[SOLVED] BIOS sometimes not recognizing SSD (both in boot priority and list of SATA connections) after restart

[fezrock]

I was having what I thought was problems with my old hard drive, so I decided to replace it and decided to get an SSD as well. I think I installed Windows 10 correctly on to the SSD (at least, in msconfig there is only entry for Windows 10 and it is lablled the default and current) and have it and the other new hard drive hooked up. However, I am having some issues.

First, often when the PC restarts, the BIOS does not recognize that the SSD exists. It's not an option in the boot priority list and under storage connections the SATA port just saying "nothing detected." This happens probably 2/3rds of the times that there's been a restart. However, there are times where the SSD is recognized and shows up in the connections list and in the boot priority.

Second, potentially related, potentially not, when the SSD is recognized, there usually also an option in the boot priority list called "Windows Boot Manager." This has never shown up when the SSD is not recognized, but there has been at least one time where the SSD was recognized but Windows Boot Manager did not appear. I can only launch Windows 10 if I select Windows Boot Manager as the first boot priority. If I select the name of the SSD I get the same error message about no boot media existing that I get if I select the HDD (which has nothing related to the Windows install on it). I did read somewhere that this is normal, but I wanted to confirm.

Third, and not entirely related, the reason I replaced the old hard drive was because I was told it was the likely culprit behind the previous issues I had been having; which were more frequent blue screen of death crashes, slow start-up of Windows after restarts, and one time when I restarted I got the error message about no boot media being detected. However, today I had another one of those BSOD crashes (it was in the same video game that I often had been getting them from, but I would think a video game would just cause a crash to desktop not a BSOD), which is making me wonder if the problem is with motherboard and not the old hard drive. Although, when everything works right now and Windows does boot up, it is happening a lot faster than before.

Fixing issue one is my most pressing concern and I have no idea what to check in the BIOS (or in Windows the next time it boots properly) to see if something is wrong. I'm happy to share whatever information is useful. Also, I'm getting a new SATA cable on Thursday in case the issue is that the old cable is faulty; so that's one thing I'm on top of checking. Thanks!

 

[kerberos_20]

if it happens with two drives, i doubt new cable will resolve it, thats either sata controller issue or bios flaw.
anyway, u didnt mention which mainboard u have, still u should have atleast 2 sata controllers on your mobo, try to use your 2nd controller (usualy last 2 ports)

 

[fezrock]

if it happens with two drives, i doubt new cable will resolve it, thats either sata controller issue or bios flaw.
anyway, u didnt mention which mainboard u have, still u should have atleast 2 sata controllers on your mobo, try to use your 2nd controller (usualy last 2 ports)

The first drive only had the issue with not being recognized by the BIOS once (and it was over a month ago), the SSD has had it happen at least a dozen times since I did the install on Sunday. It's possible the problem is just with the BIOS, or the motherboard physically, or the SATA cable or controller; but if that's the case it's gotten much, much worse ever in the past two days. I have had the one BSOD crash since the install, but I had four on Saturday, the last day I was using the old drive. Its possible something is just truly messed up with the computer game I was playing though, since 3 of those 4 crashes and the 1 with the SSD were while I was in the game. I've no idea.

The board is a ASROCK H97M PRO MATX LGA 1150.

Also, I forgot to note, I actually have 3 drives hooked up to it now. There's the 500gb SSD, the new 4TB HDD, and an older 1TB HDD. The 1TB had already been in the PC, I got it a couple years ago when the primary 1TB HDD (which is the one I just replaced) ran out of storage space. Each drive has its own SATA controller, so the SDD is in port 1, the 4TB HDD in port 3, and the 1TB HDD in port 5. Since there are enough SATA controllers on the board for these drives I'd assumed it was fine to have 3 connected, but is it possible that's too much for the board to handle?

 

[kerberos_20]

well one controller can have up to 4 ports, so sata_0 up to sata_3 slots have same 1 controller (should be intel), last 2 (sata_4/5) are using different controller (can be also intel but mostly asmedia)

so by trying different controller, try to move your sata cable to either one of last 2 ports