Help, my hard disk crashed!!!!

[BinnZ]

I run my Windows 10 in a 120Gb SSD and that disc crashed today. I has completely disappeared from any list of disks and data devices. First, my W10 warned me that my PC needs shutdown due to a serious error, I think that is the new BSOD. Then it just crashed into a black screen and restart and POST. Then it said; BOOTMGR is missing, press ctrl+alt+del to restart.

So I have to buy a new SSD. Any tips? I don't need more than 120Gb for my system to run smoothly, big programs like games I store on some regular HDD's in RAID0. So all I need is a fast and secure SSD to run Windows on, plus some additional apps. 240Gb might be an idea, but I really don't need more than that. What I saw is a PCIe SSD (256Gb) which has blistering speeds. I would like to buy it if I knew whether my Mobo supports it. I think it does, but I'm not sure. Can these discs serve as a bootable drive?

It's the WD BLACK PCIE SSD 256GB. It looks like a piece of RAM with the only difference that the connectors are to the bottom end instead as to the side.

[BinnZ]

Well just checked, my mobo only has 2 PCIe 3.0 slots. If I use the spare one, I will half the speed on the other, which contains my GPU. So no, this is not an option :/

[LowPolyOWG]

Only the latest motherboards from AMD/Intel supports that. Maybe get a picture of your PCs internals and post it here.

EDIT: I typed it before your response

[Art Blade]

I've been using SanDisk SSDs. One 128 and one 256 GB. Never had any problems

[BinnZ]

Stop, it's working again

I decided to check if maybe a cable was the problem before definitely ditching my SSD. I changed the Sata connectors and the power supplies with the ones my other SSD drive uses, and fired up the system. Now my system can see my SSD's again (both!) although it still doesn't boot. I went to the boot manager and was able to set the troubled SSD to the prior boot disc and; Bob's your Uncle! I could boot again and windows starts up as if nothing ever happened...


Well, for now I'm safe, but it's a weird error I just got here. If it happens more frequently I will have to run some diagnostics. I might have to bring my rig to my hardware store so they can sort it out.

The weird thing is; after this crash, when Win 10 told me the BOOTMGR was missing, in the boot manager my primary SSD wasn't listed anymore, however there was something listed called "Intel device0" or something. It's still there, but now I set my OZC Agility128Gb back to primary boot HDD.

If you got a clue on what might have happened, please let me know

[LowPolyOWG]

Check the event logs in Windows might be helpful

[Art Blade]

weird. no idea.

[BinnZ]

I did, GKID. It showed one error around the moment where my PC crashed. IT was the failing launch of an application called windows.photo. Strange because I didn't even open that app. No other things that directed in any way to what had happened that moment.

[Art Blade]

the windows app "photos" is one of the apps that are loaded at start in the background, like Cortana, even if you don't use them. Failing to load such an app or a crash out of the blue, pointing to such an app, could be anything or nothing. However, that you weren't able to boot or that you didn't see the SSD, is more serious. I think that several drivers and in the process other parts of windows such as the photos app failed to load. That could be a registry fault and all that could indeed be a sign of hardware failure but that's not for sure. If it is a one-timer as it is now, I'd just prepare for a worst case scenario and make backups of important files on a device that can be unplugged and put back in a different PC if the need arises. Until then, I'd consider it a bad case of hiccup. 

[LowPolyOWG]

Maybe install CCleaner. It cleans the computer of unused stuff and it also fixes the registry. Or, do a clean Windows 10 install and reinstall everything

Btw, the SSD you were looking for is a M.2 SSD. They require some mounting holes drilled in the motherboard and a different connector compared to a normal SATA SSD/HDD. Your motherboard needs that.

[nex]

Beware of CCleaners, Microsoft does not recommend it, as far as they concerned there's not one CCleaner that can repair a registry.
I tried it a few times in the past and it just screwd up the registry to such an extend I had to do a complete reinstall.

Device0 is the device connected to the SATA1 port, check it in disk management, it might need to be
re-assigned

[LowPolyOWG]

Hmm, I haven't had any issues with that on my Win 10 laptop/desktop  But, you never know how a program will function across various PC configs.

[BinnZ]

Thanx for the tips guys, I indeed assume this is a sign of future *bleep* to come so I better prepare