M.2 SSD install booting to windows problems and M.2 SSD disappearing after some reboots

[Mikkel_6]

I installed an M.2 SSD, and since then I haven't been able to boot properly.

I already have 1 regular SSD installed and 2 HDD. I normally boot Windows 10 from my SSD.

I recently got a M.2 SSD from my brother in law and wanted to install it.

First i installed the M2 SSD. tried to boot, but upon restarting it tried to boot from the M.2 SSD, which already had a windows 7 on it. I managed to get in to my UEFI and booted from my regular SSD with Windows 10 on it.

From here, I formatted the M2 SSD.

Tried to restart, but it wouldn't boot anything and stated something was wrong with windows and I had 3 options, to which, I've forgotten what those 3 options was.. but it didn't get me anywhere.

I managed to get in to UEFI/BIOS and noticed that i couldn't change the boot order, but I could click a specific HDD to boot from.

Sooo... now, after rebooting a lot, it takes FOREVER to get pass the Motherboard Splash screen, BUT it does actually boot into my regular Windows 10.. AND on top of that, when getting into windows after a couple of minutes, my M2 SSD is gone from 'My Computer' and from 'Disk Management'.

WTH happened and what can I do?

Many thanks in advance,

Mikkel

EDIT 1: After removing M.2 SSD, my PC boots as usual. No 1-2 minutes wait at MOBO splash screen.

EDIT 2: Installed M.2 SSD again, and now I get that 3 option menu again, where it says:

1. Insert your installation disc and restart your computer

2. Choose your language settings and then click "Next"

3. Click "Repair your computer"

I inserted my Installation USB drive, cuz its a Windows 10 Distro???

So when i manage to get further from that menu, It offers me to boot from windows 7.

I've already FORMATTED the M.2 SSD which contained Windows 7 Distro.

I suspect that i didnt format it COMPLETELY and noticed just now, that theres a partion on it. I tried to delete it, and succeeded, but the M2 SSD is still missing the 13 or so GB.

So, dear computer GURUS... please point me in the right direction to solve my issues!

Thanks!

 

[karenjoly]

Try this
Disconnect all drives except for the M2
Start a windows 10 install up to the point of selecting the type of install . Chose Custom. You have before you any partitions on the M2 which the format may have missed. Nuk'em all!

Now you can continue on with a fresh install or shut down, hook up the original Win 10 drive and see what you got in disk management.

 

[Mikkel_6]

ill try that right now! Hold on tight for further updates!

 

[Mikkel_6]

Didnt do anything.

I came to the screen where it says "windows failed to start. a recent hardware or software change might be the cause. To fix the problem: 1. Insert your installation disc and restart your computer

2. Choose your language settings and then click "Next"

3. Click "Repair your computer"

managed to get to a second screen asking which variant i would like to install, and chose Windows Setup 64-bit

After waiting for the loading screen, it asks me to install Windows 7 !

And when i actually try to install Windows 7 on it, it goes back to the first screen again with the 3 options ;-(

 

[Mikkel_6]

And I just did another format of the drives.

I ran a command; Diskpart


The m.2 was still splitted up in two, with like 235gb on one partion and about 13.5gb on another one.

I then chose partion with 235gb and cleaned it.

Then i tried doing it with the other partion with 13.5 gb and got this error: the request could not be performed because of an i/o device error !

And now... now both the partions are gone from My Computer.

 

[Mikkel_6]

Found the solution couple of hours ago.

So to anyone who struggles with the same as I did, heres what I did:

After cleaning the drive in diskpart, having the smaller partion deleted, I simply went in to Disk Management, found the disk and created a new drive.

Hope this helps!

 

[karenjoly]

This is a 256 GB drive ? And you created one new drive ? What is the size of the drive that shows up in My Computer/Disk Management ?

 

[Mikkel_6]

It is a 256 gb drive, yes. And it shows as 238gb.