PC Help

Hard Drive 0 generally (but not always) is the boot disk, so has the operating system on it.

It seems likely that the above is true for you as your PC is refusing to boot-up.

If two HD's are installed and one of them is an SSD then that is very likely to be the boot disk (and therefore the disk that needs replacing).

Also, I see that it is an "all in one" PC. Have you tried opening it up to look at the HD's yet?

When I replaced a HD in my wife's all in one it turned into a major operation as it wasn't really built to be upgraded. Yours may be different but just thought I would mention it.

Good luck

Excellent Gin, thanks for a response. I have been looking these up and have found that my SSD is 250gb and my HD is 1TB (if memory serves), but when I research the SSD 250gb, it seems almost obsolete nowadays... They're all 1TB+ now.

Am I ok to put a 1TB in (proving my ignorance with PC's) and as I noticed it said 'M.2'... is that the type I need?

No I haven't opened it up at all. I'm literally a rookie here, but with nothing to lose I don't mind experimenting

Here are some instructions on replacing the HD for the Dell all in one series which indicates it may be relatively simple (if it is the same as yours).

https://www.dell.com/support/manuals/en-uk/inspiron-27-7777-aio/inspiron-27-7777-servicemanual/prerequisites?guid=guid-62d4a6f7-4b4f-45b0-9c66-86acf9eff4ea&lang=en-us

Before buying and replacing the drive I would check that the old one is plugged in correctly – it may be as simple as a loose cable/seating!

You will also need to confirm whether you need a normal size SSD or an M2 as they are completely different form factors.

Yes, you can replace with a 1TB disk if you want but as far as I am aware, smaller (250gb) SSD’s are still available and are obviously cheaper.

I should also add that i'm definitely no expert on these matters so someone else may have better advice!

You're way ahead of me Gin, although I'm quite an avid researcher. Yes, I will check out to see if it's loose before making a purchase.

On my original documentation, which confirms your suspicions, it reads: 256GB M.2 Solid State Drive (Boot) + 1 TB 7200 RPM Hard Drive (Storage)

Last question (if you don't mind)... a 1TB M.2 SSD should fit, right?

Thanks for your time Gin.

I've done a little more research and found that they come in different sizes. Will have to do the sensible thing and get the old one out.

Thanks for taking the time out today. It has been very helpful.

Yes, as far as I am aware, a 1TB M.2 drive should fit but you will need to research the exact type required as they can connect differently - SATA or PCIe (NVME) - and can also come in different sizes.
I don’t know much about M.2 SSD’s so as I said definitely do some research (or maybe someone else on here can advise you).

**crossover post!

No problem - hope you get it sorted.

I've got a better chance of that now. Thanks again.

A new SSD will be blank, standard procedure when changing HDD's is to copy the old disk image on to the new disk.

If it's the Boot drive that's faulty, then you might not be able to copy the image from old to new drive.
So you might find a new SSD doesn't get you very far.

The problem I had is that it wouldn't boot up from the black Dell screen

Can you get it to load the BIOS screen? or even windows 'safe' mode? (Google for procedure to boot to bios or safe mode)

I can get BIOS but not windows safe. This all started a while back when after going to sleep it wouldn't always wake up again and I had to shut down. It wasn't often, but it did happen from time to time. With hindsight, I guess this was a warning.

Then it just wouldn't work at all, but after several reboots it kicked in, which prompted me to immediately back up everything so it is up-to-date. That was fine for another day or two before it finally stopped altogether. This is when I got a Dell error pop up after waiting for the circles to stop spinning.

The BIOS confirmed that Hard Drive 0 had failed, and everything I tried from the BIOS didn't help me at all.

So, assuming I won't get very far, what is my next step after purchasing a new SSD?

Unfortunately I have to start work now for a few hours (back after 5pm) but any advice can only be good advice. I am very grateful for it, thank you.

You should be able to reinstall Windows on the new drive using the Windows media creation tool to create a bootable usb drive. This is assuming that your previous copy of Windows was a legit licensed copy.

There should be plenty of instructions online.

https://www.easeus.com/disk-copy/clone-resource/how-to-reinstall-windows-after-hard-drive-failure.html?

Option 1. Reinstall Windows from Scratch

Before purchasing a new SSD

Step 1) Check what type of connector your current SSD has

Step 2) purchase a SATA/PCIe to USB cable. (often available in any currys with a business section)

Step 3) remove SSD from old machine and plug it in to a working PC using the cable.

Step 4) check that you can access the files on the Faulty SSD


If you can't access the files on the old SSD then you will not be able to transfer the image onto a new SSD.


