How to Fix the Issue of an SSD Not Showing Up in Windows

A missing SSD drive in Windows can be a frustrating issue caused by the drive not being properly initialized or an oversight in the setup process. It’s also possible that the operating system or BIOS/UEFI firmware might not detect the drive if it’s not correctly installed or encountered issues during system boot-up.

If you are facing this issue with an SSD drive that previously functioned without problems, recent Windows updates might be the culprit. This article provides various methods to help resolve missing SSD issues on your PC.

1. Format and Assign a Letter to SSD

Begin by confirming that the SSD drive is initialized and has a drive letter assigned in Windows. Without a drive letter, the SSD will not appear in the File Explorer, as the operating system requires the letter to identify its location.

Through the diskpart utility or the Disk Management tool, you can assign a letter to your drive.

1.1. Using Disk Management

1. Open the Start Menu and search for Disk Management. Launch it.

   

2. Check that your SSD drive is initialized. If not, right-click the SSD and select Initialize Disk.
3. Right-click the Unallocated space on the drive and choose New Simple Volume to start the partitioning process.

   

4. Set the size for the new partition and click ‘Next’.
5. Choose a letter to assign to the new partition and proceed by clicking Next.

   

6. Select Format this volume with the following settings.
7. Set File system to NTFS, and optionally name the partition in the Volume label field.
8. Ensure the Perform a quick format option is selected.

   

9. Click Next to complete the process.

Please note that formatting a drive will erase all data on it. It is critical to back up any important data before proceeding with this step to prevent data loss.

1.2. Using Diskpart

In case the SSD does not appear in Disk Management, the command-line utility diskpart is an alternative.

1. Open the Start Menu, search for ‘Command Prompt’, and select Run as administrator.

   

2. Within the command prompt, type diskpart and press Enter.

   

3. Enter the command list disk and press Enter.
4. Use the command select disk X, replacing X with the correct disk number for your SSD.
5. To create a partition, type create partition primary size=X, where X is the desired size in MBs (for example, for a 100 GB partition, replace X with 102400).

   

6. Then, format the disk with the command format fs=ntfs quick.
7. Assign a drive letter by typing assign letter=X, substituting X with your chosen letter.

   

8. Verify if the SSD is now visible in File Explorer.

Manipulating disk partitions can lead to data loss if not done correctly. Please proceed with caution and ensure you have backups of any important data.

2. Check SSD Drive Installation

A wrongly installed SSD drive often leads to it not being recognized in Windows. It’s important to correctly install the SSD in its designated slot.

If you’re using an NVMe SSD, insert it firmly into the slot. For SATA SSDs, make sure the cables are well connected and not loose.

Another important consideration is the PC’s hardware configuration. The motherboard’s chipset, combined with the system’s PCIe lane distribution, which can be influenced by the CPU, determines which M.2 slots can be used. In certain configurations, using an M.2 slot may disable some PCIe lanes, which could lead to hardware recognition issues.

3. Disable Fast Startup

Fast Startup might interfere with the proper detection of disks upon boot-up because it performs a hybrid shutdown rather than a full shutdown to achieve a faster start time. This feature can preserve system state in a hibernation file, potentially causing issues with hardware initialization.

1. Search for Control Panel in the Start Menu and open it.

   

2. Go to Hardware and Sound > Power Options.

   

3. Click on Choose what the power buttons do in the left menu.

   

4. Deselect the Turn on fast startup checkbox and click Save changes. If the option is greyed out, select Change settings that are currently unavailable.

   

4. Reroll Windows Updates

If an SSD that was previously working fine becomes undetectable after a Windows update, rolling back the update might resolve the issue. Driver updates in particular can cause compatibility issues.

1. Press Windows key + I to open Settings, then head to Windows Updates > Update History > Uninstall updates.

   

2. Select the option to Uninstall next to the recent update.

   

3. After the process completes, restart your PC and check for the issue.

5. Boot into the SSD

If your SSD is recognized in the BIOS but not in Windows, attempting to boot from the SSD can prompt the operating system to detect it. Keep in mind this approach applies only if the SSD contains a bootable operating system.

Restart your PC and access the BIOS setup. Use the Boot Priority menu to select your SSD as the primary boot device. Please note if the SSD is intended for storage rather than booting an OS, modifying the boot order is unnecessary.

6. Disable RAID

A configured RAID setup can sometimes mask the presence of individual drives, causing them not to appear upon installation. Disabling RAID in the BIOS settings may solve this.

Before altering RAID settings, ensure all necessary data is backed up, as disbanding a RAID array will result in data loss. Then proceed to boot into your BIOS and disable RAID, after which you can check if the drive is now detected.

7. Reinstall Windows

Corruption within your Windows installation can prevent new disks from being recognized. In such cases, a clean reinstall of Windows might be necessary.

Please be aware that reinstalling Windows will result in the loss of data on your system partition. Back up any important files before proceeding. Our guide on clean installing Windows offers detailed steps for this process.

8. Faulty SSD 

If none of the above methods rectify the issue, you might be dealing with a faulty SSD. Windows would not detect a damaged SSD due to failed communication with storage controllers.

To confirm the SSD’s condition, try connecting it to a different computer. If it’s still not detected, the SSD likely needs to be replaced. Consider reaching out to the SSD’s manufacturer for assistance.

If you’ve attempted all the suggested solutions but still encounter problems, consider contacting the Windows support team before concluding that the SSD is at fault. The support team might provide additional insights or troubleshooting steps that could resolve your issue.

Always proceed with caution when updating BIOS settings, modifying disk partitions, performing formats, or reinstalling your operating system to avoid accidental data loss. These actions can have irreversible consequences and should only be undertaken if you’re confident in your ability to perform them correctly, or you’ve consulted with a professional.