Inspiron 3455, upgrade HDD to SSD

Try setting BIOS to UEFI, AHCI, and maybe leave SecureBoot off (for now, during initial install).

Does this SATA SSD appear in BIOS and at correct size? That is the first step.

Clean install Windows-10/64bit to completely blank SSD (raw, no partitions). If having problems, you might want to try disconnecting all other drives (the other spinning HDD and SATA-SSD) for now.

If using Macrium Reflect, I image to a file first with verify on.

Thank you.  In my attempts, I have tried with UEFI, AHCI, and secure boot off.  

The SSD does appear in BIOS and at the correct size (500 GB).

I used command prompt to clean the SSD and then attempted to install Windows from a USB.  I used Rufus to create the bootable USB, and it appears to install Windows correctly, but then it won't boot.  For the Windows 10 file, I have actually tried all combinations of GPT/MBR and FAT32/NFTS.

What Windows 10 Version are you using Version 1709?

Where do you get in the installation process (UEFI Boot with Secure Boot, SATA Operation AHCI)? Do you get to the Region, Keyboard and Network Screens?

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/clean-installing-windows-10-rs2version-1703creators-update-with-uefi-and-secure-boot/

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@ast1234wrote:

1. Thank you.  In my attempts, I have tried with UEFI, AHCI, and secure boot off.  

2. The SSD does appear in BIOS and at the correct size (500 GB).

3. I used command prompt to clean the SSD and then attempted to install Windows from a USB.

4. I used Rufus to create the bootable USB, and it appears to install Windows correctly,

5. but then it won't boot. 

6. For the Windows 10 file, I have actually tried all combinations of GPT/MBR and FAT32/NFTS.

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1. Good. Yes, that should work. Also, a reminder ... after you get it booting and working, DO NOT install Intel-RST (just use Microsoft bundled drivers).

2. Good

3. With DiskPart, right?

4. Never heard of using Rufus for this part. You just press F12, and boot the Windows-10 flash-drive you created with Media Creation Tool.

5. So, I assume the Windows Installer can see the blank SSD and lets you select it (as un-partitioned space) for the Install Destination. Are you sure you only have the SSD connected?

6. You want GPT and NTFS, but the Windows Installer takes care of all that.

@Philip_Yip, thank you.  I am using the version that is available from the Media Creation Tool.  I'm not sure which version it is.

From your link, I get through Part 3.  When the computer restarts, that is when it gets frozen at the boot screen (which looks like the first picture under "Booting from the Bootable USB in UEFI").  So I do not get to the region, keyboard, network screens.

@Tesla1856  Thank you. 

3. Yes with diskpart -> select disk -> clean.  Then I confirm in disk management that it is actually clean.

4. I burned the ISO to the USB with Rufus rather than the Windows Media Creation Tool.  I previously attempted to use Media Creation Tool but couldn't even get it to boot up, and after reading some other suggestions, tried Rufus which at least let me get to and partly through setup.

5.  SSD and the USB with the Windows 10 ISO are connected, although I have also tried removing the USB to see if that was the hang up.

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@ast1234wrote:

@Tesla1856  Thank you. 

3. Yes with diskpart -> select disk -> clean. 

3b. Then I confirm in disk management that it is actually clean.

4. I burned the ISO to the USB with Rufus rather than the Windows Media Creation Tool.  I previously attempted to use Media Creation Tool but couldn't even get it to boot up, and after reading some other suggestions, tried Rufus which at least let me get to and partly through setup.

5.  SSD and the USB with the Windows 10 ISO are connected, although I have also tried removing the USB to see if that was the hang up.

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3. Right. You can check your work (before and after) inside DiskPart with "List Disk".

3b. Not sure how you are running Disk Management on a blank computer. Try using DiskPart from PE in Macrium Reflect's Bootable Rescue Disk. The SSD should NOT be initialized with Disk Management before installing Windows fresh. The Installer takes care of all that.

4. No, no Rufus. If you can't press F12 and "one time boot" the "perfectly created" Windows flash drive, you have some other problem.

5. Of the actual "fixed disks" ... just the SSD (no spinning HDDs, etc.). Yeah, obviously the Windows flash drive has to be inserted. F12 on machine boot to start it.

Do you have anything in the USB ports apart from the Bootable USB?

Have you tried using a different USB (although I don't think it is the USB at this stage)?

