W7 booting with an NVMe problem

[the_Unforgiven]

Cooee all
I dual boot on my computer with W7 & W10
The problem started when I wanted to clone over my W7 to an NVMe I just installed, what a hassle, so I gave up
I even tried using the MSI Smart Tool, but I couldn't see one OS when booting up or something (I forgot); so I gave up
Then I thought that I will just clone over W10 to the NVMe, it was a hassle until I tried using Acronis True Image; I have used Acronis Disk Director for yonks with no problems, until now

Cool, I clone it over & do the BIOS boot order thing & it recognises both OS's while booting as well - woo hoo
But I get an error when booting to the W7 part - boo hoo, it boots OK to W10 - woo hoo. I use W7 for everyday & W10 for gaming



It already has nvme.sys already in the 'drivers' folder
It then says to click 'enter' to chose OS, I click my W7 OS then I click F8 and I get all the boot options, and the one I chose is 'disable driver signature enforcement'



It then boots fine - woo hoo - what a pain in the proverbial
I have installed 'Windows6.1-KB2990941-v3-x64' & 'Windows6.1-KB3087873-v2-x64' but that made no different
Is there a way to fix this? or would installing W10 be the way to go since W7 support finishes in a few months?

If to go the W10 way, what would be the best day to day OS? W10 pro or W10 Enterprise? I use a cut down version of W10 Pro for my gaming comp
If you suggest W10, I can then use the NVMe as my main day to day drive & use my current Samsung 850 evo as my gaming drive (I only use it to keep the OS on it & install games on a 4TB HDD)

I also have a weird problem with the W7 OS where folders never stays the same size even thou I set it for all folder configurations in folder options

Sorry for the PIA post, but I think I know the answer I will get, I just need prodding as I have 673 apps installed
Thank you in advance for all the answers I shall receive

 

[DVDR_Dog]

Hey unforgiven I feel your pain. No doubt you have seen this: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...er-support-in-nvm-express-in-windows-7-and-wi
The switch over to the M.2 2280 SSD standards has been anything but a logical progression. I see a variety of used systems every day at work and trying to deal with all the variations of this form factor is making me crazy.

I recently gave up Windows 7 Pro myself, it wasn't that painful. 673 apps? Yo' dude that is a huge number! I am not going to comment. SSD's have forced me into keeping my O/S drive lean these days, but hey quantity not quality is a hobbyist's motto. Besides trying out all that stuff is fun.
Honestly I think you already gave the answer. With your new SSD you are going to keep running into compatibility conflicts with Win 7 and it's not going to get any better. The developers are starting to ignore Win 7 and it's going to get worse. With your NVMe drive and Win 7 your config is starting to be the red-headed stepchild of Windows O/S'es from a development standpoint
Personal preference here is Pro BTW. Enterprise seems to have some funny connotations to some programs and web sites based on where that version is intended to be installed.

Speaking of M.2 2280 I have a mint recycled Latitude 5404 rugged that I am preparing for a friend. He's a carpenter and it will be his only system, he has none right now. The problem is that where this system came from, they tear out the HD and destroy it and all the mounting hardware including the caddy and connecting wiring harness all which are very unique. There must not have been many of these made because used parts are almost non-existent. Dell still sells the M.2 2280 holder but none of the other mounting hardware. I am sourcing parts from China and the rest of the Earth, i'll have to fab the rest It's a really nice computer and reflects his personality. New it was the cost of a decent used automobile so that may reflect why so few parts are available. I should mention that it looks like it can use a M.2 2280 SATA interface with the B and M slots but who knows? Documentation is very sketchy at best for this whole SSD form factor. Luckily my job supplies me with an endless flow of most parts and components so I have the luxury of trying everything first to see what might work.
Ha-ha well here's a second long winded post to your thread. I didn't feel like it needed a new subject since we are discussing NVMe, Early adopters have to sort out the problems I guess.

Let us know how you make out and anything else you encounter and care to share. It's very welcome here.

 

[the_Unforgiven]

Hey unforgiven I feel your pain. No doubt you have seen this: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...er-support-in-nvm-express-in-windows-7-and-wi
The switch over to the M.2 2280 SSD standards has been anything but a logical progression. I see a variety of used systems every day at work and trying to deal with all the variations of this form factor is making me crazy.

I recently gave up Windows 7 Pro myself, it wasn't that painful. 673 apps? Yo' dude that is a huge number! I am not going to comment. SSD's have forced me into keeping my O/S drive lean these days, but hey quantity not quality is a hobbyist's motto. Besides trying out all that stuff is fun.
Honestly I think you already gave the answer. With your new SSD you are going to keep running into compatibility conflicts with Win 7 and it's not going to get any better. The developers are starting to ignore Win 7 and it's going to get worse. With your NVMe drive and Win 7 your config is starting to be the red-headed stepchild of Windows O/S'es from a development standpoint
Personal preference here is Pro BTW. Enterprise seems to have some funny connotations to some programs and web sites based on where that version is intended to be installed.

