Despite the obvious advantages of SSDs, which make it possible to displace hard drives from the computer market, many people face a number of problems when using solid state drives. What to do if the SSD is no longer detected? This article will describe several troubleshooting methods. You can also find out the causes of such problems and how to avoid them.
What is an SSD?
SSD is a high-speed solid state drive that is devoid of mechanical parts. High speed data transfer provides instant system startup and boot. The absence of mechanical parts guarantees impact resistance and safety of the drive, if it has been dropped. Low power consumption is also one of the advantages, as this quality allows the disk to consume less energy, thereby maintaining the optimum temperature.
However, to verify the properties of the disk, you must connect it. It may happen that the SSD is not detected. Then you need to solve the problem.
Connection Reasons
The first reason that an SSD is not detected is an initialization error. There are cases when after installing the drive in the computer it is not initialized in the system. This can only be fixed manually.
First you need to call the user console with the key combination Win + R. Now we type the compmgmt command. msc and click OK. After that, the computer control panel opens, where you need to select the disk management tab.
Once you find the drive you need, right-click on it and select the “initialize disk” option. Next, put a check in the "Disk 1" field, and then put a mark in front of the MBR value, and then fix the result by clicking the "OK" button.
Now you have to create a simple volume by selecting the appropriate function. After that, a window opens called “Wizard for creating a new volume”, in which we click “Next”. Then you have to choose the size of the volume, the program will offer the maximum and minimum values beyond which you can not go. Then you need to decide on the letter that will indicate the name.
It's time for the final step - formatting the section. The system formats the data and creates new settings so that the disk is fully functional. Here is a solution to the problem if the SSD is not detected in Windows.
Drive letter not defined
If the SSD is no longer detected, then the reason may still be the lack of a letter. To do this, you must repeat the first two steps of the previous option to get to the disk management menu. After that, right-click on the drive you are looking for and select the option “Change drive letter or drive path”.
Now, when a pop-up window appears, you need to find the “Change” button and assign a drive letter.
Missing sections - software repair
Is the SSD not detected or is its status “Not initialized”? This can happen even if the solid state drive is used for a long time. The situation is approximately the following: the drive is displayed in the disk management menu, but there is not a single mention of it in the My Computer folder.
The reasons for the appearance of such a factor may be:
- Viruses. If the disk has undergone a virus attack, then this behavior is likely.
- Failure. If the drive does not work correctly, a software failure may occur, which leads to damage to the MBR files and tables.
The easiest way to fix this problem is to perform disk initialization. If important data remains on the disk, then the following method will help to fix such a problem if the SSD is not detected.
Restoring a partition is best done by an experienced person who has at least once dealt with a similar problem. And it is also not recommended to perform the following actions if a licensed operating system is installed on the drive.
SSD repair program
The repair program is called MiniTool Partition Wizard, which you need to run and find the letter of your drive. By right-clicking, you need to select the Partition Recovery option.
After that, the range in which the disk will be scanned is selected. It rarely happens that the user knows in which sector a failure occurred, so it’s better to run a full scan using the Full Disc function.
Then again, you have to choose between Quick Scan and Full Scan. In the first case, a quick scan occurs, which ensures recovery of only hidden or deleted partitions. The second option is more radical, as it scans the entire disk. This troubleshooting method is longer.
When the scan is completed and the program found all the sections, you must click the Finish button. You need to fix the operation with the Apply button, which is located in the upper left corner of the program window. This method is very productive if the SSD is not detected.
Work SSD in BIOS
There are also cases when an SSD drive is not detected in BIOS. The reasons for this problem may be as follows:
- Disconnected SATA port to which the SSD is connected. In order to fix this problem, you need knowledge of your own BIOS. You need to go to the menu and connect the necessary port, after which the SSD will be displayed in the program.
- Incorrect SATA port mode. This problem is also solved in the BIOS, in the section that is responsible for the drives.
- Invalid BIOS settings. It happens that a program does its job incorrectly. To make sure that this is the reason, you should call the settings menu and look at the system date. It must match the real one. Otherwise, you will have to change the BIOS battery.
- The reason that the SSD is no longer detected may be in the cable. It must be checked for physical damage and replaced, if any.