Laptop won't POST with SSD installed

[d3v]

Hi all. I just replaced a hard drive in a Samsung RV520 laptop with a Samsung 850 Evo 250gb SSD and the screen keeps fading in and out during POST and will not proceed.

It is being recognized in the BIOS and it works fine on my laptop so it's definitely his laptop despite me trying the following troubleshooting steps...

1. Cleared CMOS
2. reseated RAM
3. set correct BIOS options/config
4. Set BIOS to defaults
5. disconnected CD optical drive
6. flashed latest BIOS
7. Several power cycles

...ended up putting his old hard drive back in and left it at that.

Any ideas as to why this SSD would not work on his laptop?

 

[JoelM]

I had a laptop, I think HP but can't remember for sure, that would not work with a PNY SSD. I put a Crucial in it and it would be fine. PNY back in and nothing.
PNY worked just fine in another computer.
I suggest trying a different brand SSD

 

[Slaters Kustum Machines]

Did you try updating the firmware on the SSD?

 

[Umbra]

3. set correct BIOS options/config

Are you 100% sure of that?

 

[d3v]

Did you try updating the firmware on the SSD?

Hi there no i did not but good thinking.
is it possible to update firmware if i hooked up the SSD to my USB3.0 external enclosure?

Are you 100% sure of that?

Yep i tried enabling/disabling all the usual BIOS options followed by power cycles between changes.

 

[Diggs]

Did you try updating the firmware on the SSD?

Really???? It's a new Evo 850. Not an older 840 or off-brand. There should be no reason for a firmware update.

 

[Slaters Kustum Machines]

Really???? It's a new Evo 850. Not an older 840 or off-brand. There should be no reason for a firmware update.

Yeah really, just because I get a brand new router doesn't mean it doesn't have an update available.......or a new computer that needs Windows and 3rd party updates or BIOS updates available.

 

[Diggs]

Yeah really, just because I get a brand new router doesn't mean it doesn't have an update available.......or a new computer that needs Windows and 3rd party updates or BIOS updates available.

We're talking about a SSD here. Not a router with Linux in it or Windows on a computer, but a drive. No need to send him down this rabbit hole.

 

[NOLA IT Pro]

Try setting the SATA Operation option in the BIOS to AHCI.

http://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/ssd/support/faqs-01/

- The best way to enable AHCI is to go to BIOS and enable AHCI mode, and then install the operating system. Boot the system, enter BIOS setup, and change SATA settings from IDE to AHCI.
- Install the operating system.

When Windows is installed without enabling the AHCI mode in BIOS setup, an error may occur during the booting. Change the settings as shown below, or reinstall Windows.

- Go to Start>Run, and then enter ""regedit"" in the Run window and press Enter to launch the Registry Editor.
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM > CurrentControlSet > services > msahci In this menu, you will see an item named Start. Double-click it to change it to ""0""and then reboot.
- Enter BIOS setup, and change SATA settings from IDE to AHCI.
• ASUS Intel chipset : Main > Storage Configuration > Configure SATA as In this menu, select AHCI
• ASUS AMD chipset : Main > Storage Configuration > SATA Mode Select In this menu, change to AHCI Mode
• GIGABYTE Intel chipset : Integrated Peripherals > SATA RAID/AHCI Mode In this menu, select ""AHCI""
• GIGABYTE AMD chipset : Integrated Peripherals > OnChip SATA Type In this menu, select AHCI
• MSI Intel chipset/ AMD chipset : Integrated Peripherals > On-Chip ATA Devices > In RAID Mode, select AHCI

 

[Slaters Kustum Machines]

Really???? It's a new Evo 850. Not an older 840 or off-brand. There should be no reason for a firmware update.

Interesting that multiple other people thought it was a good idea. You do what you want, but the advice I gave is relevant and very quick and easy to try.

 

[Umbra]

Try setting the SATA Operation option in the BIOS to AHCI.

http://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/ssd/support/faqs-01/

- The best way to enable AHCI is to go to BIOS and enable AHCI mode, and then install the operating system. Boot the system, enter BIOS setup, and change SATA settings from IDE to AHCI.
- Install the operating system.

When Windows is installed without enabling the AHCI mode in BIOS setup, an error may occur during the booting. Change the settings as shown below, or reinstall Windows.

- Go to Start>Run, and then enter ""regedit"" in the Run window and press Enter to launch the Registry Editor.
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM > CurrentControlSet > services > msahci In this menu, you will see an item named Start. Double-click it to change it to ""0""and then reboot.
- Enter BIOS setup, and change SATA settings from IDE to AHCI.
• ASUS Intel chipset : Main > Storage Configuration > Configure SATA as In this menu, select AHCI
• ASUS AMD chipset : Main > Storage Configuration > SATA Mode Select In this menu, change to AHCI Mode
• GIGABYTE Intel chipset : Integrated Peripherals > SATA RAID/AHCI Mode In this menu, select ""AHCI""
• GIGABYTE AMD chipset : Integrated Peripherals > OnChip SATA Type In this menu, select AHCI
• MSI Intel chipset/ AMD chipset : Integrated Peripherals > On-Chip ATA Devices > In RAID Mode, select AHCI

It is what i thought too, but he said he tried all options.

 

[fincoder]

No need to send him down this rabbit hole.

d3v is already well and truly in that rabbit hole already!
If the simple job of connecting a particular SATA drive prevents post, it has to be the computer BIOS (probably no recent updates available in a laptop of that age) or firmware in the drive (easy to update with Samsung Magician software). This is a 6-7 year old laptop so it's possible that a strange AHCI implementation in the BIOS could be triggering a bug in the drive firmware.

And there aren't many other ideas coming forth