Recover HP Pavilion laptop with new SSD

The HD was bad, so I replaced with an SSD, but I seem to get it formatted in an acceptable way to the HP recovery DVDs, or even a new install of Windows 10.  I've tried turning off secure boot and using MBR, and turning secure boot on and using GPT. I formatted the SSD on another computer using Windows 8 in repair mode.  Sometimes I get message saying "something went wrong" and it turns off or reboots. This is after a long wait with nothing happening.  Or with secure boot on, a message saying boot could not authorize.

Oh, and before, I could get past this, but got a read error on the copy from the Windows 8 DVD recovery disk.  So I had another copy sent.  I know these are good because I was able to copy all 3 DVDs to the SSD after formating it as NTFS on another computer.  HP disk check is good.  I've done a long disk check on the SSD.  So it has to be some combination of secure boot with Windows 8 that has me baffled!

So any suggestions?
wilri01Asked:
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rindiCommented:
You need to run the SSD's diagnostic tool on it, not any HP disk check. The diagnostic tool should also check what firmware is on there, and allow you to upgrade it.Very often firmware upgrades can fix such issues like you are having.
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wilri01Author Commented:
I've never heard of an SSD having firmware.  It formats and read/writes okay on another PC with Windows 10.

So does Windows 8 require GPT and secure boot?  If yes, how to get around the security check?  I've changed to "legacy BIOS" and back, and it gives me a 4 digit number to verify the secure boot.  Maybe try that again?
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nobusCommented:
what ssd is this?  post the model plse
rindi's suggestion for updating the firmware is very good
you can test your drive with this tool : http://ssd-life.com/eng/SSDLife-Freeware.html

or use the tool provided by the manufacturer

as for the laptop restore - it can be that it wants a drive of the same size, or model
to test this -  try with another normal disk
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rindiCommented:
Yes, all SSD's have firmware, and that firmware should be kept current.
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nobusCommented:
all modern drives are formatted to NTFS for windows  -not Fat
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David Johnson, CD, MVPOwnerCommented:
#1 when you boot the system, explicitely select the boot options and select the dvdrom EFI boot
#2. press f10 or shift f10 when you get to the setup menu. this is to ensure that the destination drive is clean using diskpart from the command prompt
diskpart
list disk
select disk x replace x with the # from list disk (should be 0)
clean
exit diskpart
exit the command prompt
now you can continue with the restore.
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wilri01Author Commented:
The SSD is Crucial M500.  I updated the firmware from version 3 to 5, and did the CLEAN on it.  But now it always stops after the reformat step at the beginning of the file copy step at file BASE13.SWM.  

So my assumption is the factory image recovery is only going to work with a normal HD.

I did previously use the SSD to install Windows7, but there are no Windows7 drivers for this laptop.

I tried installing Windows10, but it won't install either.

So I'm going to buy a regular HD, and I will let you know how that works.
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rindiCommented:
Although it is possible that the HP recovery needs an HD work, it is also possible that it fails for another reason. I've seen it fail for example when the PC's BIOS had been upgraded to another than the original version. So sometimes it may help if you downgrade the PC's BIOS before trying the upgrade.
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nobusCommented:
as i posted- just test with another disk
once the restore is done, image that drive to the SSD
you can use the paragon tool for it : https://www.paragon-software.com/technologies/components/migrate-OS-to-SSD/
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David Johnson, CD, MVPOwnerCommented:
Windows 8 DVD recovery disk.
 Windows7 drivers for this laptop the machine came originally with Windows 8 ? Just checking.
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wilri01Author Commented:
The good news is it appears using a normal HD is going to work.  The process is past where it got before and almost finished.  Either the restore program doesn't like SSDs, or a smaller HD.

Yes, laptop came with Windows 8.

nobus:  I'd like to try copying back to the SSD.  But it wasn't clear if the Paragon Migrate OS to SSD software allows the SSD to be connected via USB.  It also is confusing, to me, if I need to create the WinPE on a flash drive, or install the program and execute from the old HD.

If the SSD needs to be on a SATA port (which isn't possible on the laptop), could I create the WinPE on a USB flash drive, and connect both the old HD and the new SSD and WinPE on another desktop PC to perform the copy?  I'd unplug the desktop's normal disk drives, of course.
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nobusCommented:
the paragon software lets you use usb drives
but i always recommend where possible not to use that option, and use a direct connection to sata ports - using another PC
of course, you need to run the paragon software on it, and you need to use the boot media builder  http://www.paragon-software.com/landing-pages/bmb/
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wilri01Author Commented:
All comments are very much appreciated, but since the restore worked with a standard HD of the same size, it was nobus's suggestion that actually resolved the problem. Why HP would write their restore with such a restriction makes no sense, but is a fact. Perhaps it wasn't the size, but some other dependency the SSD doesn't have, but upgrading to the latest firmware did not help, and the SSD works in every other case. So size seems the most logical explanation.

Also, do not use the "Supplemental DVD" that the restore asks for.  The first time I used it, and after a few hours the computer just said the restore had failed.  No explanation why.  I had read in another post about not using the supplemental DVD, and they are right!

I don't have time now to try copying the HD to the SSD, but much appreciate the suggestion.
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nobusCommented:
tx for the feedback
i also find it strange -  but maybe they need a normal disk of the same size for making their partitions on it
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