Question ASUS MOBO - Not seeing my SSDs after removing/reinstalling

[Jay Cantar]

Hello,
I wonder if someone may be able and willing to help a guy out.

Previously, in 2011, I carefully researched top-quality components (back then) and then custom built a PC tower, (some specs down below), and it has worked flawlessly ever since. No issues whatsoever.

Yesterday, I unplugged all 3 of my SSDs (one of which had my Windows 7 OS on it), to double-check which SSD brands I bought that have proven to be completely reliable and 100% stable – therefore wishing to buy the same, only update them to larger sizes, as they’re older now, and also too full, (not enough free space) for my comfort level.

I also removed them and a few other things to very carefully vacuum the dust out of my tower and fan blades.

But after plugging the 3 SSDs back in, the computer wouldn’t see them after restart – it only sees a USB 2.0 Flash Drive, the CD/DVD Drive, and a Westen Digital 1TB HDD. (This WD HDD is plugged into the same SATA 3 input port as always, just like the 3 SSDs have always been).

I even tried plugging each of the 3 SSDs into the same SATA Input Port that the HDD is in (which obviously works).

Still no love.

(Kind-a starting to feel like divorce court! - but I digress…)

So, I think all 6 (actually 8) of my SATA Ports are all still fine then. It’s got to do with the SSDs just not being seen.

I am able to boot into the ASUS BIOS and also boot into and load the original Windows 7 install disk, but the ‘Repair’ option doesn’t see any OS installed to repair, (since it doesn’t see the SSDs).

Lastly, I can also use that install disk to get into DOS Command option.

I just watched 4 youtube vids on methods to fix this in the BIOS, but most of those are based on Windows 10/11, with newer ASUS MOBOs, and some of them are repaired or reset right from within Windows, (which again, I can’t access).

The few things I did try, didn’t work - like loading the Default Config and/or setting to AHCI, (which it was already).

The SSDs simply don’t show up in the boot menu like they always did before.

So, any help would be much appreciated, as I have very many programs and several documents - some installed all the way back 13 years ago in 2011.
Therefore, some programs may not even be available anymore; some companies have come and gone, (I know this for sure about some of them); and/or maybe only now available for newer OS versions like Win 10/11.

FYI, I have done a full Acronis backup of my main drive onto another external SSD via USB 3.0, (about 6-8 months ago), but I’d still need this tower/rig to see and recognize any SSDs in order to utilize that back up.
(Otherwise, I'd have to clear and use the WD HDD, which I don't want to do.)

Thank you for reading. (Apologies for the long post.)

Jay C.

Edit: I just want to add that I have another older computer (I didn't build), also with Windows 7 on it, and a Lenovo Laptop with Windows 10 on it to utilize, if needed or possible.

Specifications:
MOBO = ASUS: P8Z68 – V PRO
BIOS = Version: 0501
CPU = Intel i7 – 2600k @ 3.40GHz
Memory = 4 x 4 Corsair Vengeance DDR3 1333 Mhz (Total 16384 MB)
SSDs = 2 - Samsung Evo 860; 1 – Crucial M4
Cables = 2 - SATA 3, 2 - SATA 6, (and 1 SATA 3 for the CD/DVD Player)
OS = Windows 7 Home Premium, Service Pack 2 – (all full and final updates)

 

[Lutfij]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

MOBO = ASUS: P8Z68 – V PRO
BIOS = Version: 0501

P8Z68-V PRO - Support

www.asus.com

You have BIOS updates pending. I'd flash tthe BIOS to the latest version, clear the CMOS and then see if that helps.

You forgot to mention the make, model and age of the PSU.

 

[Jay Cantar]

Hello Lutfij - and thank you for the welcome!

Right! Power Supply Unit is the same age, 2011.

It is an Antec 'High Current Gamer' - 520 w. Never a problem, still seems fine.

If there's a separate model number for it, it may be underneath, or behind it, requiring removal for me to see it - not sure, but I don't want to mess with it, the way things are going.


Edit: I'm reading the Manual now, and have downloaded the 2012 BIOS Update - Version #3603.

(Thanks for the link!)

 

[Jay Cantar]

Do you happen to know if it matters which one I do first?

Clear the CMOS 1st - or update (Flash) the BIOS, then the CMOS?

(I'm thinking CMOS first, but I'm not sure.)

Probably wouldn't hurt to throw in a fresh battery on the MOBO as well, if I can get one. But it's buried underneath my CPU Cooler, which is quite large.

 

[JayGau]

Flashing the BIOS will definitely clear the CMOS. There's no better CMOS clear than flashing a BIOS it literally reinstall the software from scratch.

