SSD not detected in Windows, detected in BIOS.

[imSamy]

Hi, I just got a new laptop ASUS k501ux which listed 1 TB + 16 GB SSD as storage. The windows 10 is installed on 1 TB and the 16 GB? I simply cannot find/allocate. I tried Windows Disk Management to find the drive but it only lists the 1 TB one.. I then downloaded SpeedFan and by accident it somehow detected the 16 GB kingston SSD. So I lurked the internet for a while and thought I might go into BIOS to check if its there and it was. BIOS was set on RAID.. I read that in order to run the ssd AHCI would need to be selected. I tried that and when I started up the laptop, it gave me an error saying Inaccessabe boot device.. I dont know what else to do.

Thanks in advance..

 

[SidneyFalco]

Where did you get your laptop from? If Windows 10 is installed on the 1 TB drive instead of the 16 GB drive, then whoever configured your computer did it wrong and installed the operating system on the wrong drive. The reason you're getting the inaccessible boot device error is when you made the switch in the BIOS your computer is now trying to boot Windows off the 16GB SSD (which should have had Windows on there) but it's not on there.

If you can return the laptop, I'd do so and save yourself the trouble. Otherwise, you can just install Windows 10 on the 16GB drive and then format the 1TB drive when you get Windows up and running

 

[Dragos Manea]

I dont think it is ok to install a windows on 16GB drive, even 60GB is a bit low, minimum would be 120gb, also it might be a sshd that needs to be configured in raid and the company that sold it to you had no clue to configure it correctly.

 

[USAFRet]

The 16GB drive is simply a cache for the 1TB. You can't install the OS to it.
You can't even use it as a discrete drive. It is basically invisible to the user.

 

[USAFRet]

Where did you get your laptop from? If Windows 10 is installed on the 1 TB drive instead of the 16 GB drive, then whoever configured your computer did it wrong and installed the operating system on the wrong drive. The reason you're getting the inaccessible boot device error is when you made the switch in the BIOS your computer is now trying to boot Windows off the 16GB SSD (which should have had Windows on there) but it's not on there.

If you can return the laptop, I'd do so and save yourself the trouble. Otherwise, you can just install Windows 10 on the 16GB drive and then format the 1TB drive when you get Windows up and running

No, you can't install the OS on a 16GB drive. Windows requires a 20GB drive minimum, and for actual operation, a 32GB drive is still too small.

 

[imSamy]

Where did you get your laptop from? If Windows 10 is installed on the 1 TB drive instead of the 16 GB drive, then whoever configured your computer did it wrong and installed the operating system on the wrong drive. The reason you're getting the inaccessible boot device error is when you made the switch in the BIOS your computer is now trying to boot Windows off the 16GB SSD (which should have had Windows on there) but it's not on there.

If you can return the laptop, I'd do so and save yourself the trouble. Otherwise, you can just install Windows 10 on the 16GB drive and then format the 1TB drive when you get Windows up and running

I don't think 16GB is enough for Windows 10.. isnt it? I got the laptop from a legit showroom, laptop box was sealed from ASUS. I believe thats how ASUS set it up.

 

[imSamy]

The 16GB drive is simply a cache for the 1TB. You can't install the OS to it.
You can't even use it as a discrete drive. It is basically invisible to the user.

So what exactly is the purpose of that ssd?

 

[SidneyFalco]

Where did you get your laptop from? If Windows 10 is installed on the 1 TB drive instead of the 16 GB drive, then whoever configured your computer did it wrong and installed the operating system on the wrong drive. The reason you're getting the inaccessible boot device error is when you made the switch in the BIOS your computer is now trying to boot Windows off the 16GB SSD (which should have had Windows on there) but it's not on there.

If you can return the laptop, I'd do so and save yourself the trouble. Otherwise, you can just install Windows 10 on the 16GB drive and then format the 1TB drive when you get Windows up and running

No, you can't install the OS on a 16GB drive. Windows requires a 20GB drive minimum, and for actual operation, a 32GB drive is still too small.

Sorry, I'm a bit tired from dealing with my own computer issues, I misread the OP's post and didn't stop to think if a 16GB drive would actually be sold in today's day and age let alone would it be usable for the most recent version of Windows. Agree with everything you wrote

 

[SkyNetRising]

Just go into BIOS and change sata controller back to RAID.
That 16BG SSD is meant for caching only and everything there was configured right.

 

[imSamy]

Ok thanks for clarification guys.

 

[USAFRet]

The 16GB drive is simply a cache for the 1TB. You can't install the OS to it.
You can't even use it as a discrete drive. It is basically invisible to the user.

So what exactly is the purpose of that ssd?

A small space to cache data coming from the HDD. The system learns what individual files that are used the most, and those end up on that 16GB cache space. When the system wants one of those, it reads it off the fast SSD rather than the slower HDD.

This works exactly like a SSHD hybrid drive.