Why is my new m2 SSD not showing up in disk management?

Connecting a new M.2 SSD and having it not show up in Disk Management is a common issue that can be caused by several factors.

Some potential reasons an M.2 drive may not appear include: improper physical installation, lack of power delivery, outdated drivers, a corrupted disk, or incorrect Disk Management settings.

This guide will walk through the top troubleshooting tips to get an M.2 SSD recognized in Disk Management so it can be initialized and formatted for use.

Verify the SSD is properly connected

One of the most common reasons an SSD may not show up is because it’s not properly connected. First, check that the SATA or M.2 slot connection is secure on both ends. Make sure the SSD is fully inserted into the slot and the retaining screw is tightened down (for M.2 drives). Wiggle the connection gently to confirm it’s snug. Also inspect the SATA cable to ensure no pins are damaged or dirty which could prevent a solid connection.

If it’s an M.2 drive, consult your motherboard manual to verify you are using a compatible slot. There may be multiple M.2 slots with different PCIe or SATA support. An NVMe PCIe SSD requires a PCIe M.2 slot to function.

Additionally, some SATA ports on motherboards may be disabled when using an M.2 drive. Try swapping the SATA cable to a different port or adjusting related BIOS settings if the drive is not being detected.

Finally, reseat both ends of the SATA/M.2 connection and reboot the system to see if the SSD shows up after resetting the connection. A loose cable can intermittently drop the connection.

Ensure the SSD is getting power

One of the most common reasons an SSD is not showing up in Disk Management is because it’s not getting power. Check that both ends of the SATA power cable are firmly connected. The cable should click into place on the SSD and PSU/SATA power connector. If the cable is loose or not fully inserted, the SSD will not turn on.

Try disconnecting and reconnecting the SATA power cable to get a solid connection. Make sure to match the L-shaped connector properly with the SSD power socket. You may need to apply extra pressure to fully insert the cable so it clicks and locks.

Inspect the SATA power cable for any bent or broken pins that could prevent a solid connection. Try swapping in a different SATA power cable if you have an extra, in case the cable itself is faulty. Using a compatible SATA power extension cable can also help connect hard-to-reach ports.

Lastly, confirm your PSU is switched on and has sufficient wattage to power the SSD. If unsure, try a different power connector from the PSU that you know works for other drives.

Update BIOS and chipset drivers

Making sure your BIOS and chipset drivers are fully up-to-date is one of the first troubleshooting steps that should be done if an SSD is not being detected properly. Old or outdated BIOS versions or chipset drivers can cause compatibility issues with newer solid state drives, preventing them from being recognized.

To update the BIOS and chipset drivers, you should visit the manufacturer’s website and look up your specific computer model or motherboard model (if you built your own system). From there, you can download the latest BIOS and chipset driver versions available. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully when performing a BIOS update.

Once the BIOS and chipset driver updates are complete, reboot the system and check if the SSD is now detected. Often a simple driver update is all that is needed for an SSD to be properly recognized. Just be certain to only download BIOS updates from the official OEM website, not from third party sites which could contain malware.

For more details, see this article on downloading latest BIOS updates from manufacturer websites: https://www.seagate.com/support/kb/the-bios-does-not-detect-or-recognize-the-solid-state-drive-005707en/

Initialize the SSD in Disk Management

If the SSD is not showing up in Disk Management, you may need to initialize it first before it can be detected by Windows. Initializing an SSD will erase any existing partitions and data on the drive and prepare it for use.

To initialize the SSD in Disk Management:

  1. Open the Disk Management utility. You can access this by right-clicking the Start menu and selecting “Disk Management”.
  2. Locate the SSD in the list of disks at the bottom. It may show up as an “Unknown” drive with no drive letter assigned. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/disk-management/initialize-new-disks
  3. Right-click on the disk and select “Initialize Disk”.
  4. In the popup, select either MBR or GPT partitioning. GPT is recommended for SSDs.
  5. Click “OK” to initialize the disk.

Once initialized, the SSD should now show up as a basic disk in Disk Management. You can then create a new volume on it to start using the extra storage space.

