios to version 1.16 and that solved it
bios version 1.16 or above(but not 1.22 this version dont fix problem)

Where did you find version 1.16?

Rokket-Apliance

Sanjo1991 miss read the forum title. He doesn't have the same laptop model as "Aspire 5560G". I flashed my BIOS with the latest which was version 1.15.

Check this link you will see the BIOS versions "Aspire 5560G" can only use.

https://www.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/support-product/3767?b=1

JackE

Rokket-Apliance

>>>No, it cannot be fixed due to acer's bad BIOS programming / support. You have to manually remove the caddy every time you want to turn on your laptop. >>>

Where did you get this info? To the extent you did them, your earlier tests suggested an issue only when the Seagate was in the caddy, not when the SSD was in the caddy or when booted from the SSD with an empty caddy. I'm gonna guess that the Seagate probably isn't acting like a slave for some reason. Jack E/NJ

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