I have seen many questions about Windows crashes after changing to SSD, but none that explain my issue. In the last week I have replaced Graphics card, RAM and now added an SSD. I have
- Windows 7 Premium Home Edition
- ASROCK 960GM U3S3FX MB
- FX6300 CPU not overclocked (3500)- upgraded cooler
- Ripjaws 1866 16 GB RAM
- Toshiba 2 TB HDD
- Radeon RX 560 Graphics
- Samsung 500 GB 840 EVO SSD
The system was stable and running beautifully with all the new components until I tried to install the SSD yesterday.
I used the included Data Migration software that came with the Samsung SSD to clone the HDD and OS to the new SSD.
That migration seemed to go well. I then swapped the SATA III connections over on the MB so the new SSD was on SATA port 1. It booted first go with no problem. I could see that the new SSD was now the C drive and the old HDD was renamed the F drive.
But after about all desktop icons appeared and about one minute of browsing, the cursor froze, then the screen went into multicoloured sand like haze and fans stopped running, black screen. I did not get a Blue Screen of Death and there were no error messages. It rebooted itself no problem, but same issue recurs with absolutely consistent timing.
In SAFE MODE the system is always stable. Also, I have another user profile set up, and if I choose that one, the system is stable, so it has something to do with my main user profile. The alternate profile has fewer programs and almost no documents, music, etc., while my main profile has about 190 GB of docs, music, etc. I looked at the start up programs for both profiles, assuming a program starting on my main profile was causing the issue, but start up programs are identical. I then swapped back to the old HDD and everything runs fine. It is restricted to the SSD.
So I deleted several rarely used programs and IOBIT Advanced System Care 10.1 (antivirus, etc.), deleted the Radeon drivers and associated software, reloaded the Radeon Drivers and settings software, tested it as OK, and then recloned the HDD to the SSD again. Same issue – one minute after boot up, only on my main profile, the system crashes. No BSOD; just screen turns into "colourful sand" then everything shuts down then restarts. Stable in SAFE MODE, stable in other user profile. I then tried to do a System Restore from the SSD with a back up that is on an external drive, but it says "System Restore is not running" and so that was a dead end. So I selected "Advanced Options" and selected "recover from a back up system image" or whatever that option actually says, but when I click "restart" to kick that off I get a message "System cannot be restarted". That confuses me as well – why can’t I restore from my back up image? That is why we run a back up, in case the HDD dies, right?
Maybe I will have to reload Windows from scratch (I have the disk), but it seems weird that an OS problem would affect only one user profile. I also have a recent DVD recovery disk that I made after the RAM upgrade.
Also, I have not looked in BIOS for the AHCI setting. Not sure whether my BIOS has it. I have not seen it and I have been in there quite a bit. Is it a must to set that to AHCI? And why OK in SAFE MODE and on the other user profile if it is a BIOS setting?
