[SOLVED] BIOS detects SSD but does not boot [Solved]

[Mister_Pink]

[Solved]


Hope this is in the right place.

Goal:

To use my M.2 NVME Samsung 970 Evo Plus from my old Asus laptop in my brand new Asus TUF laptop. Its also the drive I want to boot from.

Problem:

The new TUF laptop recognizes the SSD in the Bios but doesnt boot.


Notes/troubleshooting

No troubleshooting performed. It's worth noting that the SSD was configured to be detected in my last laptop when I bought this SSD new (see my only other thread from a couple of months ago. The solution was that it was changed to AHCI. I'm not sure if that has any bearing on this current issue.

Other threads suggest changing to Legacy in the BIOS. I'm not sure that's even option for this laptop is brand new and I dont think there is the option any more to change to legacy, only UEFI

Any help is much appreciated and apologies if this is in the wrong section.

Also my technical knowledge in these areas is begginer. So dont be afraid to explain to me like I'm 5. 😂

Thank you.

 

[rgd1101]

do a fresh os install

 

[Mister_Pink]

Is that the only solution?

I'm trying to keep my settings, installs intact: I have projects unfinished in FL Studio and Davinci Resolve etc. I'm trying my best to not do a fresh install. Wouldn't a fresh install loose my data?

The new SSD that came with my new laptop worked with my old laptop no problem.

I suppose I was hopong there was a way to get my previous SSD working with my new laptop.

I was trying to avoid going through a sluggish cloning process. But that might be an option?

 

[jay32267]

Back up your data and do a fresh install.

The problems you are having can be caused by trying to use the Windows that was configured for another system,

 

[drea.drechsler]

Is that the only solution?
...

If desperate and have some time to waste you can try a repair install with in-place upgrade. It's not guaranteed to work, but does sometimes. But in the end it's entirely likely to have to do a clean install (that's why you might be wasting time) and in either case you'll want to make backups first so you don't risk your data.

 

[rgd1101]

put the ssd back to the old laptop. backup your data. then do whatever

 

[Mister_Pink]

@jay32267 Thanks for the info.

@drea.drechsler : Thanks Drea, I've resigned to the fact I'll need to do a back up and a fresh install. I think I dreaded it because perhaps I'm need to figure out a good way to back up some of my stuff.

I suppose I can go into the Windows folder and save some Preset folders I have so I try not to lose some data. I'll need to reinstall some programs and I'm sure I'll loose some things. Oh well, it's probably for the best.


@rgd1101 : Thanks, doing that now. "Then do whatever" isnt really helpful. But thanks anway. I need clearer instructions.

 

[Mister_Pink]

Didnt work.

It still didnt recognise the SSD.

I did a clean install of Windows on the SSD on old laptop. Then installed the SSD in my new laptop.

Not working. Its still recognised in the BIOS. It just doesnt want to boot for some reason. It will boot fine if I put it back in my old laptop.

What can I do to make my new laptop recognise this SSD?

 

[jay32267]

"I did a clean install of Windows on the SSD on old laptop. Then installed the SSD in my new laptop. "

No...you need to do the clean install on the new laptop.
You can wind up with similar problems doing it the way you did.

Install the SSD on the new laptop and do a clean install and make sure no other drives are connected.

 

[Mister_Pink]

Which SSD? My preferred but problematic (1tb SSD) or the one that came with the laptop (512gb)?

Thanks for your help.

 

[jay32267]

Which SSD? My preferred but problematic (1tb SSD) or the one that came with the laptop (512gb)?

Thanks for your help.

They are both M2 NVMe drives correct?
Why is the one drive problematic?

 

[Mister_Pink]

They're both m.2 NVME SDDs. Im calling one problematic to give it a name to distinguish it from the other.

So, the 1tb is my preferred SSD. I want to use that in my new laptop. Its problematic because the BIOS in my new laptop detects it but it doesnt boot from it..

The 512gb (came with the new laptop) will work in both laptops, no problem. Do we need to even think about this SSD or can we ignore it?

Currently I have the my problematic/preferred SSD installed to my new laptop and I'm trying to do a clean install of Windows from a USB drive (well, actually its my original 128gb SSD from my old laptop) but its not working.

"Windows cannot be installed to this disk. Setup does not support configuration of or installation to disks connected through a USB or IEEE 1394 port."

Ive no idea what I can do. Starting to give up on Windows. Just want to plug an SSD into a new laptop and im going around in circles. 😭

 

[jay32267]

"Currently I have the my problematic/preferred SSD installed to my new laptop "
Good

"I'm trying to do a clean install of Windows from a USB drive (well, actually its my original 128gb SSD from my old laptop) "

I wouldn't do this.

I would create a bootable Windows install USB.

 

[jay32267]

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[TommyTwoTone66]

Yeah the problem is you are installing on your old laptop. You need to create the USB installer and use that on your new laptop.

 

[Mister_Pink]

I created a Windows boot on a USB flash drive.

It wont allow me because it can't find a drive to install it on. Because my preferred 1tb SSD is not being detected.

"Where do you want to install Windows?" Box with no drives shown.

Its just a terrible cycle. 😭

There has to be some other way. If the BIOS detects my 1tb preffered SSD.

Maybe I need to completely clean the 1tb SSD?

 

[SkyNetRising]

Can you list model names of both M.2 drives?
Could be one is nvme and other is sata and your laptop may support only one of them.

Also - what version of windows are you trying to install? Not windows 7, I hope?
Windows 7 doesn't support nvme drives natively. Specific hotfixes and nvme drivers have to be integrated into installation first.

 

[Mister_Pink]

Thanks for the response.

The working 512gb that came with the new laptop (works in both my laptops) is
NVME HFM512GD3JX013N

The problematic (preferred) 1tb SSD is Samsung Evo Plus 970

Windows 10

 

[TommyTwoTone66]

The new laptop may require a firmware update to be able to boot from the drive. If it’s a brand new model they still might be working out the kinks.

You may also find that the BIOS is locked to certain models or brands of NVMe drive by default so you may need to disable that lockout in the uefi menu.

 

[Mister_Pink]

The new laptop may require a firmware update to be able to boot from the drive. If it’s a brand new model they still might be working out the kinks.

You may also find that the BIOS is locked to certain models or brands of NVMe drive by default so you may need to disable that lockout in the uefi menu.

Thanks for this info. Quite useful to know.

I'll look up about disabling any lockouts that might be there.

Edit: Just found there is a known issue for no storage devices detected during Windows install and there is a driver for it.

 

[TommyTwoTone66]

There is a known issue for no storage devices detected during Windows install and there is a driver for it.

Good to know. Is it a driver that you load in during windows install? Or a firmware update?

 

[Mister_Pink]

Thanks, your post got me thinking to search for the right solution. Thank you so much.

And its a driver you include with the Windows USB boot. Then you manually select the driver during installation. I've never owned a brand new laptop so I wouldn't have really thought about. But now I know.

Thanks again and thanks for everyone that tried to help. Essentially the first mod that said install OS was right but unfortunately things arent always so black and white.

For anyone reading this with same issue and happend to wonder.. 11th generation Intel chips have an issue where they don't detect drives during a USB boot installation of Windows 10. You need to download a driver to the USB and manually launch the driver during installation.


So happy now. 🙏☺️