6 ways to fix the error of not recognizing SSD drive in Windows 10
SSDs have a common problem of not being recognized by the Windows operating system. If that's the case, your SSD may not show up on This PC, File Explorer and Disk Management , even though it's properly connected to the computer.
This problem can be especially troublesome when setting up an SSD. Read the following article to learn how to fix SSD detection problems in Windows 10.
1. Verify BIOS detects SSD
Before starting with possible fixes, you need to make sure your SSD is correctly connected and detected by the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System). BIOS is the program that starts the computer. It also controls the necessary tasks between the operating system and the many attached devices.
To open the BIOS menu on your computer, you usually need to press the correct function key as soon as the computer is starting up. The specific key required may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.
For example, on a Dell PC, you need to press the F2 key as soon as the Dell logo appears. You can search the Internet to find the exact function key that accesses the BIOS menu for your PC.
Once in the BIOS menu, look for the Boot menu and check if the SSD is listed there. If the SSD is listed there, you can go ahead and try the solutions mentioned below. If the BIOS menu does not recognize your SSD, you may have a hardware problem or need to configure the SATA controller settings in the BIOS menu.
2. Configure SSD settings
If the BIOS menu doesn't list SSD, you may need to reconfigure your SSD settings. The SATA controller is a hardware interface that connects the motherboard to the hard drive. If the BIOS doesn't detect the SSD, you can try changing the SATA controller mode.
The BIOS menu will vary by manufacturer, so try to look for similar settings in your manufacturer-specific BIOS menu.
To configure the SATA controller settings:
Step 1: Restart the PC and enter the BIOS menu by pressing the appropriate function key.
Step 2: Navigate to Storage Options > Serial ATA > SATA Configuration or a similar setting.
Step 3: Select IDE Compatibility Mode .
Step 4: Save the changes and restart the PC.
Your BIOS should now recognize the SSD and you can start using it after starting Windows 10.
3. SSD not initialized
Once you have a new SSD, you need to initialize it to use it in Windows 10. An uninitialized SSD will not show up in File Explorer or the Disk Management utility.
If you haven't initialized your SSD yet, you can follow a few steps:
Step 1: Search for Disk Management in the Start menu search bar, right-click on the best match and select Run as administrator .
Step 2: Right-click the undetected SSD and select Initialize Disk.
Step 3: In the Initialize Disk dialog box , select the SSD you want to initialize and select the partition type.
Step 4: Click OK to start the drive initialization process.
Step 5: After completing step 4, go back to Disk Management , right click on SSD volume and select New Simple Volume .
Step 6: Follow the on-screen instructions to assign the SSD volume and drive letter.
After initializing the SSD, you should restart your PC for the changes to take place correctly. After the reboot, Windows 10 should detect the SSD and you can access it through File Explorer.
4. Update the memory device controller driver
Before moving on to more in-depth fixes, you need to make sure that the memory device controller drivers are up to date. Outdated drivers can cause the device to work improperly and lead to the reason why Windows doesn't detect the SSD.
To update the device driver driver, remember to do the following:
Step 1: Launch Device Manager from the Start menu.
Step 2: Search for Storage controllers and expand the group.
Step 3: Right-click on the memory device driver and select Update driver.
Step 4: Select Search automatically for updated driver software .
Windows will automatically install any available updates; you can then restart your PC and open File Explorer or the Disk Management tool to check if Windows 10 now detects the SSD drive.
5. Troubleshooting memory for SSD detection
Usually, memory problems in Windows cause SSDs to be unrecognized. The Windows Memory Diagnostic tool can detect and fix faulty RAM and hard drive problems. You can run the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool as follows:
Step 1: Search for Windows Memory Diagnostic in the Start menu, right-click on the best match and select Run as administrator .
Step 2: Save any unfinished work and select Restart now and check for problems (recommended) .
The PC will now reboot and the diagnostics will run automatically. The test will take a few minutes to complete; once completed, your PC will automatically reboot and display the test results.
You can then open Disk Management or File Explorer to check if the SSD is currently recognized by Windows 10. You can then initialize the SSD from Disk Management as explained above.
6. Specify or change the drive letter
A common reason why Windows 10 doesn't recognize an SSD is a conflicting or missing drive letter. You can quickly solve this problem by changing or assigning a new drive letter to the SSD in the Disk Management utility.
To change the drive letter of the SSD, follow these steps:
Step 1: Search for Disk Management in the Start menu search bar, right-click on the most suitable option and select Run as administrator .
Step 2: Right-click on the SSD and select Change Drive Letter and Paths .
Step 3: Click Add if the drive letter does not exist or Change to modify the existing drive letter.
Step 4: Select the new drive letter from the drop-down menu and click OK for the changes to take place.
After following the steps above, you can restart your PC and Windows 10 should recognize the SSD. You can then access the SSD through File Explorer.
Good luck fixing the error!
You should read it
- How to fix USB device not recognized error on Windows
- Details on how to effectively fix USB Device Not Recognized Windows 11 error
- Instructions for fixing errors 'not recognized as an internal or external command' when using CMD in Windows
- This is how to 'recover' a failed USB drive on Linux
- 117 newly recognized emojis, the unique 'unfinished cry of laughter' will become the new trend
- Instructions for fixing device Usb error not recognized Code 43
- How to identify and install the correct driver missing for Windows?
- How to fix Windows 11 not recognizing USB devices
May be interested
- 3 ways to fix the error of not receiving USB USB after installing Windowsthe article introduces 3 ways to fix the error of the computer not recognizing the usb after installing win is extremely simple. if you get this error, please click to see details!
- How to fix computer not recognizing microphone effectivelythe error of the computer not recognizing the microphone is quite rare, bringing great discomfort to users. refer to how to fix the error of the computer not recognizing the microphone.
- Drive letter is not available on Windows: Causes and solutionsseeing a drive letter not available error message when accessing or creating a new drive can be very frustrating. the reason for the error isn't always immediately obvious, but it's rarely unresolvable.
- Three ways to check the drive in Windows 7in this article, i will show you how to diagnose and solve disk problems with the default tools included in windows 7.
- Fix Windows 7 error without receiving CD / DVD drivein the process of using the computer, some of you may have experienced a windows 7 computer operating system that did not receive an unstable cd / dvd drive or cd / dvd drive.
- 9 fastest ways to fix Macbook not recognizing external hard drive
- Fix hard drive not recognizing data in Windowswhy is the hard drive still recognized in windows but no data is displayed? let's find out the cause and how to fix it in the article below with hacom!
- Causes and how to fix the error of the camera not recognizing the memory cardsummary of causes of the camera not recognizing the memory card. how to fix the error of yoosee camera not recognizing the memory card, ezviz camera not recognizing the memory card...
- Summary of some ways to fix USB Device Not Recognized on Windows 7, 8 and 10the usb device not recognized error is one of the most common errors, often appearing during the process of connecting a usb drive on windows xp, windows 7, 8 and even windows 10. in the following article, network administrator will introduce and guide you to some solutions to fix this usb not recognized error quickly.
- Instructions on how to fix the error of the computer not recognizing the printerthe computer saying 'windows cannot connect to the printer' when you connect to the printer is a fairly common error in the printing process. to fix the error that the computer does not recognize the printer, please follow the instructions below!