Do you know what BIOS revision your system has?

Have you ran the [F12] preboot diagnostics?

@Philip_Yip, thank you again.

1. My mouse and keyboard are both attached as USB devices.

2. No, I only have one USB large enough to fit the ISO.

3. 4.3.0 (from Dell, dated 10/8/2016)

4. Yes, no problems ever found.

The issue is AMD Chipset. The other issue is secure boot WINDOWS 8.x certificates DO NOT WORK in 10.  SECURE BOOT MUST BE OFF.

http://en.community.dell.com/techcenter/enterprise-client/w/wiki/11530.winpe-10-driver-pack

Inspiron 24‑3455
Processor
• AMD A8‑7410
• AMD A6‑7310
• AMD E2‑7110
System chipset
Integrated in processor

http://downloads.dell.com/published/pages/inspiron-24-3455-aio.html

Description	Supported OS	Download
AMD Chipset Device Driver This package provides the driver for the AMD Chipset Device Driver and is supported on Inspiron 3265 Series running the following Windows operating systems: Windows 10.More details	WT64A

3. 4.3.0 (from Dell, dated 10/8/2016)

You have a newer UEFI BIOS revision than Dell are currently offering...

4.2.0 (07 Jul 2016):

http://downloads.dell.com/FOLDER03782751M/1/Inspiron_3455_%20Vostro_3055_4.2.0.exe

Dell recently released a lot of UEFI BIOS Updates to:

• Update to the latest CPU Microcode to address CVE-2017-5715.
• Updated Intel ME Firmware to address security advisories INTEL-SA-00086 (CVE-2017-5705, CVE-2017-5708, CVE-2017-5711 & CVE-2017-5712) & INTEL-SA-00101(CVE-2017-13077, CVE-2017-13078 & CVE-2017-13080).

More details here:

http://www.dell.com/support/article/uk/en/ukdhs1/sln308587/microprocessor-side-channel-vulnerabilities-cve-2017-5715-cve-2017-5753-cve-2017-5754-impact-on-dell-products?lang=en

Unfortunately many of these updates caused boot issues (very similar to what you are experiencing) and Dell removed them. Some systems have had a fixed UEFI BIOS Update but I don't think the Inspiron 3455 has yet. I suspect this is the issue you are experiencing.

I too have the same exact issue however on a Dell Inspiron 3265 All in one. Tried 5 different cloning software, used a drive cloner device, attempted the Windows 10 recovery usb drive and still nothing. When I clone, I notice that the clones happen however they do not set boot information in the primary C Partition. Not sure if its a drive compatibility issue or the fact that im going from a 1T HDD to an Crucial MX500 SSD drive. Any help would be awesome. 

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@PugButterwrote:

1. I too have the same exact issue however on a Dell Inspiron 3265 All in one. Tried 5 different cloning software, used a drive cloner device, attempted the Windows 10 recovery usb drive and still nothing. When I clone, I notice that the clones happen however they do not set boot information in the primary C Partition.

2. Not sure if its a drive compatibility issue or the fact that im going from a 1T HDD to an Crucial MX500 SSD drive. Any help would be awesome. 

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1. Yeah, sometimes cloning software doesn't seem to work. There are various reasons for that.

2. To verify that there is no core compatibility issues with this Inspiron machine and the Crucial MX500 SSD ... all someone needs to do is a clean-install (Nuke-and-Pave):

- Disconnect existing HDD (keeps it safe and simplifies this test's config)

- Connect only the SSD (or drive you wish to use as bootable C: )

- Set BIOS to UEFI and AHCI

- Be sure machine passes ePSA Diagnostics.

- Press F12 to boot Microsoft.com Windows-10 Media-Creation flash-drive

- Install Windows-10 (64bit) to blank drive

- Do Windows-10 first-time setup

- I suggest you DO NOT install Intel-RST when finished (or ever ... just use the included Microsoft drivers instead).

- On newer Dell machines, the Windows serial-key is stored in BIOS. Check that Windows-10 is automatically Activated as legit.

- Turn-on SecureBoot in BIOS if not already on. After rebooting a couple of times, run msinfo32 and check its status.

https://www.dell.com/community/Alienware-General/fixed/td-p/5627124

Whether you want to do that or not, if it works ... you know this hardware works together. It should take less than 30 minutes with a SSD.