Missing SSD

[Roshane]

My new M14x R2 fails to detect the 128 Gb SSD installed. I'm not quite sure what happened, or when it happened. The BIOS has been updated, due to a keyboard lighting problem, other than that, not major changes. I would like to install Windows onto the SSD, instead of the HD as it came from Dell. Any ideas on how to get my SSD back?

 

[stupreme]

Hi , From what I know you go into control panel , select Administrative tools>computer management>disk management. then you should see your hard drives - right click on your 128gb ssd and explore it - you will get an option to enable it or make it discoverable .

 

[Roshane]

Hi , From what I know you go into control panel , select Administrative tools>computer management>disk management. then you should see your hard drives - right click on your 128gb ssd and explore it - you will get an option to enable it or make it discoverable .

After following your instructions (thank you) I have my primary drive, with recovery partition, and an unallocated 55 gb drive. The SSD is a 128 gb, and the disk manager isn't giving me any options to make adjustments. The BIOS recognizes the SSD. Not quite sure what the problem may be...

 

[Commy1]

So you want to boot from the SSD? Are you using an optical caddy for secondary drive? or mSata?

 

[stupreme]

The easiest way to sort out your OS now its recognised again , is to make a system back up using AlienRespawn on a 8Gb USB . Once you done that - swap over your SSD so it's in the primary sata slot , Disconect the HDD and then boot up your system with the USB plugged in . Alien Respawn will then install itself back onto your SSD and sort out all the partitions and drivers for you. When it's finished your ready to go , just put your HDD back in and use it for storage. save the important files you need to SSD before you wipe HDD and re format it because it will still have a OS on it that is taking up space and may interfere with your SSD.

 

[Roshane]

So I'll need to physically swap the drives? I'm currently running the OS off of a 750 gb HDD, it's listed as the 0 drive, with the recovery partition on it listed as the 1 drive. Windows still isn't seeing the SSD, even though it is listed in the BIOS. I'm guessing I'll have to swap drives physically, leaving out the HDD, until I load Win 7 onto the SSD, then install and wipe the HDD. Is it really necessary to format the HDD, or can I just manually remove Windows from it? I have Skyrim, saves, and several mods on it that I'd hate to have to try to transfer.

 

[stupreme]

Hi . You don't have to wipe the HDD if you don't want to , it's just that it may cause incompatibility issues later on down the road. I would transfer my mods and game saves ect to my new SSD before I reformatted the HDD. As for Steam games like Skyrim ,I would do a fresh install(steam usually saves your game saves on the cloud) and whether you get your mods from steam or nexus they are easily recovered. Remember that if you go into your HHD and just delete windows you will only delete the visible files, there are thousands of hidden files and locked files that only an experienced PC programmer would know how to delete, and they would recommend reformatting instead. And yes - you would need to put SSD in port 0 drive with USB plugged in (without the HHD in) Boot up system and follow on screen message to let AlienRespawn reformat , Re-partition and Re-install your whole OS including Drivers etc. and when it's finished you can plug back in your HHD

 

[Roshane]

Thanks for the reply, and info, Stupreme. I'm going to give it a try in the next few days and see how it goes.

 

[stupreme]

When I used AlienRespawn to install my OS onto my SSD I used a 16Gb USB , When respawn scanned my USB it said I needed 7.1Gb so an 8Gb USB should work fine , But if you can get a 16Gb USB it will 100% work for you.