If you can access the files, then it's game on, but you still have an issue because with old pc being kaput, you will need either 2 SATA/PCIe to USB cables, or a 'bay', to be able to connect both your old and new SSD's to a PC
for the image copy.

Or depending on sufficient Free Space of working PC, you can do it with one cable by copying the image on to working PC then copying it from there to new SSD.

You guys are great!

I will try to absorb all that has been written here. I have two other PC's, both Win 11. The broken one is Win 10... will that matter?

If you are looking to reinstall Windows 10 on your broken PC (with a new hard drive):

It doesn’t matter what version is on the PC that you use to create the bootable flash drive BUT you must specify that you want to install the exact version that was on your broken PC otherwise Windows will not validate the licence once installed.

Okie Doke, I just hope the option's there because I have no idea of my licence details for any of my PC's, they've all come preloaded with no paperwork

I did, however, read somewhere, that my Microsoft log will help me here.

As I said, It should validate automatically but you won’t know for sure until you do it.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/create-installation-media-for-windows-99a58364-8c02-206f-aa6f-40c3b507420d#id0ejd=windows_10

“A product key. A 25-character product key might be needed (not required for digital licenses). For help with finding the product key, go to Find your Windows product key. Many modern devices contain the product key embedded in the firmware of the device. If the product key is embedded in the firmware of the device, the product key doesn't need to be entered in manually. Instead, if the product key in the firmware matches the version and edition of Windows being installed, the product key is automatically applied.”

As you say, it could be stored in your Microsoft account but that may be for digital licences purchased from them (I’m not really sure).

Well it's all new to me, but I'm determined to have a go, probably on Saturday now where I will start taking it apart, before working on all the suggestions here. If I get stuck on anything, I'll be sure to holler. Thanks for everything today Gin and Escapee; you've got the brain whirring.

Or you'd buy a 2023 "like new" Macbook Air from me for £600, if all else fails.

Thanks imp, but you're a bit late. I've purchased a new PC now.

Just a quick update. I've removed the SSD (access was a doddle) and it was quite dirty, sitting right next to the fan that I've cleaned out the best I can. The SSD was covered with hardened dust, which probably didn't help. I've also read that SSDs have a lifespan of 5-10 years, so it could be it just ran its time (7 years).

I've ordered another, 512gb for £32.95 and I've also purchased an adapter for a USB connection to see if I can read the old SSD. Delivery expected tomorrow.

It's a start and so far, not too expensive. Thanks for the links, they have helped a lot and also taught me a few things. The ball is rolling.

good luck Aspro, as a last resort, call 999.

I'll take that onboard swifty

'Aspro', you'll be fine.

A couple of years ago I nudged an Acer laptop from the bed onto the floor. It landed flat onto the floor. The screen went blue immediately, and would not power up; a message hard drive error - the hard drive was a hdd.

I sold it to a friend for £50. He replaced it with a SSD hard drive for under £50. And, it's been working ever since.

This is what ChatGpt had to say about your initial query - sorry if it's all been covered in the replies - It sounds like your Dell’s main system drive has failed. On the Inspiron 27 7777 AIO, the way Dell labels the drives in BIOS can be confusing:

Drive 0 is normally the boot/system drive (usually the SSD if the machine was configured that way).

Drive 1 is usually the secondary storage drive (often a larger HDD for data).

Since BIOS showed a red cross next to Drive 0, that’s the one that has failed — and that explains why Windows won’t load. Without a working system drive, the PC just hangs at the Dell splash screen.

What you can do

Confirm which drive is which

If you open the back of the AIO (carefully — Dell AIOs can be fiddly), you should see both drives. Typically, the smaller-capacity SSD (128–256 GB) is the system drive, and the larger HDD (1–2 TB) is for storage.

Replacement

You’ll need to replace the failed drive (likely the SSD). A SATA SSD of the same form factor (2.5") should work fine. If it’s an NVMe M.2 SSD, you’d need that format instead — the Dell spec sheet should confirm what you have.

The HDD is probably still fine, so you can leave it in place.

Reinstalling Windows

Since you don’t have a system image backup, you’ll need to do a clean install. The good news is you can download Windows 10/11 installation media from Microsoft’s site for free. You’ll need an 8 GB USB stick to create an installer.

Your Windows licence is embedded in the Dell firmware, so once you reinstall on the new drive and connect to the internet, Windows should auto-activate.

Learning opportunity

This is actually a great first hands-on project: identifying the failed part, swapping it out, and reinstalling Windows. Even if you don’t “rescue” the machine, you’ll learn a lot about how PCs are built.

So in short: Hard Drive 0 = the one that needs replacing (almost certainly your SSD with Windows on it). Once replaced, reinstall Windows from USB, and you should be back in business.

