The Linux Mint installer isn't detecting the SSD device.
The Linux Mint installer isn't detecting the SSD device.
The experience of a seamless Linux setup faded, and now it's about facing the real situation. I'm attempting to set up Mint on a brand new SSD using a live USB, which is running from this device. My board features two M.2 drives—a PCIe 3.1 256GB unit (labeled "Drive 1") and a PCIe 3.0 512GB unit ("Drive 2"). Neither has ever stored any files. The challenge lies in the installation method: whether I use the Mint install link on the desktop or opt for the boot menu, I consistently face a choice between "install now" (with a strong warning about erasing everything) and "something else," which I select. This leads to a partition manager interface where only Drive 2 appears, leaving Drive 1 unavailable. I've searched extensively, realizing many encounter similar issues without enabling AHCI mode. In my BIOS, it's set to AHCI, but I'm unsure if that affects non-SATA devices. I checked if Drive 1 shows up in BIOS and confirmed it does, though it appears first in the boot sequence. I ran commands like `fdisk -l` on both drives, noting Drive 1 is detected but only accessible via specific tools. The lack of a visible option for Drive 1 suggests possible configuration or driver issues.
I tried to postpone as long as possible (annoyed by those M.2 screws), but it seems the next action was re-seating "Drive 1" before. I haven't tested it yet, but I'll look for a spare USB drive just in case (otherwise I might have to overwrite Mint).
I might use GParted, it's a bootable partition manager. If the drive appears in GParted, format it with NTFS or ext2 quickly then retry the Mint install. https://gparted.sourceforge.io/livecd.php If that fails, consider testing hardware as @Sauron recommended.
I'm also trying to avoid that while connecting a DVD reader and bypassing the USB-drive overwriting problem (should have Windows 7, Windows Server 2012, and even some Windows 10 preview discs available). Right now we need to eat; we'll look at your suggestions later (though I'm running low on hope for GParted based on what came up when trying it in the live USB). But if it's a driver issue, it might work either way. Thanks to everyone who has helped so far!
Verify that the secure boot feature in your BIOS remains active.
Consider this: During my studies a few months back, I discovered certain motherboards with instructions about SATA devices in M.2 slots. It seemed M.2 slot 2 would be turned off if a device was connected to slot 1. Just to avoid any confusion or mistakes.
Let me clarify the output you're seeing. The lsblk command typically lists block devices, and it should include all storage devices like SSDs. If another SSD isn't appearing, double-check your device configuration or ensure it's properly mounted.