SSD Missing After Windows 11 Re-Install

[Hoopitz]

Windows kept crashing on me and then refusing to boot - kept getting BSOD 3F0. I used the HP Cloud Recovery Tool to reinstall Windows 11, which did a fresh install on the other hard drive. Now, I'm up and running, but Windows only detects the one hard drive and not the SSD. When I go into BIOS, however, I see both hard drives in there. Since I didn't format the SSD, I'm hoping my files are still there, but don't know how to access them.

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @Hoopitz,

Welcome to the HP Support Community! 

Thanks for reaching out about your query regarding your PC!

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.

Try these steps:

Check Disk Management:

• Right-click on the Start button and select Disk Management.
• Look for any unallocated spaces or partitions that need to be initialized. If the SSD is unallocated or not initialized, you'll need to do so here.
• If the SSD appears with a letter, it should be accessible. If it doesn't, right-click and assign it a letter.

Update Storage Drivers:

• Make sure all your storage controller drivers are up-to-date.
• Open Device Manager:
  • Expand "Storage controllers".
  • Right-click on each entry and select "Update driver".

Rescan Disks:

• In Disk Management, click Action > Rescan Disks. This forces Windows to detect new hardware and attached drives.

Check SATA/NVMe Configuration in BIOS:

• Access BIOS settings during startup by pressing Esc or F10.
• Ensure that both drives are enabled and correctly configured. Check under Storage options.
• Set SATA/NVMe mode to AHCI if available.

Run Hardware Diagnostics:

• While in BIOS, use the HP PC Hardware Diagnostics tool.
• This can check the health of your SSD and other components.

Install Chipset Drivers:

• Download and install the latest chipset drivers from the HP support page for your model. Chipset drivers can help with the detection and performance of the SSD.

Partition Recovery Software:

• If the disk is not visible and you suspect partition corruption, you can use third-party recovery software such as EaseUS Partition Master or MiniTool Partition Wizard.

Check Disk Visibility:

• Boot into another OS environment like Linux Live USB to check whether the SSD data is visible and accessible.

Steps for Precaution:

• Backup Data: If you gain access to your SSD, immediately back up valuable data to an external drive or cloud storage.
• Avoid Formatting: As long as the SSD is detected in BIOS, avoid formatting it until you've thoroughly checked for all data.

I hope this helps.

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Best regards,