About HWTech

HWTech · ‎02-26-2019

Is the secondary bay possibly deactivated in the BIOS? Or in Windows? A quick way to determine if you have a hardware or software issue is to create a Knoppix Linux USB boot disk using Etcher and see if the BX100 can be seen by GSmartControl (Start --> System Tools). If it does not show up in GSmartControl, then open a Terminal in Knoppix (black icon on the Taskbar near the Start menu) and issue the following command to look at the Knoppix boot log to see if you can see any messages related to the BX100: sudo dmesg -t | grep -iE '^ata|^ahci|^raid|^scsi|sda|sdb|sdc' I believe this should show any attempted communication with the BX100 if it is seen by Linux. The previous command should display information for your main Windows drive as well as the Knoppix drive. Use GSmartControl to learn the Linux identifier for your Windows drive & the Knoppix drive. Remove those two drive identifiers from the previous command to reduce clutter or leave one so you can see what normal communication looks like. For example, if your Windows drive is identified as "/dev/sda", then remove "sda|" from the command. I'm assuming you only have the two installed drives and the Knoppix drive connected during this test. You can also use this command: sudo dmesg -t | less to see the complete boot log. Use the arrow keys to scroll and press 'q' to quit and return back to the command prompt. Make sure to download the latest version of Knoppix which should be v8.2.x IIRC.

HWTech · ‎02-26-2019

According to page 4 of the msecli manual located here, only one RAID controller is listed as supported.

HWTech · ‎02-25-2019

You can see the firmware version of the SSD in Crucial Storage Executive (CSE) or you can find it using GSmartControl which has a portable version so it doesn't require installation. FYI, the manual updater on the final screen will have the first line show something like "Storage Executive......Done" which means the app fully loaded, then it begins checking for drives to update and it should let you know about each drive it finds.

HWTech · ‎02-23-2019

@schmieg wrote: I have tried updating from Windows Update, directly from Microsoft and from a USB drive created from the Microsoft download. All give the same result. I haven't tried reinstalling a hard drive to see if that will update so that it could be cloned to the SSD. If I can't get this to work, I may just wait for 1903. IIRC the Microsoft Update Catalog utilizes a standard Windows app installer package different from what can downloaded from other links on their website. It behaves like installing a standard software package. I'm not sure if one of these on the first page is the package that can allow an install of 1809 or whether they are just 1809 patches. I haven't been able to find the information I used to acquire the older packages to know what they were actually called. Does the HP BIOS/UEFI settings provide a security option to prevent system level writes/commands to the drive?

HWTech · ‎02-23-2019

Please perform a Secure Erase on the MX500 to reset it to factory defaults and to restore any lost performance. You can do this with Crucial Storage Executive.

HWTech · ‎02-23-2019

I'm not real familar with Acronis, but I will try to help. If you launch Acronis, does it allow you to interact with it? If so, create a bootable Acronis USB drive so you can boot from the USB drive to perform the clone. If Acronis keeps you from interacting with it at all, then close it or force quit it. Then see if you can locate any Acronis preference files which might be located somewhere in your user account (or possibly in the Acronis application folder). By default the configuration data may be hidden from users unless you modify Windows Explorer's view/option settings. I'm no longer a Windows user, so I'm not sure how apps store preferences these days. Rename any you think might hold its configurations settings (or delete them, but renaming by adding an extra file extension such as ".bak" is safer). You could also try uninstalling Acronis (include configuration settings/data if it is an option), rebooting and the reinstall Acronis. Then create a bootable USB drive as I suggested earlier.

