Errors on installing SSD and rebooting

Hi All,

I just purchased a Minix Neo N42C-4 PLUS and installed extra rom and SSD then followed the instructions here :
https://gadgetviper.com/minix-neo-n42c-4-mini-pc-review/
I mistakenly downloaded the Windows Image file 'N42C-4-Win10_Pro_1903-20191107.7z' and tried to boot with USB flash drive but it ran with errors, then I realised that on:
https://files.theminixforum.com/shared/firmwares/ there was a file for the PLUS version which I downloaded and tried to boot once again.
It took me a few goes to be honest as perhaps I should have reset the Bios in between attempts and the Windows Boot Manager wouldn't appear in list of boot options. After various attempts at changing the 2 settings 'Chipset SCCeMMC support' on & off & boot priority as Windows Boot Manager, it ran but gave errors and after I finally managed to boot to Windows without the USB Flash drive, however there is no SSD card showing, only the original C: drive.

The SSD is the SSD 480GB KINGSTON A1000 SA1000M8 l PCIe NVMe™ SSD with a singlesided M.2 22x80mm design, full spec at :
https://www.kingston.com/datasheets/SA1000M8_us.pdf
The RAM is 8GB DDR3L 1600MHz KINGSTON KVR16LS11/8

Can someone please kindly advise what I could be doing wrong and how I can fix it?
Thanks a lot.

KenD said:

Hi All,

I just purchased a Minix Neo N42C-4 PLUS and installed extra rom and SSD then followed the instructions here :
https://gadgetviper.com/minix-neo-n42c-4-mini-pc-review/
I mistakenly downloaded the Windows Image file 'N42C-4-Win10_Pro_1903-20191107.7z' and tried to boot with USB flash drive but it ran with errors, then I realised that on:
https://files.theminixforum.com/shared/firmwares/ there was a file for the PLUS version which I downloaded and tried to boot once again.
It took me a few goes to be honest as perhaps I should have reset the Bios in between attempts and the Windows Boot Manager wouldn't appear in list of boot options. After various attempts at changing the 2 settings 'Chipset SCCeMMC support' on & off & boot priority as Windows Boot Manager, it ran but gave errors and after I finally managed to boot to Windows without the USB Flash drive, however there is no SSD card showing, only the original C: drive.

The SSD is the SSD 480GB KINGSTON A1000 SA1000M8 l PCIe NVMe™ SSD with a singlesided M.2 22x80mm design, full spec at :
https://www.kingston.com/datasheets/SA1000M8_us.pdf
The RAM is 8GB DDR3L 1600MHz KINGSTON KVR16LS11/8

Can someone please kindly advise what I could be doing wrong and how I can fix it?
Thanks a lot.
View attachment 2992View attachment 2993

Click to expand...

The N42C-4 doesn't support NVMe so that's definitely your problem!

You need a SATA M.2 SSD.

Info on this subject is posted at the link below, (& read post #1 in particular )...

https://theminixforum.com/index.php?threads/compatible-ssd-and-ram-for-neo-n42c-4.18/

ArcticWolf said:

The N42C-4 doesn't support NVMe so that's definitely your problem!

You need a SATA M.2 SSD.

Info on this subject is posted at the link below, (& read post #1 in particular )...

https://theminixforum.com/index.php?threads/compatible-ssd-and-ram-for-neo-n42c-4.18/

Click to expand...

Mr. Wolf!, you are a hero! All read and understood. Thank you very much for your prompt reply which will have saved me valuable hours in trial and error. The man in the store was so efficient in giving his advice that I believed his recommendation but I shall return it and hope they have the correct required type (doesn’t appear so on their website). Thanks again!

Villa said:

https://theminixforum.com/index.php...ling-windows-10-pro-on-the-ssd-for-n42c-4.19/

Click to expand...

Thank you Mr. Villa, it is the same procedure I used but your link is handy for reference to use soon, now that I have sourced the correct SSD.

KenD said:

Mr. Wolf!, you are a hero! All read and understood. Thank you very much for your prompt reply which will have saved me valuable hours in trial and error. The man in the store was so efficient in giving his advice that I believed his recommendation but I shall return it and hope they have the correct required type (doesn’t appear so on their website). Thanks again!

