Question M.2 SSD is not shown in BIOS Boot Options ?

[bumblegrumble]

PC Specs:
Motherboard: MSI Z790 GAMING PLUS WIFI
CPU: Intel i7-12700K
RAM: 32GB Corsair Vengeance
GPU: Gigabyte RTX 4070
SATA SSD: Samsung SSD 860 EVO 500GB
M.2 SSD: Samsung 980 PRO NVMe 500GB

As the title suggests, my M.2 SSD is not being recognised by the BIOS boot options, however, it is recognised on my file explorer. I've used this M.2 SSD for a few years and only now just decided to move my OS to it, so it's had loads of files saved onto it. I've partitioned it as well.

I've tried to move my OS from my SSD onto my M.2 SSD in multiple ways through bootable media via:

• Created Installation Media for Windows 11 from Microsoft's site
• Downloaded the ISO for Windows 11 and added it to a USB.
• Used Rufus to add the ISO for Windows 11 onto the USB.
• Created Installation Media for Windows 10.

Installation Media method:

• Added it to a USB and tried to install. Drivers not available.
• Downloaded drivers for the motherboard.
• Installed Windows onto M.2
• Compuer recognises that there are two versions of Windows 11 on different SSD's and asks to decide which one to use.
• Choose the M.2 version.
• Remove USB and restart; computer goes into boot loop.
• Check BIOS and M.2 is not in Boot Options.
• Enter Windows through SSD.
• M.2 still not recognised by Boot Options but recognised by File Explorer.
• Reformat M.2 and USB and start again with a different option.

I've done a multitude of different steps to try and get it to work. I have:

• Moved the M.2 into a different slot
• Updated the BIOS
• Updated the drivers for the motherboard
• Updated the drivers for the M.2
• Changed BIOS settings from UEFI to CSM
• Changed VMD Controller to Activated

Quite frankly, I'm at my wits end trying to figure this out because it's taken an entire day better spent doing other things. My only other option is that the M.2 is faulty, but, if it were faulty, why would it be recognised by File Explorer and able to save files into it?

 

[USAFRet]

None of that is how you 'move' the Windows OS from one drive to another.

 

[bumblegrumble]

Ok

None of that is how you 'move' the Windows OS from one drive to another.

Okay, so I was trying to reinstall it into the M.2? Talk about a pedantic response that doesn't help in any way.

 

[USAFRet]

Ok

Okay, so I was trying to reinstall it into the M.2? Talk about a pedantic response that doesn't help in any way.

I was just going by what you wrote?

Now...what are you actually trying to do?
Easy procedures either way.

 

[bumblegrumble]

I was just going by what you wrote?

Now...what are you actually trying to do?
Easy procedures either way.

I'm trying to move/install my OS to my M.2 but the computer doesn't recognise that it's a boot option when I have the OS installed on it. When I remove my SSD, with the current OS I'm using, it doesn't recognise the M.2 in order to boot.

Now the current problem I'm having is that it's now blue screened and saying it's missing the winload.efi.

 

[USAFRet]

I'm trying to move/install my OS to my M.2 but the computer doesn't recognise that it's a boot option when I have the OS installed on it. When I remove my SSD, with the current OS I'm using, it doesn't recognise the M.2 in order to boot.

Now the current problem I'm having is that it's now blue screened and saying it's missing the winload.efi.

Return the system back to original operating config. Without the new drive.

Does it boot up?

 

[bumblegrumble]

Return the system back to original operating config. Without the new drive.

Does it boot up?

It boots up but it goes straight to a blue screen. How do I return the system back to the original operation config?

I Googled it and it's telling me to create a new version of Windows 11 on USB which is currently in progress.

 

[USAFRet]

It boots up but it goes straight to a blue screen. How do I return the system back to the original operation config?

I Googled it and it's telling me to create a new version of Windows 11 on USB which is currently in progress.

"How do I...?"

Unknown, because you've evidently done something quite wrong along the way.
Preventing actual system operation.

 

[bumblegrumble]

"How do I...?"

Unknown, because you've evidently done something quite wrong along the way.
Preventing actual system operation.

So I've added the USB with Windows 11, made by their media creation tool, and it asks for drivers. It does this every time I try to install.

 

[JeffreyP55]

So I've added the USB with Windows 11, made by their media creation tool, and it asks for drivers. It does this every time I try to install.

If the BIOS is not recognizing your boot drive, it may mean the drive is dead. Windows doesn't know that.

 

[Teknoman2]

Forget the boot part. When you enter the BIOS and look at the devices list does the drive show up? If it does, then you need to unplug ALL other drives before installing windows on it. If you have windows installed in one drive and try to reinstall them in another with the old drive still connected, the installer may choose to use the pre existing boot sector of the old drive and you have the boot in one drive and the OS in the other.

 

[SkyNetRising]

If the BIOS is not recognizing your boot drive, it may mean the drive is dead.

No.
In UEFI mode only bootable drives will be listed in boot option.
That means - the drive has to contain bootloader. Without bootloader no drive is bootable.

Note - bootloader is not in the same location as OS. They are housed in different partitions.
Bootloader is in a small 100MB - 500MB EFI system partition.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Quite frankly, I'm at my wits end trying to figure this out because it's taken an entire day better spent doing other things.

1. Have only a single drive connected, while installing windows (if you have another drive with bootloader, new drive will not get bootloader installed on it and will not get made bootable)
2. Turn off Intel RST in BIOS,
3. Turn off VDM controller in BIOS,
4. Turn off Fast Boot in BIOS,
5. Turn off Secure boot in BIOS,
6. Make sure Sata controller is set to AHCI mode (not RAID, not Intel RST).

If you're installing on NVME drive and windows install doesn't detect your NVME drive, then

load NVME drivers during install!​

You can get NVME drivers from Gigabyte Windows USB Installation Tool package.
Download, unzip, locate nvme driver, copy onto USB and load during install.

https://www.gigabyte.com/Support/Utility/Motherboard?kw=windows&p=1

Note -
NVME driver is generic (not limited to specific board manufacturer or M.2 drive manufacturer),
Driver is compatible with windows 7/8/10/11.