Windows installer doesn't detect NVME drive

[foob]

Trying a fresh install of Windows 11. After several tries I still can't get the Windows installer to recognize my drive. When the installation starts it prompts me to provide drivers. I have downloaded the "Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver" for Win 11 from the HP support pages, the driver appears to be recognized (showing something like "Intel RST VMD") but when I click "continue" the installer refuses to continue saying it can't find the necessary drivers. I tried both with secure boot on and off as some other thread mentioned this could be the problem, but no difference. Perhaps some other driver is still missing?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

I zipped up and attached the Intel storage controller drivers below so Windows can find the drive.

The attached file is good for both W10 & W11.

Copy all of the files in both folders in the attached file to a USB flash drive.

Have the flash drive and your Windows installation media plugged into USB ports.

Boot from the W10/W11 installation flash drive.

When you get to the screen where no drives can be found, click on the Load driver option, browse to the flash drive with the storage controller drivers on it.

If you check the box, it will only include the compatible driver.

Click Next and if those are the right drivers Windows should find the drive and install.

[foob]

Thanks so much for your reply. I just tried with your file but still the same result; it does find the driver (with the "show compatible only" box checked)

The two driver options I see are

Intel RST VMD Controller 9A0B

Intel RST VMD Managed Controller 9A0B

I tried selecting each one individually and pressing continue, I also tried selecting both at the same time. No matter which one I choose, when I press continue it searches for a while and then says "We can't find any new drivers, check whether the correct drivers are on the media and try again"

Do you think I need to pre-partition the drive? I never had to do that on previous Windows installs. But the drive is completely blank at the moment. I'll try that in the morning and report back if it helps.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

Sorry that driver didn't work,

It is the newest IRST driver from Intel and is good for the 11th, 12th and 13th generation core processors.

I don't know why Microsoft has not incorporated these drivers into the installation media yet.

They've had 3 years to do this now and not one thing has been done about it.