Windows fails to set up on SSD even though it appears in Windows and the BIOS is accessible.
Windows fails to set up on SSD even though it appears in Windows and the BIOS is accessible.
Here’s a revised version of your instructions:
1. Ensure all SATA and USB devices are disconnected; only the M.2 drive should be installed.
2. Navigate to the BIOS settings, locate the CSM option under the boot section, and ensure it’s turned off.
3. Select the secure boot setting below and choose a different operating system—avoid Windows UEFI.
4. Open key management and remove any secure boot credentials.
5. Insert a USB drive containing a bootable Windows 10 ISO with UEFI support.
6. Press F10 to save changes, exit the menu, and restart the computer.
7. Windows will begin installation on your NVMe storage, using its built-in driver.
8. Upon rebooting, press F2 during startup to return to BIOS; under boot priority, your NVMe drive should appear.
9. Revisit secure boot settings and set it to UEFI mode.
10. Go back to key management and install the default secure boot keys.
11. Press F10 again to finalize the setup and close the installation process.
Once Windows is running, power down the PC and reconnect your remaining SATA drives. If this matches your previous setup, it may indicate an issue.
You didn’t disable CSM, so it was still active. After turning off CSM and using fastboot, the problem persisted. It doesn’t appear in the Windows installer, but when booting from your current Windows setup on the old drive, the new M.2 appears as a storage device.
On your Windows 10, locate Start, right-click and select Windows PowerShell (admin). Run the command: Export-WindowsDriver -Online -Destination D:\Drivers. Adjust the path to match your system, letter and folder name. Transfer the folder to your USB drive and search inside for drivers.
The driver you installed should cover everything required. I've used this method to build corporate installation images. winPE, which is the pre-installed environment, often doesn't support AHCI and networking features. This is the simplest approach to obtain those drivers. It also includes chipset drivers when necessary.
Attempted to update BIOS on the laptop? Where can you find your W10 installer? Is the latest version directly downloaded from Microsoft? By the way, I had a similar problem with an MSI laptop. It came with a small m.2 and a 1TB hard drive; I swapped it out for a larger m.2 and a big SATA SSD, which worked fine for a while. When I decided to sell it, I kept the bigger m.2 for my new system, so I removed that and tried installing Windows on the SATA SSD. Various options were tried, but it just wouldn’t work properly. Even once I managed to install Windows, after rebooting it failed completely. The BIOS simply refused to boot from the SATA slot. One last option: Transfer the SSD to another PC, ensure no other drives are connected, confirm it’s in UEFI mode, and make sure CSM is off. Install Windows on the SSD, remove it from the original PC, and install it inside the laptop. If it still doesn’t boot, it’s likely a firmware issue that may not be fixable.
I would reach out to HP to verify if the unit can handle NVMe booting, since BIOS compatibility is essential for that feature. NVMe devices may appear but won’t be usable as install media without proper support. Typically, Intel’s Z97 and newer Z-series, along with X-series chipsets, already include this functionality. OEMs can extend support to unsupported models via their BIOS. If HP doesn’t offer it, it’s likely a limitation. This seems likely based on your experience booting from a standard SATA drive before.
Hi! Thanks for the advice. As per my initial message, I've already installed it on my main PC to avoid any issues with HP's proprietary components, including BIOS, firmware, and SATA vs M.2 compatibility. I've explored all the suggestions shared so far, both on my laptop and the PC I assembled. Attempting to boot Windows from my PC, then reinstalling the drive and starting from my laptop has been a key step since I thought a board with confirmed M.2 support would be easier. Still, the drive doesn't appear in the Windows installer—even after trying various drivers suggested here. It shows up in my BIOS and also when I install it as a secondary drive in launched Windows.
Since I forgot to address some points in your comment, I've updated the BIOS but kept running into problems. I used HP's software assistant for my laptop model and downloaded the update file to a USB manually, but both took over a day and didn't finish. The Windows installation media seems outdated—about a year old, last used around five months ago. I'm now creating a fresh one with another blank USB drive to test again.