How to wipe EasyBCD code from a m.2 SSD and put it back to factory defaults

mjjones

mjjones

Member
HI,

I have a Crucial MX500 m.2 2260 SSD in my Elitebook 840g2 on which I installed EasyBCD almost 5 years ago (MBBR, legacy boot). I decided to do a clean install of Wndows 10 Pro but totally forgot to disinstall EasyBCD before reformating my drive. Result is partitions won't align and Windows 10 won't install. I tried cloning a back up of another Elitebook with Macrium Reflect Free and it also failed.

I understand that EasyBCD writes some code inside the drive and I wonder how I can wipe these instructions. I have a backup of the original BCDEasy settings.

Basically I'm very eager to keep this drive because it cost me a small fortune and is not made any longer. A similar drive is only available on the cheapo Asiatic market and I fear it might not be reliable enough for daily use.

Right now I unchecked access to this m.2 drive in HP BIOS so I could keep working from this laptop but I could reinstate it any time.

I have a working usb drive of Hiren's PC which boots OK and lets me access the Command Prompt. I already did a chkdisk and diskpart clean but it didn't solve my problem.

How can a put this m.2 ssd back to its factory defaults?

Many thanks in advance for your assistance.
 
mjjones said:
I understand that EasyBCD writes some code
Click to expand...
You misunderstand.
EasyBCD is a .NET utility program which aids you in managing the Windows bootmgr's BCD file.
It plays absolutely no part in booting your system.
It's only active when you execute it, and it does nothing except add to, modify or delete entries in the BCD if and only if you instruct it so to do.
If you do a clean install of Windows it will no longer exist on your PC.
Even if it were to magic itself back into existence on the PC without you reinstalling it, it would do nothing more than occupy a little disk space till you uninstalled it.
Simply formatting the drive should be all you need to do before reinstalling W10
If the installation is having problems, EasyBCD isn't the cause.
What exactly does the W10 Setup program say is its problem ?
 
Thank you Terry, I'll try again tonight and report back.

I'd read somewhere on the site that something is written on the disk itself . Will look for this 'cos I was in panic and didn't document both findings.
 
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