Issues when replacing the SSD

So I decided to upgrade the SSD and the RAM in my Aspire One, replacing the 8GB SSD with a 16GB CF card. I do the necessary surgery, replacing the 512MB module with a 1GB module, and the SSD with the CF card (with the appropriate adapter). I put it back together, making sure that every component was plugged back in. Upon starting the machine up, I get a green power light, but nothing on the screen -- not even the BIOS screen. I swapped the CF card with the SSD, and it worked perfectly again. What is most likely the problem? Could the problem lie with the card, or maybe even the CF-to-ZIF adapter?

 

Maybe you connected the zif cable upside down, so it didn't make contact?

 

That would be interesting. Would that prevent the computer from starting up at all (i.e. black screen)?

 

I tried flipping the cable on the card end (I know that the mainboard end is correct), and the computer would not even turn on. After reversing this, it was able to turn on again (albeit with the same issue of black-screen-only).

 

Someone on an IRC channel suggested that I duplicate the data from the SSD, bit for bit, and put it on the CF card. This would account for the fact that the SSD has boot data that the CF card does not. I am going to try it and report back.

 

Hm. This sounds very weird, how could the information of the CF card make a difference? Did you update your BIOS?
My computer didn't start (black screen) if I didn't have the CF card in the adapter, and it didn't recognize the card if I had it in the adapter. I've almost given up this mod, and I'm looking for an old ipod hdd in stead

 

I did not update the BIOS; it is the same BIOS as it was out of the box. Should I try flashing the BIOS via a procedure I saw (where you load the new BIOS on a flash drive, etc.)?

 

As a diagnostic, I tried to see what would happen if I had nothing plugged into the hard drive slot. The computer boots up fine, though it notes the obvious lack of hard drive.

So let's see...

SSD: Boots
Nothing at all: Boots
CF card: Displays nothing, fan operates, drive light stays on.

I am therefore inclined to believe that there is something about the card or the adapter which stalls the startup procedure between "powering up the device" and "displaying the BIOS on screen".

 

The computer boots up when I use a different CF card -- a 1GB card I had lying around -- so I am thinking the problems are inherent to the 16GB card I tried to use. What would be the issue with a CF card that makes it pretty much unusable in my Aspire One?

(I know it is capable of storage, because I have managed to load files onto it.)