Solved Slow startup, hibernate/refresh results in BSOD

ddtng

New Member
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Slow startup, hibernate/sleep fails

So I have a fairly complex issue.

My laptop is an ASUS S550CM, bought in mid 2013. Performed fine for about a year until it regularly started having periods of hanging/screen stalling, where the screen would be stuck for up to a minute long (moving the mouse and pressing the keyboard wouldn't register) after which everything continued like normal. I wasn't able to identify what was causing the issue, Task Manager wasn't able to provide anything obvious.

Then around Sep 2014 I received this error (this was a while ago so I can't remember specific details):

10689895_10152413286278403_8549821935248535533_n.jpg

I had some BSODs during this frantic period of backing up in safe mode (unfortunately I didn't have the foresight at the time to take a photo). I had many issues starting the computer up, having to reset the process a number of times and also with hibernating and sleeping resulting in BSODs also.

It then turned out that the failing hard disk wasn't my 750GB HDD, but instead the 24GB hybrid SSD which wasn't used for storage. I went to Device Manager to look and clicked Disable on it to see if anything would happen. I don't recall fixing it immediately but the system did appear to run smoother and fewer BSODs. I left it on Disabled.

A few days later the computer the SDD disappeared completely from Device Manager, and the periods of stalling from 2013 seemed to have stopped. Once I was able to get the system started, the computer seemed to have run fine, with the only remaining issue being issues with startup, hibernating and sleeping.

At this point I went on a long overseas vacation which I had planned so I wasn't able to continue investigating. When I returned, obviously it still wasn't resolved but I have managed to make some working use of my computer through this workaround:

1) Press power button to turn on
2) Loading screen, but the spinning dotted circle icon does not appear if I didn't do anything at this point it would continue on this screen indefinitely
3) Hold power button to turn system off
4) Press power button again
5) Loading screen, but this time the spinning dotted circle icon does appear
6) After five minutes (on average), it eventually gets to the log-in screen

So the first start up attempt fails and I have to manually turn it off then on again to get this computer working. Previously it would take up to 20 minutes to get to the log-in screen, but now it pretty much always takes five. I've not had any other problems with start up, and the second start up attempt always works. Also, if I do a restart from within Windows (e.g. for installing an application), it is able to start without me having to interfere, though with the long wait also.

So what I've managed to surmise is this:

- my hybrid SSD drive has failed, but my system can run fine without it using the regular HDD
- I think in the startup process Windows is still trying to communicate with my failed SSD drive, and maybe after 5 minutes it gives up and uses my HDD?
- when I try to hibernate or sleep, Windows tries to dump memory into the failed SSD which obviously won't work. Whenever I restart it starts up as if my computer had shut down, without any BSODs.

Also, I have Trend Micro installed, and it manages to detect that it takes over 300 seconds to start (which is slower than 100% of all similar computers, it tells me), so it seems things are happening/working during the slow start up period.

So, my question is, how can I get Windows to forget there ever was an SSD in the computer and to operate with just the one HDD drive. I'm sure this would be fine as once I get Windows running, the system runs perfectly.

For the record, I have performed a full system reinstall/reset to 8.0, etc., with none of these things resolving the issue.

Hopefully somebody on here can help me resolve this as I'd like to upgrade to 10 and don't want to have this issue complicating this.

Cheers
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    8.1
You would need to use a S.M.A.R.T. program to find out if it is failing. If it comes back and states that the drive has failed. If it is a new Hybrid, contact the manufacturer. The SSD part is not supposed to show up as a physical drive. It will show in Device Manager though, because it is actually a RAM drive.

The Hybrids are the manufacturers trying to take the rest of their Platter Drive stock and use them up, before they start selling nothing but SSD's, which are more reliable.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Linux Mint 17.2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba Satellite C850D-st3nx1
    CPU
    AMD E1-1200 APU with Radeon (tm) HD Graphics 1.40 GHZ
    Memory
    12GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon™ HD 7310 Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LCD
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768
    Hard Drives
    Crucial M500 240GB SSD
    Mouse
    Logitech M525
    Internet Speed
    45/6 - ATT U-Verse
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    None needed. It is Linux.
    Other Info
    Arris NVG589 Gateway; Router - Cisco RV320; Switch - Netgear GS108 8-Port Switch & Trendnet TEG-S50g 5-Port Switch; Access Points - Engenius ECB350, Trendnet TEW-638APB; NAS - Lenovo ix2-4; Printer - Brother HL-2280DW; Air Print Server - Lantronix XPrintServer

    A/V UPS - Tripp-Lite Smart 1500LCD 1500 Va/900 W.
Thanks for your reply.