Click to expand...

You're welcome.

Hope you're up & running soon with the minimum of fuss from here on out .

ArcticWolf said:

You're welcome.

Hope you're up & running soon with the minimum of fuss from here on out .

Click to expand...

Hi again,
Sorry to say but on receiving my new SSD today :
WD BLUE 3D NAND SATA SSD WDS500G2B0B / SOLID STATE DRIVE / 500 GB / INTERNAL / M.2 2280 / SATA 6GB/S | WDS500G2B0B
the latter code 'WDS500G2B0B' being identical to the one stated as compatible in link :
https://theminixforum.com/index.php?threads/compatible-ssd-and-ram-for-neo-n42c-4.18/
I installed it as per instructions at : https://theminixforum.com/index.php...ling-windows-10-pro-on-the-ssd-for-n42c-4.19/ stated above,
but unfortunately the SSD still does not appear as a boot option :-( (see photos).
Could I be doing something wrong or perhaps is my 'PLUS' model not compatible with standard Neo N42C-4 SSD's?

Thanks for your continued help guys!
Ken

KenD said:

Hi again,
Sorry to say but on receiving my new SSD today :
WD BLUE 3D NAND SATA SSD WDS500G2B0B / SOLID STATE DRIVE / 500 GB / INTERNAL / M.2 2280 / SATA 6GB/S | WDS500G2B0B
the latter code 'WDS500G2B0B' being identical to the one stated as compatible in link :
https://theminixforum.com/index.php?threads/compatible-ssd-and-ram-for-neo-n42c-4.18/
I installed it as per instructions at : https://theminixforum.com/index.php...ling-windows-10-pro-on-the-ssd-for-n42c-4.19/ stated above,
but unfortunately the SSD still does not appear as a boot option :-( (see photos).
Could I be doing something wrong or perhaps is my 'PLUS' model not compatible with standard Neo N42C-4 SSD's?
View attachment 3022View attachment 3023View attachment 3024View attachment 3025View attachment 3026View attachment 3027
Thanks for your continued help guys!
Ken

Click to expand...

Sorry to hear you're still experiencing problems....

OK, ultimately that particular drive has been reported as functioning by other end users. I couldn't tell you if MINIX independently confirmed the efficacy of said SSD's with the N42C-4 after end user experience/recommendations were posted on the forum, (although probably not).

It's obviously not unheard of for an SSD to be faulty out of the box either .

You could also try re-enabling the onboard eMMC, boot into Windows & see if the SSD in the slot can be detected as present that way. (I haven't ever needed to do things that way around but can't see why this wouldn't work as Windows would essentially see the new/blank SSD as an additional storage device/drive. Any luck that way or Windows won't see the SSD either?)

Do you have another device or an external USB M.2 2280 SATA enclosure you could stick the drive in to test it is actually operational & being detected?

Did you also follow the exact order of the installation guide? (Some have been able to do it either way around without any problems but Martin specifically posted his guide after several users experienced issues trying to install a new SSD.)

I would highly recommend doing as @ArcticWolf has suggested before anything else!

ArcticWolf said:

You could also try re-enabling the onboard eMMC, boot into Windows & see if the SSD in the slot can be detected as present that way. (I haven't ever needed to do things that way around but can't see why this wouldn't work as Windows would essentially see the new/blank SSD as an additional storage device/drive.

Click to expand...

Also I presume you have already run Windows from the eMMC and activated your Windows license?!


@KenD Do you have Windows installed on the SSD?

If not then it will not be bootable!

Before disabling the eMMC you need to put the SSD in the device first and install or clone Windows to the SSD if you want to boot Windows from it.

EDIT:
I've just read in the tutorial the following...
4. Double check if SSD is in "Boot Option #1".
Power on the device and go to BIOS again to double check if the SSD is in "Boot Option #1".
If not, make it to be so.

5. Install the firmware to the SSD.
Instructions can be found in this thread.

This leads me to believe that you should see the SSD as a boot option but is it not true that a HDD/SSD has to be initialised first?!

