The SSD isn't appearing during startup.
The SSD isn't appearing during startup.
I’ve been working on building a new boot SSD for about ten hours and still can’t finish. I tried installing via video without using a USB drive (the one I had was for installing the EFI file, but it wouldn’t install no matter what I did) and it kept taking too long. Eventually I accessed the Windows startup menu, applied the recommended MSI drivers, and everything functioned properly. After restarting, the drivers took effect, but when I tried to boot, only my old SSD appeared as an option. I’m really frustrated here.
When you installed Windows on the second drive while the original boot drive was still connected, Windows won't set up a separate boot manager for that second drive. You'll need to use Windows to specify which instance it should boot into during the next start. Advanced settings might help interrupt the boot process, though I'm not very experienced with them. To resolve this, disconnect all drives except the one you're installing on during the installation. Having both Windows boot managers active on the same PC can cause problems.
In BIOS configure CSM/Legacy boot to off and switch to UEFI-only mode. During Windows reinstall, remove all partitions from the new SSD and allow the installer to generate EFI, MSR, and primary partitions automatically. Avoid copying drivers during setup; perform a fresh installation using a USB drive made with the official Media Creation Tool. Once installed, expect Windows Boot Manager Samsung 980/990 to appear first in BIOS. If only your old SSD remains visible, disconnect it during installation to prevent the bootloader from being placed incorrectly on the wrong disk, which is very common.