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Need help trying to install Windows on new SSD G74sx

Ovii-gaming
Level 7
Hey everyone,

I'm trying to install windows on my SSD (OCZ Vortex 120g) on my G74sx. I have search this forum for step-by-step guides and I found a few that were really helpful.

On the step where I choose where to install windows I have the option of:

Disk 0 Partition 1 100mb type System
Disk 0 Partition 2 127 mb Type MSR (Reserved)
Disk 0 Unallocated Space 111.6GB

I am assuming Disk 0 is my SSD since Disk 1 is partition 1 recovery and partition 2 OS.

When I choose to install on Unallocated space it states "Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk is of the GPT partition style. The partition contains one or more dynamic volumes that are not supported for installation"

Anyone have any ideas how I can bypass this? Thanks for reading.
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13 REPLIES 13

dstrakele
Level 14
I would suspect a bad burn or download of the Windows ISO file. Reboot your system and try redownloading the ISO file and creating a new DVD at the slowest burn speed.
G74SX-A1 - stock hardware - BIOS 202 - 2nd Monitor VISIO VF551XVT

Ovii-gaming
Level 7
hey dstrakele, you were right with the bad burn/download of ISO file. I was able to find a Windows Home Premium disk from my wife's install, and I was able to successfully install w7 on my SSD. Thank you so much for your help!

I also want to format my stock hard drives, but I'm still skeptical about my SSD realibility (OCZ) so I want to create a backup. Are there certain files or programs you recommend?

Ovii-gaming
Level 7
I also tried setting the boot priority to my SSD first. After the asus screen, a black screen opens up and nothing happens. I set the priority back to my old stock hard drives, and I'm now given an option to boot from either Windows 7 or Windows 7. I'm assuming since I have w7 installed on both SSD and HD, it's asking which hard drive I want to use.

I want to completely erase everything from my old hard drive, but I'm just not sure what would be the best way, since setting my boot priority to my SSD doesn't exactly work.

Am I doing something wrong? Anything I'm missing?

I might be mistaken here, but to my knowledge, due to the MBR being found on one of your sata HDD's (rather than your SSD) ...the boot manager cannot load the OS from your SSD drive when changing or moving the SSD to the top of the boot priority list as it does not contain the MBR.

If the MBR was found on the SSD, I don't think it would have any issue. This is why setting your HDD priority to one of your previous drives (sata drive) works, because the MBR can be found on this drive, therefore the Boot loader finds it, loads it and will then allow you to load the OS from either drive via the boot manager screen (which you wont even see if the machine cannot find or load the MBR - think 'the black screen' you mentioned after the asus startup screen).

Question - Did you install Windows 7 on your SSD WHILE your other drive(s) were connected?

I've had an issue in the past installing Win 7 on a sata drive however I left another drive plugged in and for some reason the MBR was defaulted to this drive (The Non-Windows HDD - probably to speed up boot performance). The problem only became noticable if I changed the boot order and allowed the HDD that I installed windows on, to boot up first - this was because the MBR was NOT found on this drive, but rather on the other one.

I simply pulled the data from the drive that had the MBR, re-formatted both disks and re-installed Win 7 on the one HDD whilst the other drive was disconnected. This then ensured the MBR was stored on the drive that contained Windows too...