Replaced Hard drive - now my 'fast move' (SHIFT->arrow |PgUp/PgDn is not working

I guess we had a power spike - I know we lost power because the computer had rebooted. But the message was about not being able to find a boot device. After MUCH futzing around - I THINK I may have had damaged my primary SATA port (weird). I could boot the system from a USB and view the drive contents, but I couldn't figure out how to rebuild the boot drive to boot it. I had made backups of the config files 'just in case' (I'm usually a much bigger risk taker and don't bother) and managed to pull them off the drive before I proceeded with a 'nuke and a repave'. When I couldn't get a new system laid down - I thought it WAS the hard drive then. I had an SSD kicking around that I put in and... same problem. That lead me to try a different SATA port and voila - new system installed. 

Within this new SSD based system I did the latency test (I was seeing a number like 71,000?) and then ran StepConf just to create the files. Once I had the files in place - I overwrote them with my backups and Bob's yer Uncle - my system was up and running. EXCEPT - when I try the fast move using the SHIFT key - all 3 axes move a random, short distance and then there is a sound like it's moving - but it's not. 

I tried to modify the MAX_ACCELERATION  in both the [AXOIS_X] and the [JOINT 0] sections of the .ini. But changing those resulted in a non-start on LinuxCNC. Even as I type this - I THINK the issue might be the stepper timing and not the acceleration. But I'm hoping that the brain trust on LinuxCNC here in the forums can point me in the right direction.

I've searching the online documentation and the 362 page Integrators manual - but there is really SO much underlying knowledge of the workings of Steppers, Servos and 'integration' terminology that just baffles me. I'm still plugging away!

Thanks in advance...

Thanks for the response and my apologies for delay and update - retired life got super busy for a couple weeks... I'm not sure I explained the whole episode clearly - I'll try again.

1) LinuxCNC was reinstalled on the same hardware but with an SSD instead of spinning disk.
2) StepConf was invoked to create new .INI and .HAL files for this new installation - there was no attempt to 'configure' anything using StepConf because I planned on copying over the .INI and .HAL files from my previous working install (spinning disk)
3) For grins and giggles - I attempted to load and run LinuxCNC before overwriting .INI and .HAL - of course it didn't work
4) I overwrote the initial .INI and .HAL files with my copies from the working installation (spinning disk)
5) Initial loading and running of LinuxCNC worked fine
6) Thinking I again had a functional system, my mind went into autopilot and my fingers took over - I wanted to move the router to the center of the workspace an pressed the SHIFT-RT Arrow for a rapid move 'X' and... it jumped a bit and stopped
7) Exactly the same with SHIFT-LT Arrow, SHIFT-UP Arrow, SHIFT-DN Arrow, SHIFT-PgUp and SHIFT-PgDn.

I have not yet run a job to see if it works - I doubt it because any rapid moves would cause a problem. I've done some reading on steppers, timing and BASE_PERIOD and I'm trying to find the timing charts for my steppers. I'm thinking that since LinuxCNC uses software step generation, the new SSD may be just too quick? Although - the configured BASE_PERIOD should be independent of the any HD speed.

My other thought is - my latency test resulted in > 70,000 nS Jitter in the Servo Thread and almost 56,000 nS Jitter in the Base Thread. With Steppers - I'm not sure I'm concerned about the Servo Thread numbers, but when using StepConf, the maximum entry allowed allowed for Base Thread jitter is 50,000. While the instructions for the Latency Test say 'abuse' the system when testing... when running a job - I don't much touch the computer for anything significant - certainly no web surfing or multi-tasking other apps.

Not sure any of that update helps you all help me - I'm reading LinuxCNC forums, documentation and Wiki as well as trying to find timing diagrams or tables for my steppers. Anything anyone can suggest would be really helpful... possibly reduce the acceleration?

EDIT: I should have included some hardware specs...
Dell Optiplex 7020
I3-4150 @ 3.5GHz
8G RAM
Samsung 256G SSD
 

Outside of my use of StepConf - any suggestion as to what I might want to look at to understand why the rapid moves of SHIFT-RT/LT/UP/DN/PG UP/PG DN just move a couple inches and then stop? Unless StepConf 'does' something in file I'm not overwriting from my previous working system.

Again - thanks in advance for any suggestions... I know I'm not the quickest getting back, I have a part time job in my retirement which is starting to occupy me more than I like.

Arden