EDIT 2: Apparently not!
"If you are performing a clean installation of your operating system, or cloning to your SSD, it is not neccessary to follow these steps. A clean installation of your operating system or cloning to an SSD will initialize and partition the new SSD. "

@KenD your image of Boot Priorities doesn't tie up with gadgetvipers!
I can't check here as I don't currently have a N42C-4 to hand.

What is this SanDisk device you appear to have connected?

ArcticWolf said:

Sorry to hear you're still experiencing problems....

OK, ultimately that particular drive has been reported as functioning by other end users. I couldn't tell you if MINIX independently confirmed the efficacy of said SSD's with the N42C-4 after end user experience/recommendations were posted on the forum, (although probably not).

It's obviously not unheard of for an SSD to be faulty out of the box either .

You could also try re-enabling the onboard eMMC, boot into Windows & see if the SSD in the slot can be detected as present that way. (I haven't ever needed to do things that way around but can't see why this wouldn't work as Windows would essentially see the new/blank SSD as an additional storage device/drive. Any luck that way or Windows won't see the SSD either?)

Do you have another device or an external USB M.2 2280 SATA enclosure you could stick the drive in to test it is actually operational & being detected?

Did you also follow the exact order of the installation guide? (Some have been able to do it either way around without any problems but Martin specifically posted his guide after several users experienced issues trying to install a new SSD.)

Click to expand...

Thanks everyone for all your helpful replies, I'll reply each separately for clarity:
I tried your suggestion above =enabled eMMC & booted windows to find that the SSD drive doesn't show in explorer but it does in device manager (see all photos from device manager including 'view all events' screens showing history presumably of installation actions).

I don't have another SATA enclosure to test the SSD unfortunately.

I believe I followed the exact installation guide. I'm not 100% sure in all cases whether to power off or allow to reboot after exiting BIOS so here's what I did:
After #2. disabling eMMC I powered off before reboot, to openthe case and install the card.
After #3. (physical install) I powered up with 'del' key directly to BIOS to check whether SSD was in boot options (action #4.) but it wasn't, but I inserted the WINPE flash drive (Sandisk model that showed up as USB mass storage device in BIOS) just in case it would work, then saved & exited hoping it would boot but it just returned to the shell.
I'm not sure of my exact actions after that (probably irrelevant as install had failed) but I think I switched off then on & it went to shell without option of windows boot manager and on next reboot I enabled eMMC and then was able to set boot option 1 as windows boot manager and that's where I'm at now.
Coincidentally, I noticed in the device manager that the C: drive of the Minix is also a Sandisk (DA4064) which I hope doesn't cause further confusion

Villa said:

I would highly recommend doing as @ArcticWolf has suggested before anything else!


Also I presume you have already run Windows from the eMMC and activated your Windows license?!


@KenD Do you have Windows installed on the SSD?

If not then it will not be bootable!

Before disabling the eMMC you need to put the SSD in the device first and install or clone Windows to the SSD if you want to boot Windows from it.

EDIT:
I've just read in the tutorial the following...
4. Double check if SSD is in "Boot Option #1".
Power on the device and go to BIOS again to double check if the SSD is in "Boot Option #1".
If not, make it to be so.

5. Install the firmware to the SSD.
Instructions can be found in this thread.

This leads me to believe that you should see the SSD as a boot option but is it not true that a HDD/SSD has to be initialised first?!

EDIT 2: Apparently not!
"If you are performing a clean installation of your operating system, or cloning to your SSD, it is not neccessary to follow these steps. A clean installation of your operating system or cloning to an SSD will initialize and partition the new SSD. "

Click to expand...

Hi Villa, thanks for your posts.
Yes I have already fully installed windows prior on my first runs just before I tried to install the non-compatible SSD before this compatible one ;-)
Re action #4., this was my issue, the SSD didn't apear in bootup options after physically installing it.
I was not installing a clean installation of my operating system or cloning my SSD (unless that's how you describe inserting the flash drive with WINPE boot files on it?).

Villa said:

What is this SanDisk device you appear to have connected?

View attachment 3033

Click to expand...

This is the Sandisk flash drive with WINPE boot software on as per the full list of instructions.

Thanks for your help, if the way forward isn't clear from the photos showing the status and events of the SSD drive, please let me know so we don't spend more of your valuable time at this stage as I can take the box to my local supplier of the SSD whom I'm sure can solve it for a reasonable fee.

