Replacing the SSD

[KamenRiderChris]

Good morning, all!

I would like to transplant a Samsung EVO 850 SSD into my Ideapad Z580 notebook from another machine of mine. The SSD has a different OS on it (Linux Mint) than what is on the Lenovo's HDD (which is Windows 8.1), and it is also half the size of the HDD (SSD=250GB, HDD=500GB). When I attempted the transplant, the Lenovo would not boot up past the opening screen and gave me an error message that stated something along the lines of (it went by fast, so I couldn't get the exact wording) "PCI (?) media test failure, please check cable." When I put the original HDD back in there, it booted up as though nothing had happened.

I'm wondering why this happened, and would putting a new SSD in there to do a clean install of my OS of choice be preferable? Also, when I attempted to use both a USB drive and a disc to install my OS of choice on it, I could not get it to boot from either of those options in BIOS. What am I doing wrong, here?

[richk]

I would expect it to work.  Are you sure the SSD is good?

[KamenRiderChris]

Yes, it is. It works just fine in the original machine (an ASUS) I took it from. Booted up in the ASUS like it was nothing at all when I put it back in there. It was only in the Lenovo that anything odd happened. Far as I know, I installed it correctly in the Lenovo machine, as well--I think there's only one way you can install an SSD/HDD in a machine?

[yigit]

Moderator edit : Subject edited for better explanation

[Homin]

Maybe you are using EFI? Try using Legacy. IIRC, Linux should boot normally on Legacy (not sure on EFI).

First, after installed the SSD try entering the BIOS and see if there are SSD listed there. If it detected correctly, it should display the SSD there.

Second, if you're using EFI try switching to Legacy and see if it work.

Also, IDK about newer Lenovo BIOS setting but HP BIOS WILL REFUSE to boot if you swap HDD. You need to tell BIOS that you had swap the HDD first before it can boot (I think it error code is 1999 something about MBR)... But I don't think Lenovo have that kind of security... I think??

[yigit]

It's probably you have two OS installed on your SSD and HDD. While booting, system couldn't decide which OS to load.

IF there's nothing important on the SSD, you can clean it up and try to start-up your computer. I think it should work. After that, you can clone the HDD to SSD and use it as you wish.

[KamenRiderChris]

No; the SSD from the ASUS machine has Linux Mint on it, and the HDD on the Lenovo machine has Windows 8.1 on it. I removed the HDD from the Lenovo and put the SSD in there instead, and that was what gave me the error. There was only one OS involved, either way. As mentioned, I could get into BIOS just fine, but for some odd reason it was not seeing the SSD at all. I'm wondering if there is anything proprietary with the Lenovo that forbids me from installing another drive in it for some odd reason?

[Homin]

The BIOS isn't detected the SSD properly. If it can detected the SSD there shouldn't be a problem.

From what I can tell. Some people have reported about using a M.2 converter on SATA III some Laptop can cannot got it to detected the SSD. Maybe you're using the M.2 SSD? Since Samsung 850 EVO came with both SATA III and M.2 Version. I cannot tell which one you're using. But my Y50-70 can use Samsung 850 EVO 2.5 inch SATA III version without any problem.

For why some Laptop cannot detected M.2 SSD properly.... it has something to do with SATA, PCIe and NVMe?? I cannot understand the difference. But someone did say if the Mainboard not support the interface the SSD is using in the slot, the SSD will not be detected.

From : https://download.lenovo.com/consumer/mobiles_pub/ideapad_z380_z480_z485_z580_z585_hmm_1st_edition_fe...

I think the Lenovo Z580 laptop only support SATA III interface. Not the PCIe or NVMe (or SATA III on PCIe... I think??).

For more information : https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Lenovo-P-Y-and-Z-series/Install-SSD-on-Z580-Sata-and-windows-8/td-p/162...

[KamenRiderChris]

Yes, it's a SATA-III SSD, regular old 2.5 inch model. The message I'm getting reads "PXE-E61 media failure, please check cable." I have the thing in there correctly that I know of....

[Homin]

Well, the error message is about booting in network cable... Which is because it cannot detected the HDD/SSD, so it try booting from every option it had (in boot order).

From what I can tell Lenovo Z580 should support SSD SATA III up to 500GB capacity. and some people claim they had successfully installed Samsung EVO 850 (both 120GB and 250GB) into this Laptop Model.

Ref : https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Lenovo-P-Y-and-Z-series/will-my-motherboard-support-ssd-z580-ram-update...

IDK it there are BIOS update for this model or not. But they said it should not be necessary for installed the SSD. So, if you'll install a new OS in SSD anyway. Try install windows using another Laptop before installed it into Lenovo laptop. It may or may not related with Linux being in UEFI or Legacy mode. But my Y50-70 can detected SSD/HDD/USB bootable in both mode... So, I doubt this is related...