It can be frustrating when you install a new M.2 solid state drive (SSD) in your computer and find that it doesn’t show up or can’t be accessed. There are several potential reasons why your M.2 SSD may not be detected.
Quick Overview of Common Issues
Here is a quick overview of some of the most common reasons an M.2 SSD may not show up:
- The M.2 slot is disabled in the BIOS
- Old BIOS that doesn’t support NVMe drives
- Drive not properly seated in the M.2 slot
- Wrong type of M.2 drive for the slot/system
- Drive requires additional drivers that aren’t installed
- Faulty cable connection
- Damaged or faulty SSD
- Incorrect disk initialization and formatting
The good news is that most issues that prevent an M.2 SSD from being detected are relatively straightforward to troubleshoot and fix.
Verify the Drive Is Properly Seated
One of the first and most obvious issues to check is whether the M.2 SSD is properly inserted in the M.2 slot on your motherboard. An M.2 drive has a notch at one end that will only align with the slot on the motherboard in one orientation. If the drive is not fully pushed into place and properly seated in the slot, it won’t make the necessary connections for the motherboard to detect it.
To reseat the drive, turn off and unplug your computer. Open the case and locate the M.2 slot on the motherboard. Release the retainer that holds the SSD in place and gently remove it. Inspect the drive for any obvious damage or bent pins. Also inspect the M.2 slot for any obstructions or damage. Reinsert the drive into the slot and make sure it is fully seated then push down the retainer to lock it into position. Boot up the computer and check if the drive is now detected.
Enable M.2 Slot in BIOS
Most motherboards with M.2 slots allow you to enable or disable the slot in the BIOS settings. In some cases, the M.2 slot is set to disabled by default. You’ll need to enter the system BIOS and find the settings that control SATA or NVMe drives and enable the M.2 slot.
The exact steps to access the BIOS and locate the relevant settings will vary by motherboard manufacturer and model. Consult your motherboard manual for instructions. Look for options related to SATA, NVMe, M.2, or drive configurations. Make sure the slot your M.2 SSD is installed in is enabled, then save changes and exit the BIOS.
Update BIOS
If you have an older motherboard, it may have a BIOS version that lacks support for newer NVMe M.2 drives. Most modern systems should handle NVMe drives just fine, but in some cases a BIOS update may be needed to enable compatibility.
To update the BIOS, you’ll need to download the latest BIOS file for your motherboard from the manufacturer’s website. Put this file on a USB flash drive. Reboot to the BIOS setup utility and use the update function, indicating the USB drive with the update file. Flashing the BIOS is a delicate procedure so follow the instructions carefully and do not interrupt the update process.
Incompatible or Faulty Cable
If your M.2 slot connects via SATA rather than PCIe, it will use a SATA data cable for the connection between the drive and motherboard. Make sure this cable is firmly attached at both ends and that you are using the proper SATA cable for M.2 drives. A faulty or low quality cable can cause connection issues.
Try swapping in a known good SATA cable if possible to rule out the cable being bad. Also verify both ends of the cable are plugged into the correct ports. Consult your motherboard manual to confirm the SATA cable is routed and connected properly.
Install Correct Drivers
For NVMe PCIe M.2 drives, you may need to install drivers for the drive provided by the manufacturer before the SSD is detectable by the operating system. This is relatively uncommon for modern versions of Windows which have generic NVMe drivers already included, but can occur in some situations.
First, check with the SSD manufacturer to see if they recommend installing any drivers for your specific drive and operating system. Download these drivers to a USB drive if available. After installing the M.2 drive, boot to Windows setup media in recovery mode, load the driver from the USB drive, then proceed with OS installation.
Initialize and Format Drive
If your motherboard BIOS and Windows Device Manager both detect the new M.2 drive properly but it still does not show up as available storage space, the drive needs to be initialized and formatted before use.
Here are the steps to initialize and format an unallocated SSD in Windows:
- Open Disk Management utility. Right click the Start menu and select “Disk Management”.
- The new drive should appear as an “Unknown” and “Not Initialized” disk.
- Right click the disk and select “Initialize Disk”. Select GPT or MBR partition style.
- Right click the “Unallocated” space on the disk and select “New Simple Volume”. Go through the prompts to initialize and format the full capacity of the SSD.
- The new volume will now show up in File Explorer ready for use.
Common M.2 Slot Types
There are several different types of M.2 slots that support different drive interfaces and protocols. Picking a compatible M.2 SSD for your system is important:
| M.2 Slot Type | Bus Interface |
| M.2 SATA | SATA 3 |
| M.2 PCIe (NVMe) | PCIe 3.0/4.0 x2/x4 |
| M.2 PCIe + SATA | PCIe + SATA |
If you install an NVMe drive in a SATA-only slot or vice versa, the system will not recognize the SSD.
Troubleshooting Drive Detection Issues
If your M.2 SSD is still not being detected properly, here are some tips for further troubleshooting:
- Try installing the M.2 drive in a different compatible PC and see if it is recognized.
- Try a different SATA data cable if your drive uses SATA connection.
- Inspect physical condition of the drive and slot for any damage or debris.
- Update motherboard drivers and BIOS to latest version.
- Boot into Windows safe mode and see if drive is recognized.
- Check for latest firmware update for the M.2 drive.
- Contact drive manufacturer support for troubleshooting tips.
When to Look for Professional Help
If you have exhausted all conventional troubleshooting steps such as those listed in this guide, and the M.2 SSD still does not show up properly, physical damage or a defective drive may be suspected. At that point it is best to contact a PC technician, computer repair shop, or the drive manufacturer for warranty support.
Some signs that professional help is advised include visual damage to the drive or slot connectors, detection issues persisting after changing cables and slots, issues occurring after a failed BIOS update, or drives that initially work then fail after some period of usage.
Conclusion
While an undetected M.2 SSD can be frustrating, the good news is that in most cases the problem can be resolved through conventional troubleshooting steps. Ensuring the drive is properly seated and enabled in BIOS are good initial steps. Updating BIOS, trying a different slot or cable, verifying disk initialization, and installing necessary drivers covers most other potential issues.
Rarely, a defective drive or irreparable damage may require professional repair or replacement. But following methodical troubleshooting and exclusion steps will typically get your new M.2 solid state drive detected and accessible so you can start enjoying the performance benefits of this speedy storage technology.
