Finally - successful installation of OCZ Vertex Plus 120gb

[cervelo soloist]

Hi - I'd like to share my (frustrating) experience while trying to install Windows 7 onto my 120gb OCZ Vertex Plus drive, with the hope that this experience might be helpful to others trying to get this drive to work.

This drive went into my X61 Tablet (firmware 1.24, AHCI mode enabled; Windows 7 DVD installation via an ultraslim DVD drive in the X61 Ultrabase). Like other TP users on this forum, I was having a terrible time installing a clean copy of Windows 7. After the initial file transfer and first reboot, Windows would give an error "Windows setup could not configure windows to run on this computer's hardware". I noticed that if I replaced warm-reboots with cold-boots (i.e. turn off the computer) everytime Windows rebooted during the installation process, I could (consistently) get to the desktop and download Windows updates (again, by performing cold-boots). However, when all of the updates were installed and it finally came time to shutdown the system, the next time I'd boot up, I'd get a boot-failure message ("missing operating system"); the partition would be missing. This was the same outcome after several installation attempts and I was ready to give up and send it back.

Since the SATA interface on the X61 Tablet, by default, operates in SATA I mode, I thought I'd try Middleton's modified BIOS to enable SATA II. With the modified BIOS, Windows 7 installed flawlessly without any intervention (e.g. no cold-boots). The system booted up to the desktop (about 22 seconds from initial power on), installed all the updates, patches etc. Gone are the boot errors. So far (~ 3 days of constant use), the system has been solid (no BSODs) and the drive gives me a respectable 7.2 WEI score. Programs load up very quickly and it has breathed new life into this machine.

So what can I conclude from this? Well, with an n=1, nothing really. But perhaps with this generation of Thinkpads, the problem might lie with the SATA I connection (or rather, perhaps the Vertex Plus drive doesn't negotiate well with SATA I).

Now that the drive is up and running, it's much, much faster than my old WD Scorpio Blue. Quite pleased, actually.

Anyways, I thought I'd share this experience with other frustrated Vertex Plus owners.

[ChugokuOtaku]

But perhaps with this generation of Thinkpads, the problem might lie with the SATA I connection (or rather, perhaps the Vertex Plus drive doesn't negotiate well with SATA I).

This makes the most sense to me. I've come across SATA 3.0Gb/s HDDs that doesn't play nice with mobos that only have SATA 1.5Gb/s, but it wouldn't surprise me if certain SSDs did the same thing. It would be helpful if others can verify if this is indeed the case.

[RealBlackStuff]

I have a 2.5" 32GB Patriot Torqx2 SSD in my X60s, loaded with W7 Pro 32-bit.
(This is my traveling machine, only needed for internet/email access, hence the small size.)
No compatibility (BIOS SATA in AHCI mode) or installation problems. This SSD is SATA I/II compatible.

[underclocker]

Welcome to the forum cervelo soloist! That is great info, thank you for posting it. I've had a very rough time with my Vertex Plus and am awaiting an RMA replacement --> http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=99024

I actually thought about trying the drive in a more modern machine, vs. my T60, but I bought it for the T60 and it was supposed to work with SATA I. If the replacement doesn't work, I will inform OCZ of your findings and see if I can return the "non-returnable" drive.

underclocker (although, you can call me orbea onix!)

[cervelo soloist]

Hi Underclocker/orbea onix!,

I pretty much had the same experience as you prior to updating the BIOS. While I was trying to install it on my X61 and was experiencing lots of trouble, I did try to install it on my desktop (Dell Studio XPS 9000; Core i7 with SATA II) and it installed Windows 7 without any issues (but if I went back to the X61 and tried to install Windows 7, all of those problems continued) - so from that experience, it was possible to get the drive to work.

From people's posts, it sounds like not all 'SATA II' drives may necessarily work well in 'SATA I' mode. Good to know the Patriot Torqx2 drive works.

Good luck with the new drive!

[RealBlackStuff]

It's also good to see that -in this country where everybody drives a car- people are still using bikes!

[jmg]

After many hours of frustration (seriously, a minimum of 10-15 hours), many flavors of Win7 and Ubuntu, and many different methods of installing/cloning on my T61 I gave up and tried to RMA my Vertex Plus 60 GB drive. I had already flashed the firmware to 3.5, but the technician that I talked to said that they had issued v. 3.55. I really wasn't happy with this and I was planning on sending it in the next day. If 3.5 didn't fix my problem, I doubted that 3.55 would.

For some reason I checked the read me on the 3.55 firmware while eating breakfast and its notes said "1. Fix error seen when installing Windows XP or Windows 7 on VERTEX PLUS drive connected through SATA1. This issue only affects SATA1 connection and installing Windows XP or Windows 7 and not seen in SATA2 or SATA3 connection. This issue does not affect Linux installation."

Low and behold, after flashing to 3.55 and performing a secure erase, I was able to install Win7 to my drive without the "Windows cannot install on this hardware" prompt! It appears to work (knock on wood), although I will never trust it with any of my important data. That's getting synced with Windows Live Mesh.

I hope this saves someone the grief and frustration I experienced. Thanks to the OP for sharing his/her experience, this was the only thing that made me give the 3.55 a try before RMAing my drive. I'll never buy another OCZ product again. I want those hours of my life back!

[cervelo soloist]

It is unfortunate that so many people (including myself) have wasted so many hours on this drive. As an update, my drive is still running without an issue (with the original 3.02 firmware) after updating the BIOS with Middleton's SATA I --> SATA II modification(s). Seems the original version just didn't like SATA I. However, once working, it has breathed new life into my X61 tablet.

[dram33175]

I do not have a think pad or a tablet, but I am having the same exact symptoms as first stated. I have a Samsung n130 which I have been trying to upgrade to the ocz plus 120gb ssd. Would any body be able to tell me if the Middleton flash would work on my motherboard, if not is there another that I would b able to do? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Sent from my HD7 using Board Express

[RealBlackStuff]

Middleton's BIOS is exclusively for IBM/Lenovo Thinkpad Models of the R61/T61/X61 Series.
Will NOT work in any other machine.
Go check on a Samsung forum.

[dram33175]

Thanks

Sent from my HD7 using Board Express