By the way you should not run a no-longer-supported OS. Especially Windows. That's very unsafe.

 

[Jay Cantar]

Thank you for the reply and info, Jay.

(Great name, btw!)

I have to run Windows 7, but am almost never on line - only to update
certain programs, ever-so occassionally. And then, I'm extremely careful, at that, only going to just a few trusted sites, (with firewall & heavy anti-virus protection), when doing so..

I have thought a number of times of going up to Windows 10 or 11, but that would cost more than it would be worth, at this point, now - and for very little gain, (if any). (And I'm not referring to dollar costs.)

This rig is not used like most other computers - going on-line for various things. My other 2 computers, (Desktop, Laptop), are for basic daily, on-line stuff.

I custom built this one, solely as a stand-alone, dedicated rig for recording software only - (Cubase) and stays completely off-line otherwise.

I use what Protonmail VPN calls their 'Permanent Kill Switch', which requires me to over-ride it, if needed, (which is almost never).

Before this option, I actually use to just keep the internet cable physically unplugged, and may even consider still doing so.

Thanks again for the reply, Jay.

Jay C.

 

[Misgar]

I am able to boot into the ASUS BIOS and also boot into and load the original Windows 7 install disk, but the ‘Repair’ option doesn’t see any OS installed to repair, (since it doesn’t see the SSDs).

I'd advise against trying to run a Windows 7 'Repair' because the Windows 7 SSD is probably perfectly OK, but it's not recognized as a bootable drive after the cleaning.

It goes without saying you must have changed something during the cleaning. Simply unplugging the SATA data and power leads shouldn't have affected anything. More likely the BIOS has been altered.

If you remove the CR2032 CMOS backup battery, the user settings will probably be lost. If the SATA controller reverts to RAID or IDE, you might lose visibility of the SSDs.

Looking at the manual for your motherboard, I see there are three SATA controllers, with gray, blue and navy blue ports.

Four of the ports are SATA3 (6Gb/s) and better suited for fast SSD data transfers. The old hard disk can be safely connected to the slower SATA 2 (3Gb/s ports.

Intel® Z68 Express Chipset
- 2 x SATA 6.0 Gb/s ports (gray)
- 4 x SATA 3.0 Gb/s ports (blue)
- Intel ® Rapid Storage Technology supports RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10
- Supports Intel ® Smart Response Technology on 2 nd generation
Intel ® Core TM processor family*
* Intel ® Smart Response Technology supports Windows ® 7/
Vista operating systems.
Marvell ® PCIe SATA 6.0 Gb/s controller**
- 2 x SATA 6.0 Gb/s ports (navy blue)
JMicron® JMB362 SATA controller**
- 1 x eSATA 3.0 Gb/s port
** These SATA ports are for data hard drives only. ATAPI devices
are not supported.

Your first task is to gain control of the BIOS and check you don't have RAID or IDE set up.

Although AHCI is normally used by most people, I have an old Gigabyte mobo with an AMD Phenom II X4 965, where both SATA controllers are set to emulate IDE, i.e. not AHCI.

The computer started off with Windows XP, which doesn't support AHCI unless you slipstream AHCI drivers into the boot DVD, or add them later.

When I installed Windows 7 on another hard disk a few years later, I left the SATA controllers in the IDE emulation mode.

Similarly when it was time to install Windows 10 on a SATA SSD, I kept the BIOS set to IDE mode.

The result is a "non-standard" computer with 3 boot drives in IDE mode running Windows XP, Windows 7 and Windows 10.

If you wiped the user settings during the cleaning process by selecting the default option in the BIOS, or you pulled the CMOS battery, your disk controller(s) may no longer be set in the correct mode to use your SSDs.

There's a big difference between disk drives not being seen in the BIOS (invisible) and not being able to boot from them or see them in Windows. The latter problem may require the correct RAID, AHCI or IDE setting, to make the drives work in Windows.

There is normally a page in the BIOS that shows all the hard disks, SSDs and DVD drives that have been recognised at start up.

You need to check if the SSDs have been detected at startup.....

If the BIOS was originally set to AHCI before cleaning, you need to set it back to AHCI if it's reverted to RAID or IDE.

If the BIOS was originally set to IDE, you need to set it back to IDE if it's reverted to RAID or AHCI.

If the BIOS was originally set to RAID, you need to set it back to RAID if it's reverted to AHCI or IDE.

You could connect the three SATA drives to the older PC and see if they are detected. Do not allow the older PC to boot Windows 7 from the SSD. It wouldn't be the end of the world, but you will see Windows detecting new hardware and installing new drivers.

Good luck.