Check if the Drive is Showing in Device Manager

One easy way to check if Windows is detecting your SSD properly is to open Device Manager and look under the Disk Drives category. To open Device Manager in Windows 10 or 11:

  1. Right click the Start menu and select “Device Manager”
  2. Expand the “Disk drives” category

Your SSD should be listed here if Windows detects it. If you don’t see it listed, that likely means there is an issue with Windows properly detecting the drive.

Some things to check in Device Manager:

  • Make sure the SSD is not displaying any warning signs or errors
  • Try uninstalling the drive completely, restarting your PC, and checking if Windows properly installs the drivers upon reboot
  • Update the SSD driver in Device Manager by right clicking on it, selecting “Update driver”, then searching automatically for updated drivers

If the SSD still does not show up properly in Device Manager after trying these steps, you may need to examine connections, ports, cables, BIOS settings, etc. to troubleshoot further. But Device Manager is a good first step to quickly check Windows SSD detection.

Sources:
https://www.easeus.com/storage-media-recovery/ssd-not-showing-up-windows-10.html

Try a different SATA port

If your SSD is still not detected after updating drivers and settings, try switching to a different SATA port on your motherboard. Many motherboards have multiple SATA ports that you can connect drives to. Switch the SATA data cable from the non-working port to an alternate port.

This simple step resolves detection issues in many cases, as it bypasses any problems with that specific port. Quite often, a faulty SATA port is the root cause behind an undetected SSD.

Refer to your motherboard manual to locate available SATA ports if you are unsure where they are. Switch the SSD to another port, then reboot and check if it now shows up in BIOS and Disk Management.

If you don’t have any extra SATA ports, try using a SATA port multiplier to add more ports. As a last resort, replace the SATA cable or motherboard if no ports seem to detect the SSD.

Examine Disk Management settings

One reason a new SSD may not show up in Disk Management is if the view is filtered or set to hide certain disks. In Disk Management, go to the Action menu and make sure “Rescan Disks” and “Refresh” are both selected. This will reload all connected disks.

Next, check the View menu and confirm “Show Hidden Devices” is enabled. Sometimes Disk Management may hide system reserved partitions or disks without drive letters by default. Showing hidden devices displays everything.

You can also click the View menu and choose “Filter…” which brings up a filter settings window. Make sure the “Size” filter is set to show all sizes, and no other filters are enabled. Clicking “OK” applies the filter settings.

After ensuring nothing is hidden or filtered out, rescan disks again to reload the view. At this point, the new SSD should display if properly connected. For additional troubleshooting, double check it is enabled in BIOS and shows under Hard Disk Drives in Device Manager. As a reference, see this guide for further Disk Management troubleshooting steps.

Run diskpart and list volume

Diskpart is a command line tool built into Windows that can be used to examine disks and volumes. To use diskpart to check if your SSD is visible:

  1. Open the Start menu and type “diskpart” to launch the diskpart command line tool.
  2. At the diskpart prompt, type “list disk” to show all disks detected by Windows.
  3. Type “list volume” to display all volumes. If your new SSD does not show up here, Windows is not detecting it.

If the SSD is not listed by the diskpart tool, it indicates a connection or detection issue, not merely a missing drive letter. Troubleshoot the physical connections, try different SATA ports, and check for updated firmware and drivers. If the SSD shows up in diskpart but has no volume, use the “create volume” command to create a new volume on the disk so Windows can access it.

For more information, see this diskpart guide: https://www.diskpart.com/articles/diskpart-list-volume-there-are-no-volumes.html

Conclusion

M.2 SSDs not showing up in Windows can be frustrating, but the issue is usually fixable with some troubleshooting. In summary, first check your SSD is properly seated and connected. Update BIOS, chipset, and SSD drivers. Initialize the drive in Disk Management if not detected. Try different SATA ports or M.2 slots if still not visible. Enable M.2 in BIOS if disabled. As a last resort, diskpart and disk management tools may reveal the drive for formatting.

Final tips – be patient, update all motherboard-related software and firmware. If the SSD still won’t show up, it may be defective and require RMA. When all else fails, a motherboard or SSD replacement may be needed. Back up important data first during troubleshooting. With some diligent effort, your M.2 SSD should show up and be usable in Windows.