HWTech · ‎02-23-2019

I believe I may have responded to your post on the Apple forums or I'm having Deja Vu First, there is a possibility your hard drive cable could be bad and needs replaced. This particular laptop model is known to have a very high failure rate for the hard drive cable. The problems can be intermittant & varied. If you continue to experience problems, then you should replace it and put some electrical tape beneath it as some people claim the case damages it and it is hard to find the new style cable except getting it directly from Apple. 1) Yes, CCC can do what you want and it should be able to recreate the hidden Recovery Partition for you. You may need to use the Advanced Mode so you can manually deselect items you don't want transferred from your external drive. You will first need to "erase" the drive using Disk Utility so it creates a volume usable by OSX. Just make sure it is "GUID". Choose either HFS+ or APFS for the filesystem. This is actually a good idea in your case so you can test the cloned MX500 externally to make sure everything is good before installing it in the laptop. This way if something doesn't work, you know the drive cable is most likely at fault. 2) Yes 3) Yes, that is perfectly fine. You can even test booting it externally by pressing the Option key just after power on/restart to get the Apple boot menu. Make sure the volume name for the SSD is different than your current external drive or you won't know which is which without disconnecting one of them. 4) Yes, the drive should be bootable and will include all items you selected in the advanced mode in CCC. 5) CCC's own documentation and website should provide sufficient information. If not, post back here and I can try to assist. Another option to consider is installing a fresh copy of OSX to the MX500. You can do this while the MX500 is connected externally. Just make sure to use Disk Utility to "erase" it so it has a volume OSX can recognize for installation. You can boot into Recovery Mode by pressing Command + R just after power on/restart which will give you an option to "reinstall OSX". Better yet, disconnect your 3TB drive for now before booting into Recovery Mode and allow the laptop to boot into Internet Recovery Mode. The installer should prompt you for an install location where you should be able to choose the MX500. After the install, it will reboot so it is likely it will boot to your 3TB external drive if connected. Just reboot again using the Option Boot and selecting the MX500. During first boot, it will ask if you want to migrate your old system. Before selecting the option, reconnect your 3TB now if you disconnected it earlier so OSX can find your old system for the migration. If you went too far, go back a step so OSX will initiate another search for your old system. It then should provide you options on what to transfer. Depending on your setup you may be able to uncheck the backup items and only include the User Folder, settings and apps. You can always use CCC to copy any remaining items later. This method will require you to re-enter any license keys for proprietary software such as MS Office, etc. No matter whether you clone the drive or install/migrate, you should remember to activate FileVault in the System Preferences --> Security --> FileVault so your drive is encrypted so your data is protected in case the laptop is lost.

HWTech · ‎02-23-2019

You could retry cloning the drive with Acronis, but this time have Acronis create a bootable USB disk for you. Boot from the Acronis USB disk and try the clone again. If Acronis is able to properly resize your partitions and there is enough room, it should work. Also as targetbsp mentions, we can assist you with clearing space on your original drive so the clone might finish or assist you with using other cloning methods. It is amazing how much stuff accumulates on a drive

HWTech · ‎02-23-2019

Is the "diskscan" the Microsoft scan after a system crash? Sorry, I'm not a Windows user anymore so I am a bit hazy on some things. Are you able to boot into the Advanced Windows boot menu to Troubleshoot and repair Windows? On older versions of Windows it was accessible by pressing F8 just before Windows boots (timing it is difficult), but I believe this was removed in Win10 and it can only be accessed in the Settings app under Troubleshooting IIRC. If not, boot a Windows installer and click on the "Repair this computer" link. With either method go to "Troubleshooting --> Advanced --> Startup Repair". This will automatically try to fix any boot issues. If it doesn't work, go back into the Advanced Boot menu/installer and choose "Command Prompt" instead of Startup Repair. Run chkdsk on the drive, followed by either "sfc /scannow" or "dism" to check system file integrity. You will need to research how to use the "dism" command as I wasn't able to make it work the last time I tried to use it. You should also create a bootable USB anti-virus drive to scan your system. Several anti-virus vendors provide downloadable AV in ISO format to create a bootable USB drive. Some will prompt you on what to do when it finds something bad, but others will automatically quarantine or repair the problem. I believe BitDefender, Kaspersky, Comodo (or whatever might be its new name), AVG provide ISO images, although they may be difficult to locate on their sites. Try Googling "Antivrius rescue disk", or something like that.