Speaking of M.2 2280 I have a mint recycled Latitude 5404 rugged that I am preparing for a friend. He's a carpenter and it will be his only system, he has none right now. The problem is that where this system came from, they tear out the HD and destroy it and all the mounting hardware including the caddy and connecting wiring harness all which are very unique. There must not have been many of these made because used parts are almost non-existent. Dell still sells the M.2 2280 holder but none of the other mounting hardware. I am sourcing parts from China and the rest of the Earth, i'll have to fab the rest It's a really nice computer and reflects his personality. New it was the cost of a decent used automobile so that may reflect why so few parts are available. I should mention that it looks like it can use a M.2 2280 SATA interface with the B and M slots but who knows? Documentation is very sketchy at best for this whole SSD form factor. Luckily my job supplies me with an endless flow of most parts and components so I have the luxury of trying everything first to see what might work.
Ha-ha well here's a second long winded post to your thread. I didn't feel like it needed a new subject since we are discussing NVMe, Early adopters have to sort out the problems I guess.

Let us know how you make out and anything else you encounter and care to share. It's very welcome here.

Cooee DVD_R Dog
i have a Latitude E5400 running a cut down version of W7 with a ROG flavour
Is this the harness you are after?

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Pardon our interruption...

I hope the above helps you

It is a only a 256GB SSD but smaller as I use provisioning

I installed W7 back in January 2015, so after all them years I have accumulated just a few apps

I spent a fortnight looking here & there for a solution, going away for awhile then coming back for more punishment (I make homebrew & I find drinking that helps )

I stopped letting Windoze do updates on this comp since November some year, it was when Windoze was putting all the updates in one or when Spectre or the other virus was around. My computers have been the same without updates. I still visit the 'askwoody' website to check on updates stuffing up comps

What a job you have with an endless supply of parts & components, now you know why I have 673 apps installed

W10 pro eh, noted. I like to have control of my comp & what gets installed, even useless Windoze updates. Does Pro do that better than Enterprise? I just like Enterprise as I am a Trekkie

 

[DVDR_Dog]

Can't help you with Pro VS. Enterprise other than what I already posted. I would imagine and have seen Pro configured to do what you mentioned so they are probably quite similar. It may just be a licensing protocol like Office Enterprise Edition. If it's a crack thing I try not to involve myself in those discussions on this forum. This is Thumper's house.

Yeah I get to play with whatever hardware I want to from data center servers and related security appliances to insane CAD workstations and all the hardware that goes with them as well as every make laptop and desktop you could dream of. My only remorse is I see relatively few gaming systems but I'll get over it. None of this equipment costs us anything. The only rules and one of my job functions is to insure that extremely strict data destruction procedures are followed and some equipment never is resold. HIPAA rules are strict and must be followed as well due to the sources of some of the systems. I have to admit it is one of the reasons I have hung around there so long.

Thanks for the links. I have found most of the parts, it's the part Y6WDM that's tough. I found some but they are raping you on price. This is a gift. I have fab'ed parts in the past with pretty good results.

 

[the_Unforgiven]

Thumper had a nice Pro version on here a few months ago

I built my own gaming comp





Is there a size limit to the picture size? It would not even let me upload a 1.11MB file. I also uploaded a .speccy file, you should know how to open it; I have my DAS open ATM running Stablebit software which I truly love & is worth the price, that is why there are an extra 8 HDD's showing

HIPAA rules?

Do you use dBan or something better? I like to take them apart & remove the magnets, I find WD HDD's have the bigger/best magnets

Is Thumper around or on holidays?

No-one else wants to give the pro's or cons of W10 Pro vs W10 Enterprise for everyday use? As you can see from the .speccy file, I installed W7 Ultimate four & a half years ago & it has only recently had problems as I described in my 1st post

 

[DVDR_Dog]

We use dBan, degaussing or physical destruction depending.
HIPAA: https://searchhealthit.techtarget.com/definition/HIPAA (didn't notice I forgot the "I" )
It's a US thing pretty much started to protect the identity of AIDS patients when there was a scare after the big outbreak in the US. The fines are insane for violations.

Well that's quite a rig you have there, It am impressed. Liquid cooling scares the heck out of me and I have to admit I am unwilling to trade the performance boost for system instability.
I don't do computer games although I did race cars a way back when. Here's the best example of what I did.

This represents pretty much the best I could afford, I downgraded to motorcycles after the cash ran out. The clip is from the movie "Smash Palace" which never got much play in the USA. This scene pretty much is the best depiction of what it's like piloting a formula car driven by one of NZ's star auto racers Steve Millen. I drove the exact same car for 1 season although in the US they called it Formula Atlantic (go figure). The movie is a pretty good example of what a racer's life is really like.
Back to the subject I challenge any video game to simulate the sights, sounds, smells, and the g-forces you experience with the real thing. I have tried many sims and was always disappointed.
But that was long ago and far away.

Somewhere on this board I posted why I have the handle I have on here. That's another long story although what I used to do relied on system stability over raw power.
Sorry for the digression.

 

[the_Unforgiven]

I forgot about 'diskpart', that is a good way to get all you data off the drives
I thought degaussing was for cassette tape heads?

