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SSD boots even with power switched off ?

Discussion in 'Windows 10' started by Sebastian42, 2017/10/07.

  1. 2017/10/07
    Sebastian42

    Sebastian42 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    I was hoping someone could just make sense of the strange phenomenon I describe below.
    I use four HDDs each on three PCs. I need to change between HDDs a lot, and I would rather avoid removing and replacing leads, so I bought 4-switch units with the form-factor of a strip such as is normally on the end of a PCI card. There is a LED indicator associated with each switch. After some weeks, the 4 switches lost their independence and so the unit became less useful.
    So I bought a number more of them but the experience was repeated with each 'set of 4 switches'.
    I have also bought one at twice the price of the originals - its form-factor resembles a floppy disc drive. So far it has behaved as required/desired, but it is early days.
    The difference experienced in the three PCs :
    PC1 - Four spinning-disk HDDs - the 'strip' switch works fine.
    PC2 - Three SSDs and one spinning-disk HDD - The strip-switch LEDs light up 'randomly'; the more expensive switch has worked up to now.
    PC3 - Three spinning-disk HDDs and one SSD - The strip-switch LEDs light up 'randomly'. Having figured that the mixture of SSDs and spining-disk HDDs on the same strip-switch spells trouble, I connected the strip-switch to only spinning-disk HDDs and so far it has behaved well.
    To be able to isolate the SSD, I fitted a molex-power switch between the SSD and the PSU, with (obviously) a molex-to-SATA power adapter to the SSD. The SSD ignored the On/Off setting of the molex-power-switch, and so the PC booted from the SSD irrespective of the molex-power-switch setting. I have tested the switch unit of the molex-power-switch with a digital multimeter which showed low resistance when closed and high resistance when open, so the switch WORKS.
    1. It seems that an SSD remains powered, when a spinning-disk HDD would be off.
    2. Swtching with both both SSDs and spinning-disk HDDs connected, causes problems EVENTUALLY.
    Any enlightenment would be welcome.
     
  2. 2017/10/08
    retiredlearner

    retiredlearner SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    Have you tried this program?
    EasyBCD
     

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  4. 2017/10/08
    Sebastian42

    Sebastian42 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    I have heard of it and may even have tried it - what do you suggest it may do for me ?
     
  5. 2017/10/08
    retiredlearner

    retiredlearner SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    I used it some time back when I had HDD's with XP/Vista/W7 in my PC. If I remember correctly - when the comp is started with the current HDD - you can open the software and select the HDD you wish to use and the comp shuts down and restarts with the new selected HDD as the operating OS.
    I found this doing a Google: Dual boot Windows 10 & Windows 7 using 2 HD's - Windows 10 Forums
    It may be of help to you in deciding what you want to do.
     
    Last edited: 2017/10/08
  6. 2017/10/08
    Sebastian42

    Sebastian42 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    What I am DOING is under control - I was hoping to get some insight into the two bizarre issues I've raised.
     
  7. 2017/10/08
    retiredlearner

    retiredlearner SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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    Just a reminder, parts of your comp are still "live" even when the comp is Shut down. You would need to switch off you PSU or unplug your power lead from the wall socket.
     
  8. 2017/10/08
    Sebastian42

    Sebastian42 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    All that may well be true, but does not address the issue that a molex switch - which would deprive power from a spinning-disc HDD if it was OFF, does NOT prevent an SSD from booting.
     
  9. 2017/10/10
    retiredlearner

    retiredlearner SuperGeek WindowsBBS Team Member

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  10. 2017/10/10
    Sebastian42

    Sebastian42 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    That would seem to be the only possibility. When I get time, I will try other adapters - and report back.
     
  11. 2017/10/12
    Sebastian42

    Sebastian42 Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    I have now tried 4 different Molex/SATA adapters, and they allow allow the SSD to boot through an OPEN power switch, so it is NOT a component fault, bit a structural 'problem'.
     

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