[SOLVED] SSD not visible in BIOS Boot Menu

[parth35]

Hi guys, I hope someone can please help me out. I am about to pull my hair out.

So I am trying to add an SSD to my laptop which has a HDD. I have installed the SSD in the optical drive. I have also cloned the HDD to the SSD using Macrium Reflect. Both drives are visible in File explorer under This PC. Now I am just trying to change the boot priority in the BIOS however the SSD doesnt show up in the BIOS anywhere. I also do not have SATA config in the BIOS. I have updated the BIOS and tried but no luck.
My laptop is a Toshiba Satellite P-50A

Anyone able to lead me in the right direction?

 

[USAFRet]

What specific SSD?
If a regular 2.5" drive, I would physically swap the HDD for the new SSD.

Take the HDD out and put the SSD in that same location.

 

[Jmusic88]

Because you put your SSD in instead of the optical drive, I'm assuming it's a 2.5 SATA drive.

The optical drive tends to use slower speeds. Most likely it's using SATA 2 or lower so you will not fully maximize your SSD's read/write speeds, which is why I recommend you put it where your HDD was as USAFRet recommended.

Once you swap the two (your HDD is now where your optical drive is) if you still don't see it in the boot priority, there is an additional boot priority (at least in my Bios) called Hard Drive BBS priority, you should find your HDD there. If you do, put it as #1. Then go back to your bios boot priority, it should now be there.

 

[parth35]

Thanks guys, I will try that and let you know. However I had one question.
The SSD is SATA 3 compatible, meaning it should still work if put on SATA 2 or lower connection correct?

I do not have that Hard Drive BBS priority option in my BIOS. I was looking at videos online and people do mention that however my BIOS is very simple with not that many options.

I was also wondering, after I do the swap, will the SSD and HDD(in the optical drive) both show up in the boot priority?

 

[parth35]

I installed the Samsung 850 or 860 Evo 1TB SSD.

 

[USAFRet]

SATA is backwards and forwards compatible. It will work.

Unknown as to whether the HDD will also show in the boot selection.
But...don't "swap" initially. Remove the HDD and put the SSD in its place.
See if THAT works.
Later, put the HDD in.

One thing at a time.


Also, you should not have an OS on both of those. That just leads to confusion.

 

[Jmusic88]

Thanks guys, I will try that and let you know. However I had one question.
The SSD is SATA 3 compatible, meaning it should still work if put on SATA 2 or lower connection correct?

I do not have that Hard Drive BBS priority option in my BIOS. I was looking at videos online and people do mention that however my BIOS is very simple with not that many options.

I was also wondering, after I do the swap, will the SSD and HDD(in the optical drive) both show up in the boot priority?

Your SSD will work in a SATA 2 or Lower connection. But you will get SATA 2 or lower speeds. You won't get what your SSD is advertised for.

Try what USAFret recommended first. If it still doesn't show up. Take a picture of your Bios menus (all tabs) and post them here (you can use imgur to host them).

 

[parth35]

Perfect, thanks so much, i will implement the suggestions today and get back to you guys. Thanks a lot.

 

[parth35]

Hi Guys,

So as per USAFret suggestion, I removed both the SSD and HDD, Installed physically the SSD where the HDD used to be and turned on PC, it turned on fine with the SSD being the C drive. When I went to the BIOS I did see the SSD being the first priority. Then I turned off computer and installed the HDD in the optical drive and powered it on. HDD is visible in File Explorer with SSD being the C drive. Now I wanted to see if the HDD showed up in the BIOS Boot Menu, however it did not. I have added 6 pictures of my BIOS screen when both SSD (C drive) and HDD (optical drive) were installed.

I also saw something really really really weird, I went to disk managment and saw there were so many more partitions on the SSD now randomly, and the size doesn't even make sense. Please see picture "Disk Management".

Let me know what your thoughts are and how I can fix both scenarios. Thanks a lot for all the help so far.

Picture 1
Picture 2
Picture 3
Picture 4
Picture 5
Picture 6
Disk Management

 

[USAFRet]

Wow. That is all kinds of messed up.
I'm assuming the top drive (Disk 0?) is the new SSD, and Disk 1 is the HDD?

 

[Jmusic88]

Lots of stuff there, very messy lol. If you remove the HDD completely, how does the disk management look like?

I'm assuming that you installed that drive using an HDD caddy? Does it have a DIP switch for laptop compatibility? Not sure if this will make any difference, but if you have an external hard drive enclosure, if you connect it via USB does it show the same partitions?

