Problem with Samsung SSD 970 Pro and Acer Predator 17X GX-791

Danza
Danza Member Posts: 3 New User
edited November 2023 in 2018 Archives
Hello guys,

I have the Acer Predator 17X GX-791 for more than 2 years and I am very happy with it. When I bought it I upgraded it to the maximum of 64GB RAM. It is equpped with two Toshiba SSDs in RAID0 which produce around 900MB/sec read rates. I decided it is time to go for an NVME drive and bought the Samsung SSD 970 Pro 512GB. My BIOS is InsydeH20 rev.5.0. Using the EaseUS Todo Backup utility I created a full partition backup of the RAID array to the 7200 1TB HDD which is also part of the laptop. Then shut down the laptop, removed the two Toshiba SSDs and placed the new Samsung 970 Pro on the port which is located in the lowest position /I have read this is the port that indeed supports NVME/. When I powered up the machine my BIOS could see the new drive, however my BIOS is locked and the SATA mode is set to RAID, no option to change it. I booted from a rescue disk and restored the full backup to the new Samsung drive from the HDD. The restore run smoothly. Finally, I have set the 970 Pro as a boot priority and crossed fingers. Well, Windows 10 did not boot at all. No errors, no BSOD, it simply reboots the laptop at the Predator logo and nothing happens. I have read the entire Internet and tried to fix this issue but with no success. I guess it could be because of the locked SATA setting in BIOS or perhaps Windows does not want to update its registries to boot from an AHCI SSD when it was first installed on a RAID0 array. Tried the Windows startup repair, tried to install Samsung NVME driver prior creating a partition backup. Unfortunately, no success. I think I need to change some registry values but am not sure which ones. Could someone give me a hand? I am totally stuck and cannot boot from the NVME drive. Many thanks in advance to all!


Best Answer

  • Danza
    Danza Member Posts: 3 New User
    Answer ✓
    Thank you, guys! I guess trying with Acronis or Samsung data migration tool might work. However, I decided it will be much faster to simply install a fresh copy of Windows directly on the NVME drive. I have lost too much time reading and trying, it was easier to do a fresh install of Windows. Everything run smoothly and the OS was able to boot from Samsung 970 Pro. Just to sumarize, cloning the OS to a another drive with different storage controller could be a tricky task depending on your setup, cloning tools and method. It is Windows itself that needs to update its registries, no matter how you clone the partitions, especially EFI boot. Perhaps if I had to clone from another SATA SSD in AHCI, it would be OK, but cloning from a RAID0 array was an issue. I did not change the SATA mode in BIOS, as InsydeH20 rev.5.0 is locked. It is working just fine with RAID as predefined setting. This BIOS version allows you to boot from an NVME drive, no matter the SATA setting. Windows is faulty. Thank you once again for your kind suggestions!

Answers

  • Deejay_tech
    Deejay_tech Member Posts: 356 Seasoned Practitioner WiFi Icon
    use Samsung data migration tool to clone to your Samsung 970. 
    remove the hdd and you can connect the 970 to your existing hdd connector via m.2 to sata adapter. (very cheap to buy)

    that is what I did in my helios 300. and since my bios had the achi option I had used that.
    My personal Acer m/c's
    1) Gaming: Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-51
    Config:Core i5 8300H, 16GB, 250GB SSD, 1TB HDD, 1050ti GPU

    2) Daily Use: Acer Aspire A315-53  59GR
    Config: Core i5 8250u, 8GB, 256 SSD, 1TB HDD, IPS FHD 

    3) Linux Learning: Acer Aspire A315-53 P4MY
    Config: Pentium Gold 4417U, 8 GB, 256 SSD, 500GB HDD.
  • Did you disconnect the hd, too? What is the bios version? Tried to do an installation using an iso from microsoft and converting ssd to gpt? Did you disable the secure boot by creating a password in setsupervisorpassword?
    Oi! Eu não sou sou a cortana! Mas estou aqui para ajudar! Hi! I'm not the cortana! But I'm here to help!
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  • Danza
    Danza Member Posts: 3 New User
    edited December 2018
    Thank you, guys, for the replies. My BIOS is InsydeH20 rev.5.0. It is locked and the SATA mode is preset to RAID. No option to change it, no option to unlock the BIOS. I have not tried the Samsung Data Migration tool to clone the OS. I could give it a try, however it does the same as EaseUS Backup tool. I think the problem is with Windows itself since the Samsung drive has been detected by BIOS and the OS tries to initiate but reboots at the Predator logo. I guess it has something to do with Windows boot configuration for AHCI/RAID which still thinks it is the RAID0 array and not the NVME.
  • Commodore_1995#
    Commodore_1995# ACE Posts: 98,332 Trailblazer
    edited December 2018
    Editado....
    Oi! Eu não sou sou a cortana! Mas estou aqui para ajudar! Hi! I'm not the cortana! But I'm here to help!
    Se você gostou da minha resposta, marque como solução clicando em sim! If you liked my answer, mark it as a solution by clicking on yes!
    Aceite somente a resposta que ajudou a solucionar o seu problema! Please accept only the response that helped to solve your problem!
    Detection tool click here to find the serial number or partnumber of your model!                                                          
                                                      
