The SSD is not starting up.
The SSD is not starting up.
Hi everyone, I've been running Windows 11 smoothly over the past year. Recently, my PC shut down and when I tried to turn it back on, the SSD was no longer recognized. Instead, it automatically booted into an older Windows 10 installation on a secondary HDD. When I tried to access it in Windows settings, I could see the SSD listed under Device Manager but couldn't use it. It also appears in BIOS devices, though even with a higher boot order it doesn’t start. Most boot entries are marked as UEFI and point to the primary SSD, which is confusing. Please help me resolve this issue.
You're asking about what stops you from getting to it. Have you tried opening it in File Explorer? If yes, what stops you from viewing it? It shouldn't appear in "This PC" and you might encounter an error when trying to access it. You could try disconnecting the HDD—just unplugging the SATA cable (the smaller connector) will make the SSD bootable without affecting your boot sequence. Ensure no other drives are connected, like USB sticks or external storage. Good luck!
I don’t see it as a storage device under my PC, but when I open Device Manager it appears and functions properly. I removed the HDD and tried booting from the SSD, but it didn’t work even though it’s still listed at the top priority in BIOS—it doesn’t show up as a UEFI device like the others.
In the image you shared, the SSD is placed in a low spot for boot priority, with the highest priority assigned to the left. Refer to https://www.msi.com/support/technical_de...t_Priority. If it doesn’t appear as a UEFI device in this list, it shouldn’t block a successful boot. Because you can’t reach the drive via Explorer, another problem might need attention first. Assuming there are no other bootable devices, the priority order shouldn’t affect the outcome—eventually it will land on your SSD. Still, raising its priority can be useful later. You may want to check Disk Management for more details. It’s strange the drive shows up in Device Manager but not in File Explorer. To open Disk Management, right-click Start and choose Disk Management.
Thanks for your quick replies. I’m just waking up now, so the screenshot was taken before I moved the SSD to the top left. As mentioned, even after removing the secondary HDD, the PC won’t boot, suggesting an MBR issue. I’ve checked Disk Management and can’t find it there—only my two HDD partitions appear visible. However, the SSD is listed in the hardware tab when I right-click on it, and it shows up in Device Manager too.
I can't send images directly. However, I can describe what you typically see when you open Disk Management so you can visualize it.
It seems the expected results weren't what you anticipated. The fact that the drive appears in Device Manager but not in Disk Management is unusual, especially considering all connected drives should show up in Disk Management regardless of file explorer compatibility. For further troubleshooting, try connecting the SSD to the SATA cable you currently use for your HDD, reset the CMOS, and check if the VGA POST indicator on the motherboard functions properly. If these steps don’t resolve the issue, consider using a SATA to USB adapter to access the drive directly. If successful, you’ll confirm the drive is operational and the problem lies elsewhere. Once access is confirmed, it would be wise to back up any critical data.