That looks like so much fun in that car the old bill in the HX/HZ had no hope. You wouldn't want to roll the car over as there was no-where to tuck your head in, just grind it into the black stuff; not good. apart from that, a hell of a lot of fun

Water cooling is OK now-a-days, I justy use an AIO (all in one) water cooling for my CPU, just connect it up & away you go. I troll through all the forums about overclocking the mobo/CPU combo b4 I OC the thing. there are some who push it, others just was a 24/7 OC, like me. If I did not OC my 5820, it would be stuck on 3.3GHz instead of 4.4GHz. there are many sad stories of water leaking from AIO water cooling kits, some even guarantee your mobo if it leaks & shorts out the whole thing. I have not tried going the route where I do all the connectors or tubing & that, but it is getting easier all the time. this mob is the leader in cooling solutions - https://www.ekwb.com/

You should see some of the games out now, they are better than going to the movies. look on youTube for some game plays. but nothing beats the smell of methanol at the race track. or going to the drags & watching flames come out the back of a jet funny car. you never stand behind then as my mate always says, "one flash & your ash".

It seems like another slow day here on this forum so we can talk whatever we like. You can get stability & raw power as PC components are made better. they have better warranty. and if a component is going to fail, it would do it early in life, if not, it will last awhile if you don't go over-board; hard drives are an exception

My eyes are going funny, I better get to bed before the sun gets up, it is 4.50am. build yourself a high powered rig. there is even a game or software to help you put it all together, it shows your case & what components go with what. there even is a site called 'partspicker' that tells what can go with what. and there are also forums where you can ask questions about computers. you could also read magazines about the latest stuff in computers. I join a few forums to read about it all, I even help out when I can see the keyboard good. check out these sites & I will find more tomorrow when my head works not a like donut dough. sorry, i can't think/find any ATM. smell ya

 

[Zanthros]

I feel your pain. I was able to install my Windows 7 on a Plextor m8pe after modifying the bios on a z77 gigabyte board and it works great!
I had a similar problem though when I went to go clone it to a Samsung 970 pro him to drive and there was no way it was going to work there was also a problem with my bios even seeing the Samsung Drive. Window sees it after it boots as a storage dry but I am on able to even boot from it because my bios doesn’t see it for some reason. I’m figuring that because I have to use legacy bios to boot I won’t see the Samsung drive in the bios as a bootable drive. I remember I didn’t have to and jack of the driver for the NV him he while I was installing windows seven as well. I don’t understand why I could not clone it though. I hope you resolve your problem. I was never able to resolve mine unfortunately. I will keep looking at this post for some insight and hope.

 

[the_Unforgiven]

Cooee Zanthros
I have used Acronis Disk Director for yonks & it has been flawless, that was up until dealing with this NVMe.
I then tried Acronis True Image, and it worked - woo hoo
But I had trouble recognising drives as well until it booted
I was going to try EaseUS Todo free, but I never got around to it
I even read that Macrium Reflect will clone NVMe's as well
Try those & see how you go
I think I had trouble cloning even from a USB stick with cloning programs, I booted into my Windoze 10 gaming OS & cloned from there

I forgot a lot of what I did as it was over several attempts & going into wee hours of the morning falling asleep & waking up & keep going with other ways & programs. In the end I ghave up & put Windoze 10 on the NMVe & left Windoze 7 on the SSD. I will do a fresh install one day & put my gaming OS on the SSD & the freshie on the NVMe.

But I still have the boot problem ATM as you can see from my screen shots in the first post. I just love my W7 & will miss it when it goes, I have had this current set up since January 2015, so it has served me well. I will do it in the next few weeks, I am just waiting on a bad weather spell to do it. Until then, I have fruit trees to prune

 

[Zanthros]

The biggest problem that I had was the disc would clone and when I would go to boot from the clone the drive is not seen by the bios. I can only conclude that because the z77 board does not support Nvme except via a modified bios and the Samsung 970 pro is on an interface card I will not be able to use a clone but may have to go the fresh install route and fiddle with the bios settings. At this point I am willing to try just about anything

 

[the_Unforgiven]

I would go to the manufacturers website that made the Z77 & see if they do take NVMe cards. NVMe cards were not around when the Z77 came out, maybe it is too antiquated. I hope they did update the BIOS, you just have to go to the website & check the downloads. What is the mobo exactly? What program are you using to clone? What part of your mobo do you have your NVMe plugged into? do you have a dedicated slot on the board or do you use a PCI-e x1 slot? Where are you putting the 970 in, it has to be a different part of the mobo. are you having both on at the same time? does that mobo have enough bandwidth with the cpu you have? do you have to disable something in the BIOS so one slot is off so you can use one; that means you can't have both NVMe & the 970 running at the same time. what is your CPU? how many graphics cards have you got? did you ask on the mobo forums your question?

P.S. I took so long to get back as I bit the bullet (and broke a few teeth, do not bite bullets!) and installed W10 - I hate it, but having fun getting it to the way I like things on my OS, not the way M$ tries to push the same to every clone (person) on this blue marble is is the 3rd rock from the sun