Windows 10 installation isn't recognizing SSDs.
Windows 10 installation isn't recognizing SSDs.
I recently acquired an Acer Spin laptop for my regular commute at work (https://www.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/mo....A9VAA.001). Unfortunately, it only features a 500GB SSD. Don’t worry, just get a 1TB 970 EVO Plus instead. Install the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool and follow the steps I’ve repeated many times before. (Windows 11 isn’t compatible with some of my job requirements yet.) Remove the original drive and install the new one. When I boot from USB, I see a welcome message indicating no drives are detected. I’m allowed to load drivers for the SSD. In BIOS, I confirm the SSD is present and attempt to adjust secure boot and TPM settings. I try reinstalling Windows again but still can’t locate the drive. I back up the system and reinstall both drives together. After rebooting into Windows, I use Disk Management to format the new drive as if it were initialized. Despite my research, it still doesn’t show up during installation. I’ve reinstalled both drives, but neither is detected by the installer, even though BIOS recognizes them. I’ve looked up older hardware—pretty much anything under 10GB is fine. I’m very comfortable with ASUS BIOS and have no trouble disabling security features or clearing TPM. I’ve attached photos from last night when only the new drive was installed. Now both drives are recognized in BIOS but not by Windows.
Interesting, after both drives are installed, do they appear in the boot options with the correct priority settings? Have you checked if secure boot is completely disabled during installation? Also, would switching to another installer—like a Linux distribution or an older Windows version—help the system recognize the drive? This issue definitely feels really annoying, so I’m hoping you can find a solution!
The Samsung drive isn't listed in the boot sequence. Both USB drives for the installer appear, but only the OEM Kingston drive shows up. I've attempted this without enabling secure boot, yet it didn't work. I suspect the installation media might be faulty, though I'm out of town tonight and won't return until Sunday. I was counting on finishing it before I left...
You're unsure about the issue you're encountering. What exactly is happening? You mentioned receiving a message indicating no drives are detected and being prompted to load drivers for your SSD. Are you trying to resolve this problem? If you visit the manufacturer's site, download the SATA controller drivers. Remember, you must extract them without using zip or an installer. At this stage, Windows isn't installed—only its setup is present. You need the .inf file and related files. Is it because these aren't functioning properly? If there are no available drivers from the manufacturer, check your system's SATA controller (or chipset) and obtain the appropriate drivers from the manufacturer's website. The problem seems to be that Acer didn't include a SATA controller or chipset that supports basic Windows SATA drivers.
This article was discovered by a colleague. You can read it here: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/...orage.html