I'm not massively knowledgeable about disk drive testing so bear with me, but I've tried two S.M.A.R.T. tests (using CrystalDiskInfo and using command prompt), and they both come up good/no errors.

But upon further inspection, in CrystalDiskInfo it appears to only report the status of my 750GB HDD, which I fully expect to be working properly. I'm not sure if any hybrid SSD is meant to show up here or not. I understand your point about it not showing up as a physical drive - before I had problems only my HDD appeared in Explorer. The big notable change I'm going off to suspect that it's failed is that prior and during my issues in Sep 2014, both my HDD and SSD appear in Device Manager. Now, only my HDD appear, which basically confirms to me that the SDD has failed.

Well, this basically provides further confirmation of what I've been suspecting, but I'm no closer to working out how to get my system to start up properly again...
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    8.1
So your SSD is a Kingston SMSM150S324G

That means it's a microSATA 1.8" 24GB SSD. So you could easily remove it from the computer.

Before we do that

Do you have a BIOS option called "Intel Smart Response Technology" ?
Try disabling that if so. Then try to boot. Let me know how it goes.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Kernel 4.x
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i5 3570K
    Motherboard
    P8Z77-V LK
    Memory
    G.skill Ripjaw Z 2133MHz 9-11-10-28
    Graphics Card(s)
    GTX770 4GB Dual BIOS
    Sound Card
    Audigy 4 Pro
    Monitor(s) Displays
    32" SAMSUNG HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080 progressive
    Hard Drives
    10TB total
    3 RAID arrays
    3 single disks
    PSU
    Corsair HX750
    Case
    Corsair R400
    Cooling
    Corsair H100
    Keyboard
    Logitech G510
    Mouse
    Logitech G5
    Internet Speed
    ~900mbps (~115MB/s) down, ~10mbps(~1.5MB/s) up
    Browser
    Firefox & Chromium
    Antivirus
    Common Sense
Are you suggesting I physically remove the drive from the laptop? If so, I'm going to need some help...

But before then, I will try your other suggestion but I won't be able to do it in the short term as I have quite a bit of work. I think I may have tried testing that in BIOS back when the problem first appeared. I'll get back to you on how it goes.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    8.1
Are you suggesting I physically remove the drive from the laptop?
That's exactly what I'm suggesting, but only after a few other things are tried out.

If so, I'm going to need some help...
Sure, I'll explain how if it comes to that.


But before then, I will try your other suggestion but I won't be able to do it in the short term as I have quite a bit of work. I think I may have tried testing that in BIOS back when the problem first appeared. I'll get back to you on how it goes.

Still though, with Windows informing you that the SSD was failing (it does this via SMART), it's likely inevitable that it will need to be remove, at a last resort.

Yeah. Also be wary of a warranty if you still have one, typically they don't run longer than a couple months though.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Kernel 4.x
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i5 3570K
    Motherboard
    P8Z77-V LK
    Memory
    G.skill Ripjaw Z 2133MHz 9-11-10-28
    Graphics Card(s)
    GTX770 4GB Dual BIOS
    Sound Card
    Audigy 4 Pro
    Monitor(s) Displays
    32" SAMSUNG HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080 progressive
    Hard Drives
    10TB total
    3 RAID arrays
    3 single disks
    PSU
    Corsair HX750
    Case
    Corsair R400
    Cooling
    Corsair H100
    Keyboard
    Logitech G510
    Mouse
    Logitech G5
    Internet Speed
    ~900mbps (~115MB/s) down, ~10mbps(~1.5MB/s) up
    Browser
    Firefox & Chromium
    Antivirus
    Common Sense
Would Windows automatically change its behavior in terms of attempting to communicate with the failed SSD if I remove it (as that what I suspect it's trying to do), or would I need to do any further steps after that?

And, laptop is definitely out of warranty period.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    8.1
Hi hydranix (and anyone else who can help)

So I'll finally have some time soon to try to take the SDD out. I've found a disassembly guide for my particular laptop model:

Asus VivoBook S550CM Disassembly | MyFixGuide.com

So essentially, I should follow those steps until I remove the SDD, and then put the other parts back together and simply turn it on again?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    8.1
For the record, I've removed the SSD and voila, computer can hibernate/sleep and starts up properly (not lightning fast, but after what I was putting up with before, I'm hardly complaining!)!

Thanks hydranix!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    8.1
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