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- Mar 17, 2003
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So... I'm hoping I am posting this in the right forum... and I'm hoping my memory of the below is in the correct order as I tried them.
Over Christmas, I inherited a Samsung DP700A3D AIO (ATIV One 7) Computer to replace my 8 year old custom build. The specs are as follows:
- Intel® Core™ i5-3470T Processor @ 2.9GHz
- 6GB RAM
- 1TB Hard Drive 5400RPM SATA 2
- Came pre-packaged with Windows 8.1 installed, however it somehow became non-Activated when I got it.
Anyways.... I was trying really hard with Windows 8.1 to Activate it, and maybe see about an upgrade to Windows 10. However, no matter what, 8.1 was not allowing me to do much in the way of even getting to the Activation Screen. It seems like the applet to get into the Activation kept crashing. Checking in the Event Viewer, it seems there was an issue with how the Control Panel (Or Settings - I'm not very savvy when it comes to Win 8.1) was erroring out.
Finally, I had enough - I figured what the heck, I'll install Linux Mint 18.1. Downloaded the ISO, went through the setup and install. After I rebooted to start the OS from the Hard Drive, I'm suddenly brought into the BIOS Screen. I figured, Hmm, OK - Rebooted again, same thing.
I snooped around the BIOS (American Megatrends, FYI) and found that the HDD Password was in a Frozen state. I recalled that there was an option I checked where I had to set a Hard drive password, and that I had to disable the Smart Boot in the BIOS. I went ahead and disabled the Smart Boot and checked UEFI as my option. Though, checking the Boot Order, I was not able to select the hard drive, or really anything. And the same BIOS loop continued to happen.... Checking the CSO option would only boot the computer to a prompt to select the correct Boot Device.
Just in case, I tried to step through the install again on the Mint ISO I burned. Now it kept crashing and would not allow me to select a wireless access point when it prompted me to. Going back into the BIOS, Under the Security option and selecting the hard drive, it comes up as a HDD Password "Frozen"...
Next, I decided to concede and just slap Windows 7 back on. I figured that would be a safe starting point. Nope, when I try to boot from the DVD, it just freezes at the Loading Windows splash screen. OK...
But when I went back into the BIOS again, the
Decided to check the BIOS again, and now I was able to select a boot device... OK, well, lets select the HDD and see what happens. Save Settings, exit, and back to the BIOS Screen.
I stepped through the Linux install again - this time it went all the way through, restarted, and back to the BIOS screen again. And this time around, cannot select the HDD as a boot option (or really anything).
My ultimate goal was to get Windows 10 installed to the computer and make it my main desktop. However, I'm at a loss here. From what I read online, the hard drive may be frozen or locked? Would there be any way to clear this out if that is the case?
I searched around Samsung's site, and there is next to no relative information for me to go on to get this resolved. Furthering the search, I'm not finding much on this device either. So any other ideas I can try, or recommendations, would be greatly appreciated.
Over Christmas, I inherited a Samsung DP700A3D AIO (ATIV One 7) Computer to replace my 8 year old custom build. The specs are as follows:
- Intel® Core™ i5-3470T Processor @ 2.9GHz
- 6GB RAM
- 1TB Hard Drive 5400RPM SATA 2
- Came pre-packaged with Windows 8.1 installed, however it somehow became non-Activated when I got it.
Anyways.... I was trying really hard with Windows 8.1 to Activate it, and maybe see about an upgrade to Windows 10. However, no matter what, 8.1 was not allowing me to do much in the way of even getting to the Activation Screen. It seems like the applet to get into the Activation kept crashing. Checking in the Event Viewer, it seems there was an issue with how the Control Panel (Or Settings - I'm not very savvy when it comes to Win 8.1) was erroring out.
Finally, I had enough - I figured what the heck, I'll install Linux Mint 18.1. Downloaded the ISO, went through the setup and install. After I rebooted to start the OS from the Hard Drive, I'm suddenly brought into the BIOS Screen. I figured, Hmm, OK - Rebooted again, same thing.
I snooped around the BIOS (American Megatrends, FYI) and found that the HDD Password was in a Frozen state. I recalled that there was an option I checked where I had to set a Hard drive password, and that I had to disable the Smart Boot in the BIOS. I went ahead and disabled the Smart Boot and checked UEFI as my option. Though, checking the Boot Order, I was not able to select the hard drive, or really anything. And the same BIOS loop continued to happen.... Checking the CSO option would only boot the computer to a prompt to select the correct Boot Device.
Just in case, I tried to step through the install again on the Mint ISO I burned. Now it kept crashing and would not allow me to select a wireless access point when it prompted me to. Going back into the BIOS, Under the Security option and selecting the hard drive, it comes up as a HDD Password "Frozen"...
Next, I decided to concede and just slap Windows 7 back on. I figured that would be a safe starting point. Nope, when I try to boot from the DVD, it just freezes at the Loading Windows splash screen. OK...
But when I went back into the BIOS again, the
Decided to check the BIOS again, and now I was able to select a boot device... OK, well, lets select the HDD and see what happens. Save Settings, exit, and back to the BIOS Screen.
I stepped through the Linux install again - this time it went all the way through, restarted, and back to the BIOS screen again. And this time around, cannot select the HDD as a boot option (or really anything).
My ultimate goal was to get Windows 10 installed to the computer and make it my main desktop. However, I'm at a loss here. From what I read online, the hard drive may be frozen or locked? Would there be any way to clear this out if that is the case?
I searched around Samsung's site, and there is next to no relative information for me to go on to get this resolved. Furthering the search, I'm not finding much on this device either. So any other ideas I can try, or recommendations, would be greatly appreciated.