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First post, by user33331

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Hello
Rookie question. What is an easy USB-bootable software that formats laptop's main SSD (only 1x SSD) ?
- I tried to clone a drive unsuccessfully (m.2 NVME.) with a confusing Sabrent Acronis True Image and now Windows installation does not seem to format the SSD on its own because there are conflicting files already in it.

What USB-bootable software formats SSD for basic windows: 7,8,10,... installation ?

There were multiple screws and plastic clasps involved to dissassemble the laptop when replacing the m.2 NVME to bigger GB size and I would not want to do that again.
Is there such bootable formatting softwares available for USB ?

Reply 1 of 17, by kixs

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Make Windows 10 bootable USB Flash drive. Boot from it. When it gets to the partitions - delete them all and press next. Windows will create the partitions it needs. - never had any problems with this way.

Requests here!

Reply 2 of 17, by user33331

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I tried to remove partitions but it says "Chosen partition could not be deleted [Error: 0x800701b1]"
- USB media creation tool ISO.

The failed cloned partitions are there. They don't function well.
I need another way to format ssd without removing it again from laptop.

Reply 3 of 17, by Bancho

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Boot your Win10 USB media and select repair computer and select troubleshoot, then command prompt.

At command prompt type the following

diskpart
List Disk (lists current disks)
Select disk X (X being the disk you want to format, usually 0)
Clean

That should clean the disk.

You can also use diskpart to create the partitions.

Example for a single partition

create partition primary
format fs=ntfs quick
active

You should now be able to use the drive

Reply 4 of 17, by user33331

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It says "error there is no defined device".
Virtual disk service error I tried disk 0 and disk 1.

Reply 5 of 17, by Bancho

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Possibly a bad disk?

Reply 6 of 17, by user33331

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Is there no way to hard format it ?

Reply 7 of 17, by BitWrangler

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I would say you want to get back in there to make sure it's seated properly.

Unicorn herding operations are proceeding, but all the totes of hens teeth and barrels of rocking horse poop give them plenty of hiding spots.

Reply 8 of 17, by user33331

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Any idea if every brand of m.2 NVME is compatible with Thinkpad 570 ?
- Or are those approved coded in Lenovo BIOS ? You know "Whitelisted" SSDs is it possible ?

I tried 512gb Samsung 970 Evo Plus m.2 nvme.
It previously had OEM 256GB Toshiba THNSN5256GPUK m.2 nvme.

Reply 9 of 17, by user33331

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I disassembled the laptop and removed the drive. I am formatting it in my other laptop.
I will see if it starts to work after it.

Reply 10 of 17, by user33331

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Should I assign a drive letter to a laptops main drive ?
- Windows 7 disk manager asks if I assign a drive letter ot not ?

Reply 11 of 17, by user33331

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I clicked no to drive letter.

Reply 12 of 17, by user33331

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Nope same error when installing win10 [Error: 0x800701b1].
Thinkpad T570 might have not whitelisted Samsung EVO 970 Plus 500GB.
M.2 NVME is visible in a normal PC using USB to m.2 NVME adapter=Sabrent EC-SNVE.

Drive is visible in BIOS of T570 but I can not install Windows to it.

Reply 13 of 17, by user33331

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I am now pretty much confident that Lenovo blacklist some SSDs in BIOS and whitelist others.
OEM 256GB Toshiba THNSN5256GPUK works right away but 500GB Samsung 970 EVO plus does not.

My other PC reads 970 Evo Plus well with USB to NVME adapter: Sabrent EC-SNVE.
I think twice next time I invest my money on Lenovo products.
Such an frustrating day.

Reply 14 of 17, by weedeewee

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You could always try to mod the bios, or have someone mod it, to remove any whitelists present.
it's an odd error message.
I'd boot a linux live cd, and see if I can access the nvme drive. and if it's accessible (create filesystem, copy some files...), if accessible dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/nvmesomethingorother count=2k to zero out the beginning of the drive. (would be nice to also zero out the ending of the drive but I can't recall the command from memory)

Right to repair is fundamental. You own it, you're allowed to fix it.
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Reply 15 of 17, by aha2940

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user33331 wrote on 2021-08-19, 16:31:
I am now pretty much confident that Lenovo blacklist some SSDs in BIOS and whitelist others. OEM 256GB Toshiba THNSN5256GPUK wor […]
Show full quote

I am now pretty much confident that Lenovo blacklist some SSDs in BIOS and whitelist others.
OEM 256GB Toshiba THNSN5256GPUK works right away but 500GB Samsung 970 EVO plus does not.

My other PC reads 970 Evo Plus well with USB to NVME adapter: Sabrent EC-SNVE.
I think twice next time I invest my money on Lenovo products.
Such an frustrating day.

I have successfully replaced the hard drive on a Lenovo Thinkpad T14s, as well as a T470s, T440s and an X240. I've never had any problems. Actually, I'm typing this post on a Lenovo P14s on which I replaced the original drive for a Samsung SSD 980 NVMe, no issues at all, it does not seem to be any blacklisting on recent models.

Reply 16 of 17, by user33331

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I think the German computer seller sold me a faulty used T570. Connection between SSD=m.2 nvme and motherboard seems disconnecting.
It starts sometimes normally to Windows but every 1/3 times it just goes to "Bios Boot=Windows Boot Manager/Boot Menu"-list and jams.
- It could be anyone of these 3x connectors that can be disconnecting connector pins.

What an nightmare.
It feels like when the machine is "cold"=OFF not used for a couple of hours it starts to Boot Menu and ignores SSD and when "warm"=laptop ON idling for couple of hours it is easier to boot to Win10.
- Maybe copper connectors expand due to heat and connection is better or it is just random hard to tell.

Reply 17 of 17, by aha2940

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I would try to update teh BIOS to the latest version and see if there's any difference. Also, here are the user guide and hardware maintenance manual for your laptop, maybe there is something useful there:

T570 User Guide: https://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccb … _p51s_ug_en.pdf

T570 HMM: https://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccb … _sp40j65584.pdf