HWTech · ‎02-23-2019

@Gennyswiss wrote: I have tried to update the firmware in my iMac but I think it is the iTunes Error code 590624 which is responsible for the occurrence of the error during any of the processes and also during this update. But if I fix it will it eliminate it and solve the error I am having? I'm not exactly sure what you are asking or trying to do. A quick search for the iTunes error seems to imply some kind of issue while updating iOS on an iPhone or iPad. If this is the case, can you provide more information about the version of OSX and iOS and the device you are trying to update? If you were also trying to update the MX500 firmware and it failed, please provide more information on what happened. Please include the exact model of the iMac as found under "About this Mac". Also provide a picture of the error if it is too difficult to describe. I doubt if the SSD's firmware will have any affect on the iTunes issue.

HWTech · ‎02-23-2019

@Alberto91 I just tried the updater so I could recall the process. Did the screen you mention show "Storage Executive ...."? Did it have "Done" after the dots? I'm assuming there was no more text after this line? If this is not on the screen, please provide a picture of the screen while attempting the manual update method. Are you booting in UEFI mode or Legacy MBR mode? Can you provide the make & model of your system? Is your system (aka BIOS) firmware up to date? Does the BIOS/UEFI settings show "AHCI" mode for your SATA controller and M.2? Are there any security settings enabled in the BIOS/UEFI settings which would prevent access to the drive to protect it from rogue programs?

HWTech · ‎02-23-2019

A few years ago I was able to download the Spring/Fall Update bundle from the Microsoft Update Catalog. I'm not sure if the 1809 bundle is there or not.

HWTech · ‎02-21-2019

Did you use the command I provided in the earlier post to be certain Bitlocker is not enabled? I only ask since Win10 can sometimes enable Bitlocker without any user intervention on a clean install so you may not even realize you've been using it. What partitions do you see when you view the SSD using Disk Management? Post a screenshot or post the volumes on the SSD using "diskpart".

HWTech · ‎02-21-2019

On the Dell Support website, enter your Tag number and select "System Configuration", then select either "Original Configuration" and expand the "Components" list or you can select the "Current Configuration" tab and have Dell scan your system. I've never used the "scan" option, so I'm not sure what information it provides. Under "Original Configuration" components list, you can scroll through it looking for information on memory (you may need to expand the line item to see it). Look for a line item with "DDR" in it. The Crucial System Scanner Tool may be able to provide this information as well. If your Dell laptop has a memory access door, you can physically check to see if you have an open slot or not. On some laptops both memory slots are together, but on others it will have one module on the bottom and the other located beneath the keyboard. If you have 2x2GB, then yes you should be Ok with removing one 2GB module and installing a 4GB module.

HWTech · ‎02-21-2019

Is Bitlocker enabled on the drive? You can check the status by opening a command prompt in Administrator Mode and typing: manage-bde -status

HWTech · ‎02-21-2019

When you post screenshots, please include the SMART Attributes for the SSD. What is the version of the firmware on the SSD?

HWTech · ‎02-21-2019

Did the manual USB updater boot? What message was displayed on the screen when attempting the manual updater method?

HWTech · ‎02-18-2019

Check your power supply connections and use another power supply cable for the SSD. You should also plug the computer into another power strip or directly into the wall outlet to eliminate a UPS or power strip problem. Was Win10 cloned or was it a clean install? What version of Win10 (for example v1803, v1809, etc.)? Are your chipset, SATA & AHCI drivers up to date? What devices are connected to your computer including drives & GPU. How long after booting the system does it take before it restarts? What are you doing at the time of these restarts? Did this issue start the first time you used the SSD or were you able to use the SSD for some time before the issue began? Have you made any other hardware changes to the system recently?

HWTech · ‎02-18-2019

First try reseating the RAM making sure it is fully seated and locked in place. Try moving the original RAM to the other slot to make sure the slot is Ok (leave the new RAM out for this test). If the original RAM works in the 2nd slot, then remove it. Install the new RAM in the first slot where the original RAM was installed from the factory. If the new RAM doesn't work by itself, then you received a defective module. If it does work, reinstall the original RAM in the 2nd slot. If it doesn't work with both modules installed, then try resetting the BIOS to defaults (or optimized defaults). If it still doesn't work, then there may be a compatibility issue with your original RAM. See here for other tips such as BIOS firmware update and another method to clear the BIOS/CMOS settings, etc.