                                                     egydiocoelho Trailblazer
     
    ProductKey clique aqui para descobrir o serial do windows! click here to discover the windows serial!
    Para usuários da comunidade inglesa, espanhola, francesa e alemã, usarei o google tradutor! :)
    For users of the English, Spanish, French and German community, I will be using google translator! :) 
  • Deejay_tech
    Deejay_tech Member Posts: 356 Seasoned Practitioner WiFi Icon
    edited December 2018
    Danza said:
    Thank you, guys, for the replies. My BIOS is InsydeH20 rev.5.0. It is locked and the SATA mode is preset to RAID. No option to change it, no option to unlock the BIOS. I have not tried the Samsung Data Migration tool to clone the OS. I could give it a try, however it does the same as EaseUS Backup tool. I think the problem is with Windows itself since the Samsung drive has been detected by BIOS and the OS tries to initiate but reboots at the Predator logo. I guess it has something to do with Windows boot configuration for AHCI/RAID which still thinks it is the RAID0 array and not the NVME.
    yes the problem is as you described.
    the boot process is looking for some data / file/ link which is not there on the samsung ssd. bcd entries could be the issue.

    i had used windows built in clonning ( windows 7 system backup restore) and few  other utilities including easeus to clone, every time the clone was successful but the 970 ssd refused to boot.  only using samsung data migration tool proved successful. hence my suggestion.

    to clone to samsung ssd you will have to plug the ssd to your hdd connector as the migration tool requires the physical presence of the ssd in the system.

    nb: after clonning and successful boot up i had used samsung magician app. it found a new firmware for the samsung ssd  and updated it.

    My personal Acer m/c's
    1) Gaming: Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-51
    Config:Core i5 8300H, 16GB, 250GB SSD, 1TB HDD, 1050ti GPU

    2) Daily Use: Acer Aspire A315-53  59GR
    Config: Core i5 8250u, 8GB, 256 SSD, 1TB HDD, IPS FHD 

    3) Linux Learning: Acer Aspire A315-53 P4MY
    Config: Pentium Gold 4417U, 8 GB, 256 SSD, 500GB HDD.
  • ven98
    ven98 ACE Posts: 4,073 Pathfinder
    Danza said:
    I guess it has something to do with Windows boot configuration for AHCI/RAID which still thinks it is the RAID0 array and not the NVME.
    I think this could be the reason.

    Maybe setting the SATA mode to AHCI in BIOS might help. You can try to unlock this option by setting a superviser password, which in some cases unlocks options that are usually locked. Make sure secure boot option is disabled(if it is locked creating a supervisor password will unlock it.

    You can try putting the 2 toshiba ssds that were previously in raid back in the laptop with cloned windows in one of them(can also try on both). Maybe the OS will recognise both SSDs and run them in RAID(the chance to work is very tiny, but still worth a try), which will enable you to create a USB recovery drive, which can be used to install windows anew in the 970pro and then move the files you need for the HDD.


    If both of these options don't work, your only option is to create a windows installation media on another working device from microsoft's website and then use it to install windows on the desired drive as @egydiocoelho mentioned in his previous post.


    Always post the following characterisitcs of the device:
    -Model number
    -Part number(not required, but helpful)
    -CPU
    -GPU
    -Operating system

    Helios 300 and Nitro 5 users DO NOT update the BIOS to version 1.22 if you don't want the keyboard's backlight to turn off after 30 seconds even when the device is plugged in.


    Hit 'Like' if you find the answer helpful!   
    Click on 'Yes' if the comment answers your question!

