Anyone with R32 SSD Success?

[langdon_82]

Anyone with R32 SSD Success? I know the R32 is made up of mostly acer parts, but I have had this computer for quite a long time already. I also know that an SSD throughput will be limited on the old IDE interface, but anything faster is a plus the old original HDD throughput is 16MBs/write 14MBs/read , also this is really a test machine I love having around - I have other computers - please don't say bin the thing.

Transcend TS32GSSD25-M - this is the 2nd revision with updated firmware from the factory red/black box instead of blue/green box

I have been trying to install win 7 on the PATA SSD I got.. I have a previous IDE 20GB HDD i have installed linux, win xp, and win 7 on previously before at different times in the original HDD position. I have a 2nd HDD Bay and have cloned my win 7 to from the reg HDD.
SSD- is recognized while wind 7 installation is in ultrabay and the ssd in reg ide bay registers as reg ide hd and is useable

What I have tried so far....
Attempted install of windows xp to reg hdd bay with ssd no luck---- gets to install, installs to recognized ssd and then reboot, and does not register as an operating system - then continues in a loop trying to install xp onto the drive
attempted install of windows 7 to reg hdd bay with ssd no luck----gets to install setup, goes through initial settings then gets to windows cannot install to disk0, partition 1, however one time it did begin install to the ssd and did not finish
one time I used acronis to clone the win 7 install from ultrabay to ssd - completes all the way through then attempt to boot from ssd - and does not recognize operating system then upon booting into win 7 on the ultrabay I checked the ssd through the os and it shows the ssd as reg drive I open to explore the drive and it shows all of the win 7 files cloned perfectly as on the originating drive-
another time, I made a windows 7 image using the win 7 os backup utility, then rebooted into the install disk in the cd/dvd rom bay and attempted a backup of the image to the ssd, and again would not install to the target drive.

I have moved the jumpers around on the drive according to the diagram- Master jumper settings - recieved disk error
Slave Jumper settings allow the install of different os's to the drive (except windows7) but does not boot from the drive
Cable select Jumper setting - recieves either disk error or same as slave jumper settings.

I have tried quite a few different install methods with no luck, read lots of forums also of course no ACHI settings in BIOS , the only settings making a difference really is the boot order.

Hope I have provided enough info to render a good enough diagnosis.

R32 (2659)
2GB Ram
Pentium 4-M @ 2.4Ghz
CD/DVD Ultrabay / 2ND HDD Ultrabay

[RealBlackStuff]

Have you tried installing the SSD in regular drive bay, but without a hard drive in the Ultrabay?
Methinks they bite each other.
The SSD must be set as Master, regardless.
If that does not work, the R32 hardware is too old for an SSD.

[langdon_82]

Yes I have tried installing with the install disk in the cd/dvd bay, and I have attempted installing from an external usb cd/dvd drive with nothing in the drive bay.

I can install os's on a reg platter drive and win 7 even sometimes doesn't want to install to the platter drive, but it works once in a while. the only thing I haven't tried yet is installing to a usb flash drive and trying that , I will try that today then report back, but the SSD only shows on Slave Jumper Settings and not Master, I will try and let ya know. Thanks

Edit: still working on a few things, also after looking at other posts on the t40 forum, it appears that the person there who attempted the firmware update, said that it gave the 0200 error after the firmware flash, as my drive came from the factory with the new firmware I assume this is what is keeping the drive from installing os's, hmm wonder if he ever found a way to flash it to the old firmware again. He said it was working with the old/original firmware, so I assume this might be the culprit on the Transcend drives, so far as I can tell it will only act as a second drive without the ability to install os's to it if you have the new firmware, I will look around to see if I can find another firmware version, but not holding my breath. ....still about to try the usb install, but doubt it will take with this firmware version

[langdon_82]

USB os install fails also, I believe it most definitely probably has to do with the firmware version provided from the factory, I understand people want the update for faster speeds, but it breaks the ability to install for others. I wish they would provide both firmwares for the widest possible use of the drive, looks like I will probably just use it in an enclosure like others have had to do, I will keep looking for a firware downgrade but it might take a very long time.

Looking at Transcend SSD SCOPE it is detected properly, windows is using a driver from 2006 which is limiting the drive storage as Multi-Word DMA Mode 2 which is slower than the os drive in the 2nd HDD bay with a 5400 RPM sata drive running on UDMA Mode 2. Original 4800RPM drive (PATA) was running in UDMA 5. Currently running SSD scope and fully erasing the SSD then will try it out, then if that doesn't work I will use SSD Scope to check for a different firmware(not holding my breath) and see if anything is available. Hopefully I can get faster speed once the drive is erased with the Transcend tool, maybe then windows will pick it up and use the UDMA 5 capability like the 4800 RPM original drive.

Will report results once again, hopefully this topic helps some people.

Update ---- Firware Update portion of SSD scope says current firmware is updated to latest one, again this is probably what is keeping the drive from installing the OS on our systems.

[langdon_82]

Fixed slow speed on SSD in reg HDD bay

Set the SSD Jumper to Master , inside of windows uninstalled the driver, restarted the computer recieve error 200 hit esc boot into windows from ultrabay HDD, Went to disk management located ssd formatted drive, created healthy active partition, assigned drive letter-

This changed the IDE controller configuration to reverse the controller for UDMA 5 and UDMA 2 - the SATA HDD running in UDMA 2 is still faster than the original 4800RPM HDD running in UDMA 5

Original HDD 4800RPM IDE est --14-16MB/s write / 15-17MB/s Read - UDMA 5
SATA HDD in Ultrabay -- 23.5MB/s Write 27.2MB/s Read - UDMA 2
SSD reg HDD bay IDE -- 43.8MB/s write 61.5MB/s Read - UDMA 5

The BIOS still will not install an OS onto the SSD due to firmware issue - I will try a few different things again see if there is any change.

[langdon_82]

Update spoke too soon, still working out a few bugs ..... but I think this might work with the Grub boot loader from linux will update this as soon as I find out everything is working properly......