HWTech · ‎02-18-2019

Was Win10 installed in UEFI or Legacy MBR mode? How many times did you (re)boot the system before installing the secondary hard drive? How many times did you successfully (re)boot the system with the secondary hard drive installed? Was the secondary hard drive originally your Windows boot drive? If so did you erase it to remove the MBR & Windows partitions before installing it as a secondary drive? Are you presented with any boot options when you enter the BIOS/UEFI boot menu during POST by pressing F12? Is your BIOS firmware up to date? What version of Win10 did you start with and to what major version did you update it? Was the first SSD attempt a Crucial drive? Was there any differences in system setup or behavior between the first SSD and this one? Did the first one work until you installed the hard drive? Check the BIOS/UEFI settings, but don't change them. Check to see if the SATA controller is set for AHCI mode and report whether the system is set for UEFI only mode, Legacy, or both (may be listed under CSM settings).

HWTech · ‎02-15-2019

Your SSD's firmware definitely needs to be updated as I experienced block reallocation issues with anything before version M0CR060. Your SSD reallocated 4 bad blocks (attributes 5 & 196), but it also had 32 Uncorrectable Errors (attribute #187) which most likely occurred before the blocks were reallocated. The Uncorrectable Errors are ones which make it to the filesystem and could affect data. You should run a chkdsk on the filesystem just in case. If you believe it affected any Windows system files, then run an "sfc /scannow" or "dism" on your drive to validate your system files. It is normal behavior for an SSD to reallocate bad blocks as long as it occurs slowly over time. As long as you don't get more Uncorrectable Errors you should be Ok. We have multiple MX300's which had this issue (actually ours were worse than yours), but they've been running fine for more than six months after the firmware update & Secure Erase. For our MX300's, the firmware update was not enough to resolve the issue so we had to Secure Erase them as well to reset them. If you get more Uncorrectable Errors after the firmware update, you may want to Secure Erase the SSD. As long as the Reallocated Blocks grows slowly and you don't receive any new Uncorrectable Errors (after the firmware update), then you should be Ok. Definitely keep an eye on these attributes so if it becomes a problem you can still get a warranty replacement.

HWTech · ‎02-14-2019

More details are needed to assist you. What system do you have? Do you have the 2.5" model or the M.2 model? How are you connecting the MX500? Is the MX500 blank, formatted, cloned or clean install of which OS? Is this happening just by powering on the system or is it booting and then restarting, or does it happen after it has been booted a while? As always make sure you have the latest firmware for your system and latest SATA/AHCI drivers. Sometimes you need to use the OEM drivers from the manufacturer's website and other times the Microsoft drivers are better.

HWTech · ‎02-13-2019

You can try booting from a Windows install disk and select the "Repair this computer" link after selecting your language. Navigate to Troubleshooting --> Advanced --> Startup Repair. This will automatically attempt to correct Windows boot issues. If you don't have a Windows install disk, you may be able to download one direct from Microsoft. To boot from the Windows installer, press F12 during POST and you will be presented with a menu containing boot options. Did you make any BIOS/UEFI setting changes when installing the SSD? If so, revert them or tell us what they were.

HWTech · ‎02-12-2019

I think the drive is Ok. I would do a Secure Erase on the drive to reset it to defaults and restore performance especially after your tests. Anytime you acquire storage from someone it is a good idea to Secure Erase it. To Secure Erase it, the drive will need to be installed to an internal SATA controller configured with AHCI mode (or with eSATA). You can use Parted Magic to do this. You may need to temporarily configure your BIOS/UEFI settings to Legacy MBR mode to boot it. Make sure to switch the setting back before booting or installing an OS.

HWTech · ‎02-11-2019

Try an Option boot. Maybe if you give it a little more time to communicate before the OS loads maybe it can negotiate the faster link speed. If this works, then maybe you can do a PRAM reset which will unselect the Startup Disk. Without the Startup Disk being selected the system will take a little extra time to determine the boot drive which could be all you need.

