issue in detection of a SSD/Harddisk when connected at DVD SATA port with a Caddy in HP laptop.

[AMAN_MK]

Subject: DVD SATA Port Not Detecting SSDs/HDDs (Optical Drive Works)

Dear HP Support,

I’m facing an issue with my HP laptop’s DVD SATA port. While the original DVD writer functions perfectly (responds to commands/ejects normally), the port fails to detect any SSDs or HDDs connected via a caddy. Here’s what I’ve observed:
1. HDD/SSD in DVD Slot:
- The drive is detected in BIOS but not in Windows.
- Windows prompts to initialize the disk (fails even with MBR/GPT).
- The same HDD + caddy works flawlessly on another laptop’s DVD slot.
2. SSD in DVD Slot:
- Not detected at all (despite working in the laptop’s primary HDD slot).
3. Power/Compatibility Checks:
- Tested with multiple drives (HDD/SSD) — none work in the DVD slot.

4. BIOS Settings:
- SATA mode is set to AHCI (Standard SATA AHCI Controller visible in Windows).
- No option to toggle DVD SATA port settings in BIOS.

Conclusion: The DVD SATA port seems partially functional (supports optical drives but not storage drives). Possible causes:
- Firmware lock (OEM restriction on non-optical devices).
- Degraded signal/power delivery (works for DVDs but not SSDs/HDDs).
- BIOS bug (port disabled for storage despite detection in BIOS).

Request: Please confirm if:
1. The DVD SATA port is hardware-limited to optical drives only.
2. A BIOS update or hidden setting can enable storage drive support.
3. A hardware repair (e.g., SATA port replacement) is needed.


Laptop Model: HP Notebook - 15-be010tu

Serial No. : CND71746RD

Product No. : Z6X89PA

OS: Windows 10 [64 bit] (Legacy Mode)

Thank you for your assistance!

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[banhien · Accepted solution]

@AMAN_MK 

Conclusion: The DVD SATA port seems partially functional (supports optical drives but not storage drives). Possible causes:
- Firmware lock (OEM restriction on non-optical devices).
- Degraded signal/power delivery (works for DVDs but not SSDs/HDDs).
- BIOS bug (port disabled for storage despite detection in BIOS).

Well, that is TRUE because the SATA port to connect to optical drive is much slower than normal SATA - 3 speed (for HDD/SSD). Could be something to do with power too.

Regards.

[AMAN_MK]

Yes that could be the case as well.

But is there any way I could use the SSD in the DVD SATA slot? Will it require Hardware upgrade?

Thank you for your assistance!