  • Deejay_tech
    Deejay_tech Member Posts: 356 Seasoned Practitioner WiFi Icon
    clean install to samsung ssd will work, but he wants to clone his existing system. many users prefer to clone due to the nature of their software installations. they do not want the headache of reinstalling all their apps and data and reconfigure the windows os.
    My personal Acer m/c's
    1) Gaming: Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-51
    Config:Core i5 8300H, 16GB, 250GB SSD, 1TB HDD, 1050ti GPU

    2) Daily Use: Acer Aspire A315-53  59GR
    Config: Core i5 8250u, 8GB, 256 SSD, 1TB HDD, IPS FHD 

    3) Linux Learning: Acer Aspire A315-53 P4MY
    Config: Pentium Gold 4417U, 8 GB, 256 SSD, 500GB HDD.
  • ven98
    ven98 ACE Posts: 4,073 Pathfinder
    Well, if there is no way to make it work with cloning the drive, then what other options does he/she have?
    Always post the following characterisitcs of the device:
    -Model number
    -Part number(not required, but helpful)
    -CPU
    -GPU
    -Operating system

    Helios 300 and Nitro 5 users DO NOT update the BIOS to version 1.22 if you don't want the keyboard's backlight to turn off after 30 seconds even when the device is plugged in.


    Hit 'Like' if you find the answer helpful!   
    Click on 'Yes' if the comment answers your question!

  • asad814
    asad814 Member Posts: 371 Seasoned Practitioner WiFi Icon
    You can clone the os successfully by using acronis software....it worked for me aswell
  • Deejay_tech
    Deejay_tech Member Posts: 356 Seasoned Practitioner WiFi Icon
    ven98 said:
    Well, if there is no way to make it work with cloning the drive, then what other options does he/she have?
    i am not so tech savvy as many here, but i have posted my experience with it. it worked for me but it may or may not work with Danza (the OP), as his system is different than mine ( mine is helios 300).
    anyways no harm in trying.
    other tip i posted is about the updated firmware for samsung ssd. although i doubt it may be of help but again no harm in doing it.
    My personal Acer m/c's
    1) Gaming: Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-51
    Config:Core i5 8300H, 16GB, 250GB SSD, 1TB HDD, 1050ti GPU

    2) Daily Use: Acer Aspire A315-53  59GR
    Config: Core i5 8250u, 8GB, 256 SSD, 1TB HDD, IPS FHD 

    3) Linux Learning: Acer Aspire A315-53 P4MY
    Config: Pentium Gold 4417U, 8 GB, 256 SSD, 500GB HDD.
  • Danza
    Danza Member Posts: 3 New User
    Answer ✓
    Thank you, guys! I guess trying with Acronis or Samsung data migration tool might work. However, I decided it will be much faster to simply install a fresh copy of Windows directly on the NVME drive. I have lost too much time reading and trying, it was easier to do a fresh install of Windows. Everything run smoothly and the OS was able to boot from Samsung 970 Pro. Just to sumarize, cloning the OS to a another drive with different storage controller could be a tricky task depending on your setup, cloning tools and method. It is Windows itself that needs to update its registries, no matter how you clone the partitions, especially EFI boot. Perhaps if I had to clone from another SATA SSD in AHCI, it would be OK, but cloning from a RAID0 array was an issue. I did not change the SATA mode in BIOS, as InsydeH20 rev.5.0 is locked. It is working just fine with RAID as predefined setting. This BIOS version allows you to boot from an NVME drive, no matter the SATA setting. Windows is faulty. Thank you once again for your kind suggestions!
  • Put the topic as resolved so that other users can see the answer!
    Oi! Eu não sou sou a cortana! Mas estou aqui para ajudar! Hi! I'm not the cortana! But I'm here to help!
    Se você gostou da minha resposta, marque como solução clicando em sim! If you liked my answer, mark it as a solution by clicking on yes!
    Aceite somente a resposta que ajudou a solucionar o seu problema! Please accept only the response that helped to solve your problem!
    Detection tool click here to find the serial number or partnumber of your model!                                                          
                                                      
                                                     egydiocoelho Trailblazer
     
    ProductKey clique aqui para descobrir o serial do windows! click here to discover the windows serial!
    Para usuários da comunidade inglesa, espanhola, francesa e alemã, usarei o google tradutor! :)
    For users of the English, Spanish, French and German community, I will be using google translator! :) 
  • Deejay_tech
    Deejay_tech Member Posts: 356 Seasoned Practitioner WiFi Icon
    @egydiocoelho,
    The problem was of cloning to the Samsung 970 ssd. not clean install.  clean install was never the problem. 
    My personal Acer m/c's
    1) Gaming: Acer Predator Helios 300 PH315-51
    Config:Core i5 8300H, 16GB, 250GB SSD, 1TB HDD, 1050ti GPU

    2) Daily Use: Acer Aspire A315-53  59GR
    Config: Core i5 8250u, 8GB, 256 SSD, 1TB HDD, IPS FHD 

    3) Linux Learning: Acer Aspire A315-53 P4MY
    Config: Pentium Gold 4417U, 8 GB, 256 SSD, 500GB HDD.