HWTech · ‎02-11-2019

In Windows check Disk Management to see if Windows sees your Crucial SSD. I'm assuming you are using a USB adapter/dock/enclosure to connect your Crucial SSD at this stage. USB adapters don't always pass the necessary commands to a connected device and Crucial's Acronis software needs to verify the presence of a Crucial drive to comply with their licensing agreement. Do you have another USB adapter/dock/enclosure you can use? If Acronis finished installing, are you able to launch it and create a bootable USB drive? If so, then you could install the SSD and connect your hard drive externally and boot from the Acronis USB drive. If you don't want to buy another USB adapter, then you could try using other cloning software.

HWTech · ‎02-11-2019

While Parted Magic utilizes Linux, I think it provides a GUI interface which should be self explanatory. I've never personally used Parted Magic so I'm not sure exactly what it is like, but many others without Linux experience have used it.

HWTech · ‎02-11-2019

If Parted Magic boots your laptop then it should work. If it does not boot, you could try setting the BIOS/UEFI settings temporarily to Legacy MBR mode if it is available. Just make sure to change it back before installing an OS on the laptop. If Parted Magic doesn't work, then let me know and I will provide you more detailed instructions for using Linux later today when I have more time. If you are using Bitlocker hardware encryptionnon on the drive, then make sure to use the PSID revert option with Parted Magic. For PSID revert you will need to get the PSID code from the label on the SSD, otherwise just use the Sanitize/Secure Erase option.

HWTech · ‎02-11-2019

I believe this version of Parted Magic can work for you. If not, then create a bootable Knoppix Linux USB drive and use the instructions from here. If you are unsure, please ask and I can provide some extra details to assist you since they assume you are a little bit familiar with Linux. To get the Linux drive identifier for your SSD, you can use GSmartControl (Start menu --> System Tools). You then substitute the drive identifier for the "X" used in the examples. Most likely your drive will be "sda".

HWTech · ‎02-11-2019

It appears you may be trying to Sanitize the boot drive which cannot be done this way. To Sanitize/Secure Erase the boot drive you need to boot from another drive. If you want to Sanitize the drive you could try booting using a Parted Magic USB drive which can perform a Secure Erase or the PSID revert targetbsp mentions. As targetbsp mentions, the difficulty is not with Crucial, but with Microsoft and also how the features are implemented in hardware which is following industry standards. The ability to Sanitize/Secure Erase also requires the SSD to be connected to an internal SATA controller configured for AHCI mode (or an external e-SATA port). The type of security implemented also affects how the drive is wiped as there are two different and incompatible methods available and as far as I know there is no easy way to identify this from within Windows.

Date Registered	‎09-05-2017 11:03 AM
Date Last Visited	‎04-23-2019 10:31 AM
Total Messages Posted	759
Total Kudos Received	270

Re: BX100 Not Visible in Windows, but is in BIOS

Re: msecli doesn't work with LSI MegaRAID Controll...

Re: Firmware update.

Re: Windows 1809 cannot install on MX500

Re: MX500GB low benchmark scores

Re: Clone failed- Now Acronis just spins

Re: Non-tech savvy: Cloning Bootable External Driv...

Re: SSD Install Fails

Re: MX500 500GB disc damage not able to run disksc...

Re: Firmware update.

Re: Firmware update.

Re: Windows 1809 cannot install on MX500

Re: Windows 1809 cannot install on MX500

Re: Need Ram Upgrading Don't Know what to buy

Re: Windows 1809 cannot install on MX500

Re: MX500GB low benchmark scores

Re: Firmware update.

Re: MX 500 peoblem

Re: black screen when after installing new crucial...

Re: Crucial MX500 SSD prevents PC from booting whe...

Re: Crucial 1TB SSD diagnostic test failures

Re: MX 500 peoblem

Re: crucial ssd disk not recognized on my pc

Re: M500 960gb purchased on ebay, need thoughts on...

Re: MX500 1TB on iMAC 9,1 nvidia mcp79 chipset

Re: crucial ssd disk not recognized on my pc

Re: Sanitize drive operation failing

Re: Sanitize drive operation failing

Re: Sanitize drive operation failing

Re: why it never work?