[SOLVED] SSD does not appear in Windows 10 setup/diskpart, but does appear in Windows/BIOs

[kaelum.ross]

Hi all, usually try to avoid posting but I simply cannot find an answer to this one

I am running windows 10 from a HDD and recently purchased an SSD, have used the SSD as a secondary drive for a couple of months, works perfectly - the HDD is starting to have some read errors (getting old) so I am trying to install Windows 10 on the SSD.

When I get to windows setup, I cannot see the SSD in the list of drives, I have tried:

1. going through diskpart - the drive does not appear here during the windows setup, but bizzarely, it WILL appear if I access diskpart through the existing installed OS.
2. formatting, partioning, trying to load via MBR/GPT
3. Updating motherboard BIOs
4. Checking MB is set to AHCI
5. ensuring only the SSD is plugging in (no HDD)

The Windows install disc successfully reinstalled Windows 10 on the HDD so I do not believe this is the problem.

Motherboard: Asus - Maximus VII ranger
SSD: Sandisk SSD Plus 240GB

Any help greatly appreciated

 

[Colif]

5. includes no data and power cables?

the only drive attached should be the ssd

tried different sata cables?

tried running this on ssd and see if you have latest Firmware https://kb.sandisk.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/15108/?_ga=2.15340726.1633598091.1549167198-341572857.1540370489

I can find some talk about not being able to install win 10 on Sandisk ssd but they mostly 120gb versions

 

[kaelum.ross]

Hi Colif, tried everything you mentioned to no avail.

Will add that on that sandisk SSD dashboard, it does not recognise my SSD - though I have to reiterate the SSD works perfectly normally while using it as a second drive and can format/partition it without problem.

Update to last time, I tried to run the Windows 10 install disc from the currently installed windows on the HDD (as opposed to straight from boot on DVD) and here, the drive does show up, however I get the error message:

"Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This computer's hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure that the disk's controller is enabled in the computer's BIOS menu."

I've tried the fixes online for this one also, included MB resets, disabling fast/secure boot, no changes.

The option to click next here was not greyed out, so I tried installing on the SSD anyway, it gets past the initial setup, but when the device restarts and I boot from the SSD, it continues the setup for a little while and then says "Windows cannot locate partition to install windows" - there doesn't seem to be any posts with this error.

So a fully installed version of windows can detect the drive normally, but booting it from scratch and it isnt detected, would (seem to) suggest that it's something BIOs related but for the life of me I can't figure out what else to tinker with.

 

[kerberos_20]

check your bios for CSM (should be on boot settings)
try with enabled/disabled CSM for storage

 

[kaelum.ross]

No luck I'm afraid, the cam storage option is "ignore" instead of disable but I tried that, and every other option for csm storage but no change in result, also tried disabling launch csm as a whole.but it wouldn't take me past the bios screen

 

[karenjoly]

Ensure you are installing from the latest files from the download site
https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/software-download/windows10

Then ensure the system is set to boot UEFI with CSM /AHCI both enabled and that the media tool, likely a usb , reports as an UEFI aware device when you select a boot device for the first time. Like UEFI: USB or Windows Boot Manager: USB. Now, does the ssd show up on the install location screen ? If not I think it should be replaced.