 

[parth35]

Hi guys,
Yes Disk 0 being the SSD, Disk 1 being the HDD.
Disk Management is very messy, it doesnt even make sense. Could i just delete all those useless partitions?

If i remove the HDD completely the disk management looks the same, messy. Im not sure about the DIP switch and i dont have USB to SATA connection cable, so cant check that.

 

[Jmusic88]

Hi guys,
Yes Disk 0 being the SSD, Disk 1 being the HDD.
Disk Management is very messy, it doesnt even make sense. Could i just delete all those useless partitions?

If i remove the HDD completely the disk management looks the same, messy. Im not sure about the DIP switch and i dont have USB to SATA connection cable, so cant check that.

Do not delete anything you will certainly mess something up and your windows probably won't boot anymore.

How is your HDD fitting in the optical drive's slot? You are using an HDD caddy? The caddy itself may have a DIP switch. If it does, it probably won't do anything but worth a try.

Back to your situation though. If you remove your SSD completely, put your HDD back and load up windows. You will only have those 5 partitions that I see under disk 1 right?

At this point I think your cloning process didn't go well. I would try a different software. I personally used easeus to do backup with no issues. Others have used aeomi backupper. I think you should try and re-clone. Once it's done, remove your HDD completely. Replace it with your SSD (don't connect your HDD back at this point). Make sure your SSD is boot priority 1 (will probably be called 'windows boot manager'), load your windows, check your disk management, hopefully by then it's normal. Do a couple of restarts to make sure it works. Then install your HDD in your optical drive and check if it worked.

 

[USAFRet]

That absolutely needs to be done again.
Try the clone operation once more. If it still ends up weird...time for just a clean install on the SSD.

That current state is unworkable and unfixable.

 

[parth35]

Hey guys,
Thanks, I followed your steps.
So I installed my old HDD into its old original place and put the SSD in the caddy, started windows and then wiped the SSD clean like its new, then I recloned the HDD to the SSD. Afterwards, I took out both drives and installed only the SSD into the original old position where the HDD was and started windows with only the SSD, everything works fine and all those messy partitions are gone, only showing all the exact same partitions that are on the HDD.

Now before I put the HDD into the caddy, I want to clean all data on the SSD and have only the OS on it, so basically a reinstall of Windows. So the SSD will have the OS that I can boot from and thats it. Then I want to install the HDD in the caddy and use that as storage. Any suggestions or steps I can take to do this? I have Windows 8.1.

Yes my HDD fits perfectly in the caddy. The caddy does have a DIP switch but it doesnt do anything, i tried putting in all different positions and installing the HDD but its never shows up in the BIOS boot menu.

 

[USAFRet]

Now before I put the HDD into the caddy, I want to clean all data on the SSD and have only the OS on it, so basically a reinstall of Windows. So the SSD will have the OS that I can boot from and thats it. Then I want to install the HDD in the caddy and use that as storage. Any suggestions or steps I can take to do this? I have Windows 8.1.

So then do a new clean install on that drive.
Wipe all partitions on it during the process.

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[parth35]

But that is for Windows 10, does it make a difference?

 

[USAFRet]

But that is for Windows 10, does it make a difference?

Oh, 8.1
Well, the procedures are a bit different.

But it needs to happen just the same.

 

[parth35]

I was looking around and I saw that i can do the following listed in the link, use "Reset this PC" option and it will wipe everything but the OS. What are your thoughts?

Everything You Need to Know About “Reset This PC” in Windows 10 and Windows 11

Windows includes a “Reset your PC” option that quickly restores Windows to its factory default configuration. It’s faster and more convenient than reinstalling Windows 10 or Windows 11 from scratch.

www.howtogeek.com

 

[Jmusic88]

I was looking around and I saw that i can do the following listed in the link, use "Reset this PC" option and it will wipe everything but the OS. What are your thoughts?

Everything You Need to Know About “Reset This PC” in Windows 10 and Windows 11

Windows includes a “Reset your PC” option that quickly restores Windows to its factory default configuration. It’s faster and more convenient than reinstalling Windows 10 or Windows 11 from scratch.

www.howtogeek.com

First I'm glad everything worked out for you!

Second, if that option is available for you to use then use it. "Reset this PC" option will give you a clean windows copy.

You kind of did everything backwards though. If you wanted a clean OS drive from the start, without anything else then you could of done it a different way without cloning. Either way, that option is available within Windows so use it, it'll delete everything and you'll have a bare, fresh copy of windows.

 

[parth35]

Perfect!! Im really thankful for you guys to help me out, really really appreciate it.

Im going to try that option and let you know how it goes.