Good news or bad news??
I just tried running the process again by ensuring option 1 was 'windows boot manager' then inserting the WINPE flash drive and save & exit. It went again to shell with same screen report as my original post, then I typed 'exit' and on reboot it started reading the flash drive I guess as it ran numerous processes over about 4 minutes no errors reported. Once it finished and started to reboot again, I removed the flash drive and it started windows but it seems it has made a complete windows reinstall as I have lost the original Minix C drive of 48GB and the SSD is now my C drive (see photo 'C Drive*'.
All my previous programs have dissapeared of course along with the drive. I have the following questions please:

1. Was this what was supposed to happen or should my old 48GB drive still be there? To be honest, I don't really need the extra C drivespace as the 500GB is plenty so if all is ok as is I will ignore the old drive to save time.

2. Please see the photo 'Desktop with sysprep tool' - this system preparation tool automatically appeared on the desktop. Does it requires running (what does it do?) or should I just close it?

3. Does the rest of the desktop look normal and is there a way I can check windows is still in tact before I treat the job as complete and start my program downloads and installations please?

Further info. to above, on looking at the control panel/system, it has deactivated Windows 10 as it states "connect to the internet to actviate Windows 10"

Thanks all for your precious time! and sorry for this debacle.
Ken

It looks like it has been successful.

KenD said:

All my previous programs have dissapeared of course along with the drive.

Click to expand...

You have disabled the eMMC so yes that has disappeared!

If you wanted to keep your original Windows install, you would have had to have cloned it to the SSD rather than a fresh Windows install.

You now have the choice of leaving the eMMC disabled so you have a Windows installation to fall back on, or you can enable it and format it for some extra storage (D: Drive).

KenD said:

Further info. to above, on looking at the control panel/system, it has deactivated Windows 10 as it states "connect to the internet to actviate Windows 10"

Click to expand...

Have you connected to the internet and rechecked?

KenD said:

2. Please see the photo 'Desktop with sysprep tool' - this system preparation tool automatically appeared on the desktop. Does it requires running (what does it do?) or should I just close it?

Click to expand...

I believe you should run it.

Villa said:

It looks like it has been successful.

You have disabled the eMMC so yes that has disappeared!

If you wanted to keep your original Windows install, you would have had to have cloned it to the SSD rather than a fresh Windows install.

You now have the choice of leaving the eMMC disabled so you have a Windows installation to fall back on, or you can enable it and format it for some extra storage (D: Drive).


Have you connected to the internet and rechecked?

Click to expand...

Thanks Villa,
Firstly, I haven't reconnected to the internet as I wanted to hear advice from one of you guys first in case it made things any worse

I should have googled eMMC - now I understand that it the physical card that was my C drive.

As mentioned, I'm happy to forfeit the space, but would like to choose the option from here that will take the least time (for everybody):
Option 1.
Leave the SSD as the sole drive and continue from here to reactivate Windows 10 including the setting up, re-configuring unlinking Onedrive, changing numerous Windows settings, downloading & installing FireFox, Nordvpn, extensions, making all settings (this and more took me approx 2-3 hours).

Option 2.
Re-enable the eMMC but only if this will recover all my programs and return Windows to the state it was before the SSD installation??
Then do the clone option you mention but I'm not sure what that entails and whether it's complicated and would involve a lot of messing and asking you more questions.

Given your knowledge of my relatively limited knowledge , which would you recommend please?

Regarding your last post re running the sys prep. tool, should I run whether I follow my option 1. or 2., or perhaps only if option 1.?

Thanks again.
Ken

KenD said:

Regarding your last post re running the sys prep. tool

Click to expand...

It is step 5 in the Firmware installation instructions for the NEO N42C-4
https://theminixforum.com/index.php...tallation-instructions-for-the-neo-n42c-4.17/
5. When you see the same window as Cleanup Test.jpg, please click the “Cleanup Test” on the desktop, then the box shall re-start.

As per your options, that's totally up to you!

It may take you a day to get you head around cloning in which time you could have your new install already set up.

You can still re-enable the eMMC and see it as D: Drive and not format it. You will be able to access any data that is there already.
You can also make it the boot drive again and run that instance of Windows if you ever need to.