Would you like me to sketch out a step-by-step reinstall guide (downloading the Windows installer, making the USB boot drive, reinstalling, etc.), so you could literally follow it through when the replacement SSD arrives?

You said:
yes
ChatGPT said:

Great — here’s a step-by-step reinstall guide you can follow once you’ve got your replacement SSD:

1. Identify & Replace the Faulty Drive

Power off and unplug the PC.

Remove the back cover of the Dell Inspiron 27 7777 AIO (check YouTube for “Dell Inspiron 27 7777 SSD replacement” if you’d like a visual).

Look for:

A small SSD (128–256 GB) — likely the system drive (this is Hard Drive 0).

A larger HDD (1–2 TB) — your storage drive (this is Hard Drive 1).

Replace the SSD with the new one (either 2.5" SATA or M.2 NVMe, depending on what yours uses).

Reassemble the case.

2. Create a Windows Installer USB

On another working PC, go to Microsoft’s official site:

rest of the message -
https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10

Download the Media Creation Tool.

Insert a blank 8 GB (or bigger) USB stick.

Run the tool and choose Create installation media (USB flash drive).

Once finished, safely eject the USB stick.

3. Boot From the USB

Plug the USB stick into your Dell AIO.

Power it on and immediately press F12 repeatedly to open the Boot Menu.

Select your USB drive from the boot options.

The Windows setup should start.

4. Install Windows on the New SSD

When asked Where do you want to install Windows? — choose the new SSD.

If you see partitions from before, delete them all on the new SSD so it’s “Unallocated space”.

Click Next and let Windows install (it’ll reboot a few times).

Once Windows finishes, it should auto-activate using the digital licence in your Dell’s BIOS.

5. Install Dell Drivers & Updates

Connect to Wi-Fi or Ethernet.

Run Windows Update several times until there are no more updates.

For specific Dell drivers, go to Dell Support → enter your Service Tag → download any recommended drivers (graphics, chipset, etc.).

6. Restore Your Files

Copy your personal files back from your backup.

Your secondary HDD (Hard Drive 1) should still contain your old data if it was working fine.

✅ That’s it! You’ll have a fresh Windows install on a new SSD, and your AIO will be usable again.

Thanks for that Martin, that could be an enormous help when the new drive arrives. I have several spare (and still new) USB sticks, 16GB and above. I assume that once I've loaded windows onto one of them I should keep that in case I need to do it again? (daft question probably)

It's amazing what Chat Gpt can do. How helpful is that? Thanks for taking the time.

I hear ya imp, hence why I need to at least have a go at this. If the £32.95 is all the outlay I have, then what a bargain to save my PC from the scrap heap, not forgetting the learning curve. Like you, I've discarded several down the years where a quick fix might have worked.

Well that didn't go according to plan. I put the new SSD in, turned it on and got nothing; I couldn't even get BIOS until it eventually told me I had the same problem, but this time with a serial number. Turns out its my bloody HDD, not the SSD

The S/N was the same as my Seagate... that's the bad news.

The good news is that I decided to try it with the SSD only. I put the (Windows) USB in, turned it on and it was (almost) immediately detected and began installing. Windows 10 is now up and running, but without the thrills/bloatware of a Dell loaded PC. The fan is so much quieter after giving it a thorough clean too

Next step is to buy another Hard Drive, but there's no rush for that. Out of the 512GB, I've still got 446 available, but I will buy a cheap one just to have a bit of extra back-up.

Whilst a little hiccup, thanks to you guys I have my PC back, or at least I'm hoping...

One little niggle is that the screen has flashed a couple of times before recovering when in Windows, it hasn't blinked in BIOS. This is early in the process so I'm hoping that will settle down. I've run diagnostics in BIOS and everything appears fine and now I'm running updates. Aside from that niggle, everything else appears to be working

Well dine 'Aspro'! Your perseverance has paid off your you.

Good to hear you have it back up and running Aspro.

The screen flashing may have been the video driver updating?

Thanks guys. It may well be Gin. After I wrote the above I decided to upgrade the PC to Win11, which took just under an hour to achieve. It made sense if it was starting from scratch. After that I closed it down for the night. I haven't booted it again since, what with work and everything, so will return to it at the weekend when I have a little time on my hands. Evenings are for relaxing.

First let me apologise to all you horse racing fans for infiltrating your forum; I appreciate your patience and will now let this thread RIP. As it turned out, I could not have done this without your help so a big thank you too.

The PC was running most of last night without a glitch and not a single flicker when I turned it on this morning. It is fast, smooth and very quiet. Win11 and Anti-Virus now installed and all for under £40... and it was surprisingly very straightforward in the end. A lesson learned by me and hopefully a tip or two passed on to others.

Thanks HR